The document discusses the impact of technology and social media on attention and engagement, highlighting how these platforms are designed to capture and retain user interest through psychological manipulations. It references insights from various industry experts on the addictive nature of technology, the consequences for students' focus, and the broader implications for education. Additionally, it presents a series of resources that explore the relationship between digital technology and human behavior, suggesting a need for awareness and balance in technology usage.

1. The Quest
for Attention

2. Teacher
Gifted Ed Consultant
Continuing Education Teacher
Science & Tech Resource Teacher
e-Learning Consultant
Student Success Teacher
1989 - Married
1991 - Daughter
1994 - Daughter
2003 - Son
2007 - The Clever Sheep
2008 - Teacher 2.0 Podcast
2010 - TedXOntarioEd
2012 - UnPlug’d
2014 - Microsoft Expert Educator
2017 - Free Agency
LIFE - Athlete
LIFE - Brother
LIFE - Twin
LIFE - Komoka
Special Education
Collaborative Projects
Creative Commons
Passion-Based Learning
Design Thinking
Detroit Tigers
Golf
Rush
The Ghost & Mr. Chicken
Ode to the Crazy Ones
Rodd
LUcier

3. Tech
Companies
Users

4. What is your role/job title in education?

5. Do you share on Social Media?
17%
17%
17% 17%
17%
17%
Facebook
Snapchat
Pinterest Instagram
YouTube
Twitter

6. Are you a parent of a child who uses Social Media?
NOYES

7. Which apps are our children using most commonly?
Type to share the names of apps…

8. Tech
Companies
Users
Adults
Youth
Private
enterprise

9. Tech
Companies
Users
Adults
Youth
Private
enterprise
Social interaction
Work and Play
Social interaction

10. Tech
Companies
Users
Adults
Youth
Private
enterprise
Social interaction
Popularity
Like me!
Popularity

11. Tech
Companies
Users
Adults
Youth
Private
enterprise
Social interaction
Popularity
Sales
Anyone want
a cookie?
Sales

12. Tech
Companies
Users
Adults
Youth
Private
enterprise
Social interaction
Popularity
Sales
Votes
Influence
Brexit/Trump
Influence
Votes

13. Tech
Companies
Users
Adults
Youth
Private
enterprise
Social interaction
Popularity
Sales
Votes
News
EPIC 2015
Epic 2015
News

14. Classroom Observations

15. Tech
Companies
Users
Device makers
App Developers

16. Tech
Companies
Users
Device makers
App Developers
Shareholders
ads + Eyes = $
Shareholders

17. Tech
Companies
Users
Device makers
App Developers
customers
Shareholders
GIVE & GET
customers

18. Tech
Companies
Users
Device makers
App Developers
customers
Eyeballs
Shareholders
Take time
Eyeballs
Attention is scarce

19. Users
Tech
Companies
customers
Eyeballs
Shareholders
Device makers
App Developers
EngagementEngagement
Daily active users
average time on site
stickiness/Retention ratio
Viral Coefficient
Impressions

20. Tech
Companies
Users
customers
Eyeballs
Shareholders
Device makers
App Developers
Engagement
The
Tools
are
Free!!
If you Pay attention

21. “If you want to maximize addictiveness, all tech
designers need to do is link a user’s action (like
pulling a lever) with a variable reward. You pull a lever
and immediately receive either an enticing reward
(a match, a prize!) or nothing. Addictiveness is
maximized when the rate of reward is most variable.”
Tristan
Harris
Founder Centre for Humane Technology
Formerly of Apple, Wikia, Apture, Google

22. “We want psychologically figure out how to
manipulate you as fast as possible and then
give you back that dopamine hit.””
Chamath
PaliHapitiya
Venture Capitalist
Formerly Facebook Coder

23. “We’re using a social validation feedback loop
to exploit a vulnerability in human psychology”
Sean
Parker
Former Facebook President

24. “You’re part of a controlled set of experiments
that are happening in real time across you and
millions of other people.”
Ramsey
Brown
Co-Founder of Dopamine Labs
Background in Neuroscience and Coding

