Reading Road Trip S4 E9: Attention, Memory and Learning with Blake Harvard
Aug 25, 2025
Blake Harvard, an AP psychology teacher from Alabama and author of "Do I Have Your Attention?", discusses the intricate relationship between attention and memory. He reveals why multitasking hampers learning and offers practical strategies like retrieval practice and spaced learning to boost memory retention. The conversation delves into how preparing with retrieval can alleviate test anxiety and suggests innovative ways to enhance multiple-choice assessments, emphasizing the importance of effective educational strategies for maximizing student engagement.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Memory Processing Pathway
- Learning flows from sensing to attention, then working memory, then long-term memory.
- Each stage is necessary and loss at any stage prevents long-term retention.
Limit What Demands Students' Attention
- Avoid overloading students' attention by presenting too many stimuli at once.
- Present one focal source of information so students can consciously attend and avoid choosing what to ignore.
Design Classrooms To Reduce Distractions
- Remove or relocate environmental distractions and avoid split-attention instructional designs.
- Put decorative or nonessential visuals at the back and ensure front-facing info is primary.
