Material Detail

The instructional video on selective attention provided a clear and engaging demonstration of one of the most well-researched phenomena in cognitive psychology. The material effectively illustrated how attentional focus can influence perceptual awareness, and it served as a valuable teaching tool in highlighting both the strengths and limitations of human information processing. Students reported that the overall presentation was both thought-provoking and relevant to their understanding of attention and perception. One constructive observation, however, emerged from classroom discussion. Several students felt that certain video segments were filmed at a level of zoom that inadvertently made the target stimulus more noticeable. As a result, the task of remaining inattentive to the critical element was somewhat compromised. A wider framing of these examples, or the inclusion of more naturalistic scenes, may have preserved the intended challenge of selective attention more effectively. The content was clear and comprehensible to my students. The videos with captions were consistent with their language and formatting; my ESL students found it helpful. The content of the videos was well-organized, and the order of the videos in terms of sequencing and flow was strategically set. The lessons increased in complexity. Overall, the video succeeded in engaging students with a complex cognitive concept in a memorable and accessible way. With minor adjustments to visual framing, it has the potential to become an even more compelling resource for both instruction and demonstration.

I use these videos when teaching anything on Attention from Introduction to Psychology, Sensation and Perception, and Cognitive Psychology. Very useful in that there are many options so I have quality yet short clips that are different for each class. They clearly demonstrate that we cannot attend to everything! It is challenging for many students to understand that their own memory and attention are not as good as they believe.