Fidget toys have been marketed as universal educational supports in the absence of a scientific evidence base. This article gives an overview of the existing literature on the effect of fidget toy use on student attention, behavior, and learning, and a review of two competing theoretical approaches to fidget toys: sensory processing theory and…

We report results from two experiments that examined the time course of vigilance decrements during a demanding multitasking scenario. Specifically, we implemented a novel paradigm in two experiments in which a total of 123 participants performed a go-no-go target detection continuous performance test (CPT) task simultaneously with a driving-based…

Acquiescence is the tendency of participants to shift their responses to agreement. Lechner et al. (2019) introduced the following mechanisms of acquiescence: social deference and cognitive processing. We added their interaction into a theoretical framework. The sample consists of 557 participants. We found significant medium strong relationship…

Pearson's Learning Foundations describe the optimal conditions for learning and reflect the learner experience Pearson hopes their products will create. Pearson does this by incorporating the Learning Design Principles. Each of the Learning Design Principles goes into detail about a key principle, supporting product design and marketing by…

Considerable research suggests a link between mind wandering and diminished levels of motivation and interest. During episodes of mind wandering, individuals may engage in efforts to redirect their attention back to the task at hand (known as focus back effort). Building on the resource-control hypothesis, we hypothesized that the influence of…

Objectives: To examine college students' conflicting COVID-19 information exposure, information-seeking, concern, and cognitive functioning. Participants: 179 undergraduates were recruited in March-April 2020, and 220 in September 2020 (Samples 1 and 2, respectively). Methods: Students completed the Attention Network Test, NASA Task Load Index,…

Previous research suggests that learning from combined textual and pictorial representations is generally more effective than from text alone. However, when these elements are spatially separated, learners must mentally integrate them, increasing cognitive load. According to cognitive load theory, such split-attention formats are less effective…

We investigated whether increased perceptual processing difficulty during reading or listening to a Sherlock Holmes novella impacts mind wandering as well as text comprehension. We presented 175 participants with a novella in either a visual or an auditory presentation format and probed their thoughts and motivational states from time to time…

Objective: To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying working memory (WM) deficits in children with ADHD. Method: WM was compared between thirty-four children with ADHD and thirty-four matched controls using neuropsychological tests, spatial and verbal versions of modified delayed matching-to-sample (DMTS) tasks, and the event-related…

The split-attention effect posits that learning outcomes are negatively impacted when interrelated text and graphics are spatially segregated rather than cohesively integrated. This study explored how the instructional material's presentation size influences the manifestation of the split-attention effect. Based on cognitive load theory and…

Contemporary technological advancements offer new possibilities for enhancing user creativity. We aimed to explore how technology can boost student creativity to meet the twenty-first century's demand for innovative talent. Based on the 4P model of creativity (person, process, product, and press) and constructivist theory, a virtual reality (VR)…

The empirical evidence concerning the question whether an instructor should be presented on online lecture slides is equivocal and two lines of theoretical reasoning exist. On the one hand, the instructor may distract from the content, thereby hampering learning; on the other hand, the instructor may function as a social cue that triggers a more…

The current study investigated the effects of segmentation design and drawing on college students' video learning. Participants were 158 college students randomly assigned to view either a segmented or continuous video lecture (video type: segmented vs continuous) and who either received instructed to draw while learning or no instructions at all…

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in the UAE and poses specific difficulties in school settings. There is a wide gap in researching internationally, and within the UAE specifically, ADHD burnout, defined as emotional fatigue and mental overwhelm, is an emerging concept. Despite…

With many distractions competing for students' attention, student engagement and knowledge retention are more important than ever. "Where Learning Happens" explores the types of attention--sustained, selective, divided, and effective--in depth and provides research-suggested strategies to maximize student attention and engagement. By…