Focus and attention as success factors for students in higher education

Abstract

Digitisation in education presents both opportunities and challenges. The prevalence of distractions, such as social media and the "attention economy", reduces uninterrupted attention, which is a critical asset for students' learning success. Symptoms such as "stolen focus", "low attention span", stress, or depression, indicate an attention crisis. It is important for educators to assist future generations in improving their self-efficacy through enhanced media literacy, attention, focus, and in-depth learning.

This project addresses that issue by introducing a multifaceted teaching design that includes teaching materials, a playbook, and a "focus-for-success-diary". Participants gain insight into how the digitalized, fast-paced world affects their routines and learning, distinguishing between self-driven and externally influenced actions and recognizing stolen or self-interrupted focus. The use of theoretical concepts explains the impact of acceleration and demand pressure on stress and focus. The goal of this initiative is to teach participants about distraction triggers and strategies for maintaining focus.

The project employs a qualitative approach with action research to promote real-world changes. It measures development quantitatively through surveys conducted at the beginning and end of the semester. Presently, the action research phase is running simultaneously in several Bachelor programs across different campuses, catering to both part-time and full-time students in on-site and online settings.

The initial findings suggest that students are attracted to the topic due to personal con-nections, and the introductory phase has sparked interest across the university. Further qualitative data is still pending.