M5 Blog Post 4: Tapping into Hyperfocus; How New Media Empowers Neurodivergent Learners
For my final project, I am planning to explore how new media supports students with disabilities, specifically students with ADHD and autism who tend to hyperfocus on their personal interests. As a special education teacher, I’ve witnessed how some students light up when they’re given space to engage deeply with a topic they love—whether that’s trains, Pokémon, Minecraft, or makeup tutorials. But in traditional classroom models, this kind of deep focus is often viewed as a distraction or “off-task” behavior, rather than a strength. I want to push back against that deficit‑based framing and instead look at how new media tools can be used to tap into student interests, support engagement, and build literacy skills in ways that are culturally relevant and neurologically inclusive. This topic matters in my own practice, where I work with students who are often non‑verbal or have inconsistent attention in whole‑group settings but will spend 45 focused minutes creating a digital book, coding...