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A study by technology firm Olympus has found that university students have average attention spans of just ten minutes and that 13% admitted to missing up to five hours of lectures a week, sometimes because of the need to work.
As someone whose attention span in meetings is around fifteen minutes before I start to nod, I have much sympathy for the students.
However as most people will attest, attention span is not necessarily linked to one’s own capabilities but those of the speaker. Lengthy monotone speeches will put anyone to sleep whatever the subject may be, but a lively speaker encouraging interaction with the audience is more likely to keep its attention.
I did well at my history lessons at school because the master had excellent presentation skills and I’ve had a great interest in history ever since. On the other hand, the maths master spoke in a monotone and was himself a victim of narcolepsy and would fall asleep at the drop of a hat. It was no surprise that I failed maths in every exam I took!
Perhaps a study of university lecturer’s capabilities might be revealing?
.
A study by technology firm Olympus has found that university students have average attention spans of just ten minutes and that 13% admitted to missing up to five hours of lectures a week, sometimes because of the need to work.
As someone whose attention span in meetings is around fifteen minutes before I start to nod, I have much sympathy for the students.
However as most people will attest, attention span is not necessarily linked to one’s own capabilities but those of the speaker. Lengthy monotone speeches will put anyone to sleep whatever the subject may be, but a lively speaker encouraging interaction with the audience is more likely to keep its attention.
I did well at my history lessons at school because the master had excellent presentation skills and I’ve had a great interest in history ever since. On the other hand, the maths master spoke in a monotone and was himself a victim of narcolepsy and would fall asleep at the drop of a hat. It was no surprise that I failed maths in every exam I took!
Perhaps a study of university lecturer’s capabilities might be revealing?
.
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