Attention is the currency of the technological age. Holding, capturing, grabbing attention are the goals of social and mainstream media. The techniques of short, loud, unexpected, sounds and bright, novel surges in light may feel like invitations to feed our curiosity, but actually they puncture and perforate our attention span. A short attention span of less than two seconds is not long enough for an activity such as learning, and certainly not learning to read. And yet, in 2022 the Department of Education, State of the Nation report found that one quarter of children are not able to concentrate well enough in school.

“Our attention spans are like muscles, and the non-stop interruptions and addictive nature of social media make it incredibly difficult for them to develop,” he wrote. “Without the ability to focus intensely and follow an idea wherever it leads, the world could miss out on breakthroughs that come from putting your mind to something and keeping it there, even when the dopamine hit of a quick distraction is one click away.” Bill Gates Co-Founder and CEO of Microsoft

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In my opinion, the antidote to the effects of technology misuse is to slow down, to engage meaningfully in the details of our lives and enjoy them. The rewards of sharing ideas and thinking deeply are going to benefit us long term, and we must create and sculpt the future that we want, rather than allowing our lives and thoughts to be interrupted by notifications. We need to direct our technologies rather than be shaped by them.

My Three Wishes for Schools

My first wish is that schools are able to openly discuss and share best practice that supports educational outcomes for children rather than focusing on what enhances the overall profile of the school.

My second wish is that schools are encouraged to acknowledge the challenging impact of technology on learning behaviour, attention and overall educational attainment at the level of the individual child.

My third wish is this - that teachers’ professional judgment is respected to a greater extent. Some pupils do not make expected progress when conventional methods of teaching are delivered and fault does not lie with the teacher or the child, but a more nuanced approach, rather than 'more of the same' approach may be required.

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