Mind the Gap: Making Education Work Across the Globe The Science of Paying Attention with Mike Hobbiss, Mind the Gap, Ep.107 (S6,E5)
Oct 24, 2025
Mike Hobbiss, a teacher and researcher with a PhD focused on attention in classrooms, shares valuable insights on the science of attention in education. He reveals that distractions like peers and phones significantly hinder learning. Mike emphasizes the importance of structured seating and clear routines to enhance focus. He also discusses practical strategies for teachers, such as using spatial cues, prediction tasks, and managing non-cognitive factors like anxiety. Ultimately, he argues that addressing attention issues is crucial for promoting equity in education.
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From Classroom To PhD And Back
- Mike left the classroom to do a PhD at UCL studying attention and distraction in educational settings.
- He returned to teaching in 2020 and now combines classroom work with ongoing research activity in his spare time.
Prioritise Fewer, Justified Changes
- Limit teacher CPD focus: work on fewer, well-justified changes rather than many initiatives.
- Expect teachers to be able to state why a change should work before trying it in class.
What Students Say Distracts Them Most
- Students reported other people as their top distraction, followed by mind-wandering and background noise.
- Posters and classroom displays were one of the smallest reported distractions.
