Inertial Behaviors
Inability to Concentrate: How can an Instructional Designer Help?
It is common to find professionals who, even though they start their work activities adequately, at some point, begin to experience difficulties in concentration. They lose the connections between means and ends, which can harm the outcome of their work. Often, leaders attribute this behavior to a lack of concentration ability in these professionals, asking them to pay more attention and “think” about what they are doing. However, merely telling someone to think is not enough. A development curriculum that promotes and requires thinking operations is necessary.
In this regard, the instructional designer can play a crucial role in developing these cognitive skills. It is essential to keep in mind that, in some cases, a lack of concentration may be related to a lack of interest in the activity. To deal with this, the instructional designer can try to make the activity more attractive, by connecting it to the interests and motivations of the professionals.
Additionally, the instructional designer can adopt some strategies to help professionals develop concentration. One of them is to ask them to speak in front of a recorder when starting a task. This way, if they get lost, they can listen to the recording and identify where they stopped. It is also possible to ask what the professional plans to do to complete the work and how this plan connects to the topic at hand. Instructions can be given for professionals to take notes and make a plan, and later, the instructional designer can check if they are following the plan.
Isolation or a quiet place can also help eliminate external stimuli that can harm concentration. Smartphones and the internet can also distract and interfere with task completion. Therefore, the instructional designer can ask professionals with concentration difficulties to devote themselves intensely to a task for a short period, for example, five minutes. As they become more skilled, the concentration period can be extended.
For professionals with severe concentration difficulties, planning can be a very important experience. They can make plans in various areas, such as tasks, projects, experiments, problem analysis, improvement processes, and innovation. Planning assumes that we can influence the world around us, do things we like, know how to do, and achieve goals. Thus, the instructional designer can promote training and development activities that require thinking operations and improve the concentration capacity of professionals.
Another important aspect that the instructional designer can work on to help professionals develop concentration is creating an appropriate environment for activity. This may include adapting the physical space, providing a quiet location without noise and other distractions. In addition, the use of educational technologies and multimedia resources can be an effective way to make the activity more attractive and maintain the professionals’ interest for a more extended period.
It is also important to emphasize that, to develop concentration, it is necessary to keep in mind the importance of constant practice. Like any cognitive skill, concentration can be improved through specific exercises and activities. In this regard, the instructional designer can create a training and development program that includes regular activities to improve concentration.
Remember that the development of concentration is closely related to the development of other cognitive skills, such as memory and attention. Thus, the instructional designer can create activities that promote the development of these skills, contributing to the formation of more complete professionals prepared to face the challenges of the job market.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the ability to concentrate is fundamental for the performance of quality professional activities. The instructional designer can play a fundamental role in developing this skill, through strategies such as making the activity more attractive, eliminating distractions, encouraging careful planning, and constant practice. By promoting the development of concentration and other cognitive skills, it is possible to create a more productive and satisfying environment for professionals, generating benefits for the entire organization.
Designing for Thinking
- Design for Thinking: A Strategy for Effective Decision-Making in Instructional Design
- Reflections on D4T and its Implications: A Comprehensive Overview
- Terminology of Design for Thinking: A Glossary of Key Concepts
- Analyzing the Environment: A Crucial Phase in Design for Thinking
- ➡️ Inertial Behaviors: Recognizing and Establishing Goals, Directions, and Priorities
- Thinking Operations: Making Decisions and Choices for Effective Learning Solutions
- Central Problem: Identifying the Core Issue for Effective Instructional Design
- Collaborating with SMEs: Conducting Effective Meetings to Identify Challenges and Solutions
- Content Coding: Structuring Information in a Logical and Consistent Manner
- Learning Arc: Guiding the Design of Learning Solutions
- Case Study: Designing an Effective Credit Real Estate Course Using D4T
- Step-by-Step Guide to D4T: A Comprehensive Guide for Applying the Strategy in Your Projects