YOUNG people focus attention for hours during a football game that they are passionate about, or while watching a nail-biting cricket match, or when they play video games with their eyes glued to the screen. Their interest, laser-sharp focus and relentless engagement begs the question: why can’t we get this kind of attention in our classrooms? Very often, teachers talk about short attention spans as the reason why students cannot sustain attention during lessons. While this may be true to some extent, there is more to the story.

Although there is some research on shorter attention spans, none of it is actually conclusive. In fact, most research on reduced attention spans, over the last few decades, focuses on correlation, not causation. Prof Gloria Mark reports that the average attention span when using digital devices has dropped from 2.5 minutes in 2004 to just 47 seconds today. This shift is linked to cognitive overload and multitasking stress. The shorter attention spans in this scenario are related to an external barrier — information overload.

A 2025 white paper from the Community Research Institute found that Gen Z’s average attention span is eight seconds, with high smartphone and social media use contributing to constant distraction. However, we are not told........

© Dawn