The Role of Attention in Learning
Attention is a crucial learning component, serving as the gateway through which information enters our cognitive processes. Understanding how attention works can profoundly impact how we design educational experiences.
As a Design Academic at the Queensland College of Art and Design, I have witnessed firsthand the significant role attention plays in student engagement and learning outcomes.
Attention as a Gatekeeper
Attention is a gatekeeper to what we perceive, learn, and ultimately know. Information cannot be processed deeply enough to be retained and understood without attention. This concept is foundational in teaching, where capturing and maintaining student attention can make or break a learning experience.
The Limited Capacity of Attention
One of the critical insights about attention is its limited capacity. Our brains can only process a finite amount of information at any given time. This limitation means that attention is inherently selective; we must prioritise some information while ignoring other stimuli. This selectivity is both a challenge and an opportunity in educational design…
