Student Attention and Distraction in Community College

The attention span of students and their ability to shut out distractions are learning conditions that concern educators more than ever before. Faculty at a community college assessed the learning conditions of students related to attention and distraction. Students self-administered an online Selective Attention Poll consisting of 20 multiple-choice items. The 239 culturally-diverse volunteers were 161 females and 78 males. Results indicated that most students believe they can get more work done in less time by multitasking, and consider this practice as necessary to meet the demands of college. Teachers could help students improve achievement by arranging innovative cooperative learning practices and developmental reading procedures. The majority of students declared their home as the most difficult place to study. Parents should provide a quiet environment and recognize student need for continued emotional support in early adulthood. The challenges for community college faculty are to help students improve study habits so they become more able to concentrate on assignments, read in-depth, value reflective thinking, diminish distractions, and build skills to work in groups.