Learning at the Speed of a Scroll:
Education in the Attention Economy

What is this signal?

You switch between a TikTok tutorial, a trending video, and a gamified quiz in rapid succession. You pick up history trivia, a chocolate cookie recipe, and the latest political news in just a matter of seconds. As you scroll, a new notification pops up from your favorite fintech influencer followed by the latest dance challenge.

Welcome to Learning in the Attention Economy, where tech companies and content generators battle for users’ attention via entertaining, provocative, quick, and engaging content.

To meet learners where they are, more and more experts, education influencers and TikTok teachers are joining the bandwagon using short-form videos, memes, gamified challenges or infographics that simplify complex information (Carlos & Delocado, 2024). They’ve resorted to do all this in order to compete with other digital content to get the likes and reposts that drive the algorithms (Gurung, 2024).

So what?

Learning is increasingly shaped by this competition for eyeballs and entertainment, challenging students’ sustained focus in classroom lectures and formal education settings (Carlos & Delocado, 2024; Gurung 2024).

Rapid, bite-size content can surely make education more engaging and accessible, but the speed of their delivery may get in the way of critical thinking and lead to surface-level learning (Oaten, 2024).

These quick shots reinforce the “dopamine effect” of social content, shortening our attention spans and pressuring digital creators to deliver more stimulation that can lead to cognitive overload and shortened attention spans.

If social media is the new classroom, how can we design content so that it does not just capture attention, but also sustain it in the focused way that is essential to reflection, analysis, and deeper learning?

What if education adjusts to the attention economy?

Classes would resemble social media feeds where learning is gamified, interactive, and algorithm-driven. Engagement metrics determine lesson formats, prioritizing information retention vs. in-depth exploration. “Traditional” teaching that emphasizes slow, critical inquiry takes a backseat to daily bite-size learning.

Students who learn at the speed of a scroll have an advantage and quickly adapt to these new pedagogies. But do they end up more like repositories of information rather than real critical thinkers?

Neurodivergent learners, deep thinkers and those that require more time and structure may form a separate learning stream that caters to this niche.

Teachers and students alike can become more vulnerable to mental health issues. Teachers may find themselves struggling to keep up with the constant pressure of generating content, while students may begin exhibiting signs of overstimulation and rapid learning fatigue.

LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE

Working with short form learning content culture.

Balance engagement with depth. Design hybrid learning experiences that integrate fast-paced digital content with structured and reflexive discussions to ensure a deeper understanding

Slow learning spaces. Dedicate time in the curriculum for deep reading, long-form discussion, and critical reflection to balance rapid, bite-size learning.

Wellness and attention management. Integrate mindfulness, focus training, and digital wellbeing practice into education to provide students with tools to manage overstimulation and sustain cognitive endurance.

References:

Carlos, A.N., Delocado, E.D. (2024). Utilizing Internet Memes in Senior High School Biology to Improve Gen Z’s Academic Achievement, Attitude, and Self-efficacy. Archīum Ateneo. https://archium.ateneo.edu/biology-faculty-pubs/176/
Gurung, R. (2024). Fostering learning in a world of technological distractions. American Psychology Association. https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psychology-teacher-network/introductory-psychology/classroom-distractions
Klein E. (Host). (2024-present). Tired?Distracted? Burned out? Listen to this.[Audio podcast].The Ezra Klein Show. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/05/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-gloria-mark.html
Mills, K. (Host). (2023-present). Speaking of psychology: Why Our Attention Spans are shrinking, with Gloria Mark, PhD. American Psychology Association. https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/attention-spans
Oaten, J (2024, April 26). Combatting The Attention Span Crisis In Our Students. Santa Maria College. https://santamaria.wa.edu.au/decreasing-attention-spans-jennifer-oaten/

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