1. The effect of lecture breaks on student’s attention in the teaching learning process
N. V. D. P. Priyadarshani

2. Background
Traditional lectures are still one of the best methods to teach “information” to large amount of student.
Lecture method is an economically benefit way to deliver the subject content.
But students typically have a 10 to 20 minute attention span as shown in below figure 1.
Fig 1 Student’s performance over 60 minutes lecture
Source: Preparing To Teach, Gibbs & Habeshaw, pp 26

3. Objectives
The main objectives of this research were,
Identifying the types of lecture breaks
Identifying how effectively introduce the lecture breaks in a lecture to recover the students’ attention
Identifying the effect of lecture breaks on student’s attention in the teaching learning process

4. Research Design/Materials and Methods
Sample group - pre service teachers
51 students were selected randomly in both Sinhala and English medium
Data collection was done by using discussions, observations, questionnaires and interviews.
For identifying the types of lecture breaks, various articles and books were referred

5. Cont.….
Applied for the separate lectures and examined the student’s behaviour and their engagement for the corresponding lecture.
Finally by giving some questions and getting feed backs related to the corresponding lecture, identified the effect of lecture breaks on student’s attention in the teaching learning process.

6. Results/ Findings
Identified practicable lecture breaks to apply for the lectures,
Group activities
Pair-group activities
Individual activities
Incomplete handout
Presentations
Discussion
Questioning
Five minutes lecture breaks
writing notes

7. Most effective lecture breaks Five minute lecture break Discussion
Pair group activities
Not effective lecture breaks
Presentations
Group activities
Individual activities
Graph 1 : Effective lecture breaks

8. All the students are willing to attend morning lectures
Effective lecture durations are One hour, One and half hours and Two hours.
Graph 2 : Effective lecture hour duration

9. Most student needs break after one hour
Graph 3 : The minimum attention span in a lecture

10. Conclusion
Most preferable and effective lecture break is five minute lecture break
Pair group activity is also effective to keep the student’s engagement for the lecture than giving group activity.
Doing presentations and group activities were identified as a not effective lecture breaks to keep the student actively.
All the students are willing to attend morning lectures and effective lecture duration is One hour.
In a lecture it is better to apply any kind of lecture break types after one hour.

11. References
Lecture break, William A. Anderson and Byron Harrison, journal of agronomic education, vol. 14, No. 2, 1985.
Lecture Breaks Involve Students.pdf - Adapted from The Teaching Professor, October 2003.
adept-qmul-incomplete-handouts-for-lectures.pdf
Johnstone, A.H. & Percival F., 1976, ‘Attention Breaks in Lectures’, Education in Chemistry, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp
Effect Of Lecture Breaks On Students Attention.pdf, Dr. L Balbis.
Chickering A.W and Gamson Z.F, Seven Principles For Good Practice in Undergraduate Education, Washington Center News, 1987
Gibbs G. & Habeshaw T. , Preparing to teach - An introduction to effective teaching in higher education, 2011
Biggs J. & Tang C. (ed 3) Teaching for Quality Learning at Open University Press, Berkshire, England, and Two Penn Plaza, New York, NY –2289, USA, 2007

12. Thank You….