Cognitive Calisthenics: Pre-lecture Cognitive Exercise Boosts Learning

Background Attentiveness during class is critical for learning. Teachers have strategies to promote active engagement and active learning, yet little control over students’ baseline level of alertness and focus upon arriving to class. Objective To evaluate the effect of pre-lecture cognitive exercise on attention and learning in lectures. Method In Experiment 1, college students (n = 28) in Introductory Psychology participated in a brief battery of complex cancellation tasks prior to a subset of lectures. Effectiveness measures included course exams and post-study student surveys. Experiment 2 replicated the first in a subsequent class (n = 35) with the same instructor and the addition of post-lecture quizzes. Results In both experiments, students performed higher on exam content from post-exercise lectures relative to control lectures. No effect was observed on post-lecture quizzes. On post-study surveys, students reported improved attentiveness to lecture after cognitive calisthenics. Conclusion Pre-lecture cognitive activity appears to benefit student attention and learning in lectures. Teaching Implications With so many students arriving to class either distracted or sleepy, the inclusion of a brief pre-lecture cognitive exercise program may be an engaging and effective method for optimizing student attentiveness and learning in lecture-based courses.