Answers: Cognitive Foundation

Play Attention and Cognitive Educational Psychology

We now understand that the brain communicates to its various component parts via networks. You may imagine them as being similar to the network that connects your computer to all other computers on the Internet. However, instead of metal wires, the brain's wiring is done by cells with long branches that reach out to other cells forming a chain that links to other portions of the brain. This "wiring" allows the brain to function. Among many other activities, neural networks allow us to be able to see, think, hear, and pay attention.

Attention Is A Skill

Attention can be thought of as the synchrony of brain cells and the networks they form all working together in harmony. Attention, then, is like the conductor of an orchestra. According to Northwestern University researcher, Yee Joon Kim, "The individual players are just playing their own tune, but once the conductor stands in front of the orchestra members, they start playing together. Each individual player in this case is a neuron in the brain."

According to psychology Prof. Satoru Suzuki, attention not only synchronizes neurons, but also makes them function more precisely. "Attention seems to coordinate this whole bunch of neurons so they more precisely follow the changes in the environment," Suzuki said.

The skill needed to control attention is lacking in AD/HD individuals. Their conductor has a difficult time leading his orchestra.

AD/HD Defined

AD/HD is a misnomer of sorts. Persons with Attention Deficit Disorder do not actually have a lack or deficit of attention. AD/HD people actually have a lack of control over attention. This causes their attention to be diffused or scattered over a wide field of stimuli. In other words, their conductor has a difficult time leading his orchestra.

How Play Attention Works

To understand how Play Attention works, it is important to understand how new neural networks are formed during the learning process.

Current research clearly demonstrates that the brain is always changing (adjusting our neural networks) due to learning and our environment. This process is termed neuroplasticity. Simply put, the brain constantly changes when we learn something new. The brain is an amazing instrument that also has the ability to compensate when it's not fully functioning.

Play Attention students actually train themselves to control the conductor that controls attention! The brain will change if we instruct it to. This is the foundation of all teaching and learning from pre-school to post graduate. Heretofore, attention was nearly impossible to teach because it is not tangible - not something that is concrete like a pencil. Play Attention students can see their attention in real-time by controlling the computer screen with their attention alone. Now, attention is concrete and controllable.

Practice Makes Perfect

Play Attention allows students to practice attention until they master it. Play Attention also teaches them skills they don't have because of attention difficulties. Problems with organization, finishing tasks, filtering out distractions, watching the teacher, and memory are also addressed in Play Attention.

The brain can learn the skill of attention even if it has severe attention challenges. And it learns the skill of attention just like learning any other skill. But, it takes time, practice, and consistency. We are the experts in this field. We know the cognitive science behind attention. We know how to master the skill.

Play Attention gives you the tools to learn to pay attention and much, much more.


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