Study Skills Workshop - PowerPoint Presentation

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Study Skills Workshop

Session 1:

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Today’s Discussion Topics

What is attention?Discuss types of attention

Discuss factors that contribute to attentional reductions

BEFORE

a task: strategies to eliminate distractions

DURING

a task: strategies to maintain focus

Self-evaluation to identify areas for future improvement

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Definition: What exactly is “attention”?

“The act or state of applying the mind to something.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

MENTAL CONTROL

“The process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others.”

Wordbook Dictionary

FOCUS

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There are millions of things to which we can attend, but we don’t perceive all of them.

Why? Because they don’t all capture our

interest.

Our life experiences are determined by the things to which

we decide to pay attention

.

William James (1890)

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Activity: How is your attention?

Attention Test

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Types of Attention

The ability to control attention can be divided into the following categories:Focused or Selective Attention

Sustained Attention

Alternating Attention

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Focused or Selective Attention

The most basic level of attentionRefers to selecting one aspect of the environment for attention to the exclusion of other aspects

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- Sustained Attention -

Refers to the ability to maintain attention over time.Requires mental control

because you must block out other stimuli and focus attention. This state is characterized by freedom from distraction.

Requires

vigilance

to maintain alertness over time.

Requires working memory because you must actively hold onto information while you are attending to and manipulating it.

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AttentionReading is a sustained attention task

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Alternating Attention

Refers to the ability to shift attention from one thing to another.Requires mental flexibility, and also working memory to hold onto information involved in multiple tasks as you alternate attention between them.

Requires mental control to return to one task after shifting attention to another task.

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AttentionDriving involves multitasking.

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AttentionNote-taking requires multitasking.

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Factors that Can Influence Attention

● Fatigue (poor sleep habits, poor diet)● Pain (headaches) ● Medication effects and substance use

● Motivation● Mood

● PTSD

● Anxiety

● Stress

● Neurological conditions, and other injuries or

conditions that reduce sensation and/or perception

(e.g., hearing loss, tinnitus, vision problems, etc.)

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Activity- Identify Personal Factors

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Why is Attention Important?

Attention is the building block of other cognitive activities

Encoding of information

Memory

Communication

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Attention Strategies

What can I do about these difficulties?

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Make Changes

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Activity:

Use this “Attention Lapse Log” to monitor your moments of inattention during this lecture.

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Rehabilitation of reduced attention

Reduce or eliminate the contributing factors:Increase sleepReduce vigilanceReduce pain

Work with care providers to identify most appropriate medications and dosages. Avoid substance abuse.Work with care providers to reduce depression, anxiety, and symptoms associated with PTSD as these conditions affect your ability to

engage.

Participate in care that targets conditions that may interfere with sensation and perception, particularly vision and hearing.

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Rehabilitation of Reduced Attention

UNDERSTAND > IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES > PRACTICERehabilitation of reduced attentionPractice focusing, sustaining, and alternating attentionPractice must occur in real-life contexts

Compensation for reduced attentionUse devices that store information

For example: record a classroom lecture, borrow notes from another classmate, obtain copies of lecture notes prior to class

Modification of your environment

- Eliminate distractions

- Create conditions that contribute to improved attention

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Set up for success

Minimize distractions caused by…Things going on around us

(external)

- People

- Objects (e.g. phone)

- Noises

- Clutter

Things going on inside of us

(internal)

- Stress and anxiety

- Personal needs

(e.g. hunger)

- Intrusive thoughts

- Fatigue/burn out

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Set up for success

Minimize external distractionsAvoid a distracting environmentFind a quiet place to workConsider using ear plugsAsk others not to interrupt

Remove clutter from your living and working place

Find your preferred seat during lectures

Find a comfortable place to work

Adequate lighting

Comfortable seating

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Set up for success

Minimize internal distractionsAttend to your needs before a taskMindfulness exercises

Take a break if you are feeling overloadedAllow time for breaks in your schedule Know your limits!

Work during your personal best time of day

Consider using a timer for task management. (e.g., set a timer for 20 minutes and work continuously until the alarm sounds. Take a break, and start over.

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Set up for success

Minimize internal distractionsKeep your brain on track by anticipating what's to come

Preview materials that will be discussed in class BEFORE attending lectures (e.g., textbooks, syllabus, slides).

Write a detailed to-do list BEFORE heading out to study.

Prioritize tasks based on importance

Set realistic goals

Ensure you have ALL materials needed to complete your goals

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Set up for successWhich will you try?

Things going on around us (external) - - - -

Things going on

inside us

(internal)

-

-

-

-

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Attention Strategies

Active FocusRephrase information: put it in your own wordsVisualize information: try to visualize what was presented to youSelf-talk: repeat information back to yourself

Summarize or paraphrase informationMake the information relevant to youMake associations

Make predictions

Use

all

of your senses!! (modalities)

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Be an ACTIVE

participant in classIf you do not understand what the teacher is saying, ask questions or ask for clarification.Write down your question if the lecturer asks you to wait to ask questions until the end of the class.

Take notes during lecture

Ask yourself questions, as understanding enhances memory (e.g.,

Do I understand? Do I need to ask a question? How is this meaningful to me? How does this fit with what I know?)

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Attention Strategies:

Environmental Modifications & AccommodationsRequest permission to use a digital voice recorder in class.After class, listen to the lecture and check your notes to see if you missed any important information. Add the missed information to your notes.

If you have difficulty taking notes in class, create notes from the audio recording. This gives you an opportunity to pause the lecture and create good notes.

