Promote Selective Attention in 4th-Grade Students: Lessons Learned from a School-Based Intervention on...

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Academic success involves performance, competency development, and learning outcomes.
• Self-regulation and attentional control are key motivational variables for academic achievement.
• Effective methods for enhancing attentional control via self-regulated learning strategies require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a program promoting self-regulation strategies' impact on attentional control, specifically selective attention.
• To investigate the relationship between selective attention and arithmetic performance in students.

Main Methods:

• A school-based intervention program targeting self-regulation was implemented.
• 136 fourth-grade students (ages 8-11) participated, with 68 in the intervention group.
• Pre- and post-intervention assessments measured self-regulation and selective attention.

Main Results:

• The intervention group demonstrated significantly higher levels of self-regulation and selective attention compared to the control group.
• Self-regulation training positively influenced participants' selective attention.
• Improved selective attention correlated with enhanced arithmetic competencies.

Conclusions:

• Self-regulation strategy training can effectively enhance selective attention in students.
• Targeted interventions can foster cognitive competencies crucial for academic success.
• Findings offer insights for designing effective in-class educational practices.