Correct Answer - Option 3 : Stimulus variation
Student learning largely depends upon 'attending' to the relevant source of information. Psychologists have found that for any learning to take place, the learner has to attend to information.
Attention is an essential condition for effective learning. The teacher will deliberately use attention-drawing behaviour in the class to draw and sustain students' attention towards what thet want to convey. What, when and how much change in behaviour is required for sustaining and securing the attention of your student is known as stimulus variation.
Stimulus variation
- The skill of stimulus variation involves a deliberate change in the attention-drawing behaviour of the teacher in order to secure and sustain students' attention to what is being taught.
- The skill of stimulus variation implies attracting and focussing students' attention by changing stimuli in the environment. The variation in the stimuli generates interest among students in their learning and hence helps in their academic achievement.
- Researchers have shown that attention tends to shift from one stimulus to another very quickly. It is relatively unusual for students to attend to something continuously.
- It is very difficult for one to attend to the same stimulus for more than a few minutes; in some cases a few seconds and even less.
- For example, you might have observed that in order to sustain the attention and interest of the viewers the &-makers (especially of feature films) change visuals or scenes very quickly. You may see a change of dresses and locations within seconds. You, as a resourceful teacher, have to develop the skill in you to attract and hold the attention of your students throughout your teaching. You could deliberately change your attention-drawing behaviour in class.
There are a number of factors which influence what the students are likely to attend to. Some of the main factors among these are discussed below.
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Intensity : A louder sound, a brighter light can capture any one's attention. However, continuity of loudness and brightness tend to have a quick decreasing effect in attracting attention,
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Contrast : Anything which is bigger than other things in the surrounding environment attracts attention. One's perceptual field makes a difference in attracting attention (e.g. when the ticking of clock stops it attracts the persons present there).
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Movement : A moving thing attracts our attention more in comparison to a hed thing.
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Self activity: Attention is sustained if the students are asked or motivated to engage themselves in instructional activities,
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Audio-visual aids : It has been proved through research studies in India and elsewhere that audio-visual aids have great potential to help students in their learning. For example, TV is a powerful medium to attract and hold students' attention.
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Teacher's personal behaviour: If the teacher is enthusiastic, stimulating, energetic, and expressive, (s)he gets more attention than when (s)he is dull and monotonous.