The downside of this strategy is that some people don’t have the time or motivation to listen to a lecture more than once.

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Attention Strategies:

Environmental Modifications & AccommodationsPreferential classroom seating

Request to wear a hat/sunglasses to reduce glare from overhead lights and reduce photosensitivity.

Request additional breaks for stretching to reduce the impact of chronic pain.

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Attention Strategies

StudyingEncode information through multiple modalities

(e.g., reading and listening to lecture on digital voice recorder), or use your strongest processing modality.

Try to reduce the amount of information being presented at any one time (i.e.,

distributed learning

). Study smaller amounts over time.

Don’t forget to

test yourself!

(e.g. flashcards, quizzes)

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Monitor your Attention

Mark the top of your page every time that you break concentration, or miss information presented by the lecturer.Identify your attention limit (e.g., 5, 10, 15 minutes?)

Identify your most attentive time(s) of day. Complete most challenging tasks during that time.

Identify your strategy to redirect your attention back to the lecture.

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Monitor Your Attention

Identify what are your distracters. Are they internal thoughts or external noises (e.g., background noise, people in the classroom)?Learn the signs that indicate that you are becoming tired, or breaking concentration (e.g., resting your head on your hands, doodling).

Allow yourself time to adjust to changing tasks (e.g. switching from math homework to science homework).

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Redirect Your Attention

Use self-talk for internal or external distracters. When you break attention, repeat the following mantra: If I lose my concentration, I will relax, breathe, and re-focus on what I am doing.

Keep a notecard in view as a visual reminder to stay focused. The card could read:

Are you focused? What are you focusing on?

What should you be focusing on?

Write down distracting thoughts. Address them at a later, more appropriate time (e.g., after class, with your mental health provider).

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Monitor your Attention

Utilize an “Attention Lapse Log” by documenting the following information when you notice poor attention: Date

Time Activity

Mood

Description

What could you have done?

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Activity:

On your “Attention Lapse Log”, please enter possible attention strategies that could have been used to bring your focus back to this lecture.

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Summary & Test Your Knowledge:

Attention involves actively applying the mind to something, while also excluding non-relevant information - Mental Control & Focus

There are 3 general types of attention that we utilize with various tasks throughout the day

- Focused Attention

- Sustained Attention

- Alternating Attention

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What are some factors that influence attention that maybe be able to be controlled or eliminated?

● Fatigue (poor sleep habits, poor diet)● Pain (headaches) ● Medication effects and substance use

● Motivation● Mood

● PTSD

● Anxiety

● Stress

● Neurological conditions, and other injuries or

conditions that reduce sensation and/or perception

(e.g., hearing loss, tinnitus, vision problems, etc.)

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So how do I improve my attention?

Rehabilitation of decreased attention is most effectively accomplished by:Understanding the reasons for reduced attentionImplementing strategies to compensate for reductions

Practicing those strategies in real-life contexts

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Summary: Attention Strategies

Before starting a task and/or attending lecture, “set yourself up for success” by:- Eliminating internal distractions- Eliminating external distractions

During a task/lecture:

- Be an active participant and use attention strategies

to maintain focus.

- Don’t forget to take careful notes!

- Consider use of environmental modifications and

accommodations

- Monitor your attention

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Summary: Attention Strategies

After class and/or while studying:Organize and simplify your notes and lecture materials by summarizing in your own words

Test yourself over several study sessions

Self-evaluate: What could I do better next time?

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QUESTIONS?

Next Workshop:

Note-Taking and Mind-Mapping

Learn how to create effective notes during class and when reading

Learn what mind-mapping is and how it can improve note-taking and memory

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References

Brookshire, R.H. (2003). Introduction to Neurogenic Communication Disorders. St. Louis, Missouri: Mosby, Inc.Deraksham, N. & Eysenck, M.W., Eds. (2010). Emotional States, Attention, and Working Memory. A Special Edition of the Cognition & Emotion. New York: Psychology Press.Dohrmann, V.S. (1994). Treating memory impairments. Pro-Ed: Austin, TX.Flippo, R.F. and Caverly

, D.C., Eds. (2009). Handbook of College Reading and Study Strategy Research, Second Edition. Routledge, New York, NY.Green, B.S., Stevens, K.M., & Wolfe, T.D. (1997). Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Therapy and Resource Manual.

Singular Publishing Group, Inc.: San Diego, CA.

James, W. (1890).

The Principles of Psychology.

Online through York University. psychclassics.yorku.ca/James/Principles/

Halligan, P.W., & Wade, D.T., Eds. (2005).

Effectiveness of Rehabilitation for Cognitive Deficits

. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK.

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ReferencesHopper, C.H. (2010). Practicing College Learning Strategies, Fifth Edition.

Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.Nitta, L., & Maresca, L. (2012). Attention Strategies V2. Smart Start College Prep Program (2nd ed.). Roediger III, H.L. and Karpicke, J.D. (2006). Test-Enhanced Learning. Taking Memory Tests Improves Long-Term Retention. Psychological Science, 17(3): 249-255.

Sohlberg, M. M. & Mateer, C.A. (2001). Cognitive Rehabilitation. An Integrative Neuropsychological Approach. New York: The Guilford Press.

Ward, A. (2004).

Attention. A Neuropsychological Approach.

New York: Psychology Press.

Webster, S. & Scott, R.R. (1983). The effects of self-instructional training on attentional deficits following head injury.

Clinical Neuropsychology, 5

.