25. ENGINEERED
FOR OUR
Attention
Intermittent variable rewards

26. Scrolling is Not a random act
ENGINEERED
FOR OUR
Attention

27. Scrolling is Not a random act
Reciprocity is encouraged
ENGINEERED
FOR OUR
Attention

28. Scrolling is Not a random act
Interruption is good for business
Reciprocity is encouraged
ENGINEERED
FOR OUR
Attention

29. Scrolling is Not a random act
Interruption is good for business
Inconvenient options (i.e., to opt out)
Reciprocity is encouraged
ENGINEERED
FOR OUR
Attention

30. Scrolling is Not a random act
Interruption is good for business
Inconvenient options (i.e., to opt out)
Clicks confirm our Biases
Reciprocity is encouraged
ENGINEERED
FOR OUR
Attention

31. Do the
addictive behaviours
of our students
make more sense ?

32. Do We ENGINEER
our classrooms ?

33. Allia
Griffin
Lecturer, Ethnic Studies
Santa Clara University
“My experience has been that no matter how
invested a student may be in a class discussion
or lecture, if something on their desk or in their
pocket dings, rings or vibrates - they will lose
focus.”

34. How should we Share
This info with students?
What Language
should we use?

36. “
Take Care of yourself

37. “
Take Care of yourself
“Did I just get an alert!”

38. “
Take Care of yourself
“Did I just get an alert!”
“Who liked my stuff?”

39. “
Take Care of yourself
“Did I just get an alert!”
“What’s under the red notifications?”
“Who liked my stuff?”

40. “
Take Care of yourself
“Did I just get an alert!”
“What’s under the red notifications?”
“Who liked my stuff?”
“Do people approve/agree with me?”

41. “
Take Care of yourself
“Did I just get an alert!”
“What’s under the red notifications?”
“Let me refresh…”
“Who liked my stuff?”
“Do people approve/agree with me?”

43. Do you Know
what Facebook knows?

44. #OTFwellness

45. The Quest
for Attention
Part 1
April 9, 2018

46. Connected
but ALONE
Part 2
April 30, 2018

47. “Fake brittle popularity leaves you more vacant and empty.”
Chamath
PaliHapitiya
Venture Capitalist
Formerly Facebook Coder

48. Finding
Balance
Part 3
May 14, 2018

49. Learn More
Your Brain on Digital Technology (CBC Radio, Ideas Episode March 5, 2019)
www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/your-brain-on-digital-technology-1.4562541
Attention Hacking is the Epidemic of our Generation
https://hackernoon.com/attention-hacking-is-the-epidemic-of-our-generation-e212e111c675
How Technology is Hacking Your Mind
https://journal.thriveglobal.com/how-technology-hijacks-peoples-minds-from-a-magician-and-google-
s-design-ethicist-56d62ef5edf3
Brain Hacking (60 Minutes)
https://www.cbs.com/shows/60_minutes/video/EaRkkCynzUfbrPtsSO3M0EmNUPsvWDlh/brain-
hacking/
How your Brain is Getting Hacked (This will change everything you know)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GufhzLSmqMs
Laptops and Phones in the Classroom: Yea, Nay or a Third Way?
https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2018/01/24/578437957/laptops-and-phones-in-the-classroom-yea-
nay-or-a-third-way

50. … and Still More
Our minds can be hijacked: the tech insiders who fear a smartphone dystopia
www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/oct/05/smartphone-addiction-silicon-valley-dystopia
Your smart phone is making you stupid, antisocial and unhealthy. Why can’t you put it down?
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/your-smartphone-is-making-you-stupid/article37511900/
France is Banning Mobile Phones in Schools
https://qz.com/1153379/france-will-ban-mobile-phones-in-schools-and-parents-seem-annoyed/
Reinforcement
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinforcement
6 Reasons to Put Your Phone Away
https://blog.innerdrive.co.uk/6-reasons-to-put-your-phone-away
Epic 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVfBuw1hCsw
The Privacy Paradox
privacyparadox.org

51. Creative Commons
What every
CREATOR
needs to know.
Dayna Mason
Sara Simmons
Claire Armstrong
Fortune Brainstorm Health
Austin Fausto
AJ Batac
Rymtok
JD Lasica
Brainstorm Health
Images