Dive Brief:
- Some K-12 schools are piloting “self-monitoring” applications that are supposed to help students, especially those with learning disabilities, learn to pay closer attention.
- One app, I-Connect, has alarms, calendars, checklists and prompts to help students stay organzied and prepared; another called Score It helps students reflect on their own behavior.
- Part of the draw of each app is the actual tech, since students find using devices to be more engaging than paper and pencil, Slate reports.
Dive Insight:
Previous studies about tech in the classroom have pointed to negative effects on attention span and concentration for some students. Two surveys of teachers released in 2012 by the Pew Research Center and Common Sense Media show a widespread belief among teachers that constantly using digital technology has a negative impact on students' attention spans and problem solving skills, but this might not be true. Respondents said tech hindered writing skills, face-to-face communication skills, and critical thinking.
Yet no long-term studies had proven adverse effects on student attention span. Other initiatives around improving student attention recently have focused on helping students regulate their emotions and improve attention spans by using meditation practices in the classroom.
