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 a scene, or retelling a story with visuals and sound. New media has the potential to meet neurodivergent students where they are—and help them grow from there. Through this project, I hope to learn how platforms like Book Creator, Canva, Flip, or YouTube can be used in more intentional ways to support student choice, multimodal expression, and self‑regulation.
Below are five peer‑reviewed sources I’m using to build my understanding of this topic:
Alper, M. (2017). Giving voice through tablets: The participatory politics of communication apps for children with disabilities. New Media & Society, 19(8), 1188–1203. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444815625946
This article explores how children with disabilities use digital tools like tablets and communication apps to engage in participatory and expressive practices. Alper frames these tools not just as assistive technology but as platforms for voice, agency, and identity formation. The article highlights how media access and usability are shaped by design and social factors. This supports your focus by demonstrating how new media enables meaningful self-expression for neurodivergent students.
Delgado, P., Wardle, C., & Lipschultz, J. H. (2021). Media literacy in special education: A critical need in the digital age. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 13(1), 5–18.
This article calls for stronger integration of media literacy into special education practices, emphasizing that students with disabilities are often excluded from critical media conversations. It advocates for scaffolding media literacy instruction to meet the diverse cognitive and communication needs of learners. The authors suggest that interest-based, real-world media engagement can support self-awareness and critical thinking. This connects to your focus on using media aligned with student passions to increase engagement.
Kervin, L., Mantei, J., & Levido, A. (2020). Multimodal literacy and student engagement in inclusive classrooms. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 43(1), 47–58.
This research study explores how multimodal literacy practices—using visuals, audio, and digital storytelling—promote student participation in inclusive classrooms. The authors find that students with learning and attention challenges thrive when given choice and creative outlets. This article strongly supports your interest in how tools like Book Creator or Canva can support hyperfocus and engagement among students with ADHD or autism.
Kutscher, E. L., & Scherer, N. J. (2020). Students with autism and the use of digital storytelling to enhance language and literacy: A systematic review. Topics in Language Disorders, 40(2), 107–125. https://doi.org/10.1097/TLD.0000000000000207
This systematic review examines how digital storytelling improves language and literacy skills for students with autism spectrum disorder. Findings suggest that the combination of visual, auditory, and interactive elements helps support attention, comprehension, and expression. The review also highlights the importance of student ownership in the creative process. This directly links to your project’s focus on allowing students to channel their hyperfocus into productive, academic tasks.
Scott, B., & Purdon, C. (2022). Hyperfocus in ADHD: Exploring interest-based attention through a neurodivergent lens. Attention Research Quarterly, 45(3), 201–219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.attresq.2022.04.003
This article dives deep into the phenomenon of hyperfocus in ADHD, reframing it not as a deficit but as a strength when harnessed properly. The authors suggest that interest-driven tasks and digital media platforms can help sustain attention and increase motivation. They emphasize the need for educational environments that adapt to this cognitive style. This source provides the theoretical foundation for your argument that hyperfocus should be seen as an asset, not a distraction.
Hi! I completely agree with the points you made in your blog post. I think it is super important for educators to guide students to make connections between the things they are learning and the things they already know and enjoy. Activating prior knowledge is something teachers learn very early on, and what better way of activating prior knowledge than asking them about things they like? Although nowadays curriculum is scripted, it's a teacher's job to "mold" the curriculum to fit the needs of our students, rather than changing the students to fit the curriculum. While most research shows that the increase of technology has a positive impact on student learning, I am not sure if I agree. It's interesting because I am in my twenties, but would consider myself to be "more traditional". For my first graders, I try not to have them on their iPad too often. I know many children have access to screen time at home, which is why I do my best to limit it in school. I have seen children be "lost" without their screens, and I think because it is not always used appropriately outside of school, it makes it more difficult to use in school. I feel as though many platforms are used in a recreational way, rather than an educational manner. It's difficult to flip the switch. I do use technology for educational applications such as iReady, RAZ Kids and SeeSaw. Again, I think there are pros and cons to everything! It definitely has its benefits.
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ReplyDeleteI absolutely love the direction of your paper! The way you’re reframing hyper focus as a strength rather than a challenge really resonates with me. I think that’s such an important shift in perspective, not only for special education, but across all subject areas. As an art teacher, I see that same kind of deep focus when students get completely absorbed in a project. Sometimes it’s the students who struggle the most in traditional settings who shine the brightest once they’re given permission to dive into their interests and express themselves visually or digitally.
ReplyDeleteYour focus on multimodal learning really stood out to me, especially the articles about digital storytelling and multimodal literacy. I’ve found that art-making naturally overlaps with those ideas. Students can combine images, sound, and text to communicate in ways that feel authentic and accessible to them. I’ve used tools like Canva and digital drawing apps with my own students, and it’s amazing to see how these platforms give them control over how they share their ideas. It’s not just about making something “pretty”... it's about giving them a voice!
Overall, your topic feels both personal and ground breaking! It challenges traditional classroom expectations while highlighting how creativity and technology can empower students. I’m really excited for you in this process of writing your final paper, I can tell it's going to be great!
Hi Sasha! I love the choice of topic for your final and your annotated bibliography supports it well! Your articles thoughtfully explore how new medias can support neurodivergent learners. Although I currently do not work with neurodivergent students, your post and the way you framed hyperfocus as a strength rather than a deficit really stuck with me and reminded me of former students I've taught. It is inspiring to see amazing educators like you pushing back against traditional practices and advocate for interest-driven teaching approaches. Having students using diverse medias like the ones you mentioned (Book Creator, Canva, etc) to create digital learning material empowers student voice and self-regulation. The peer-reviewed articles you chose helped ground your ideas in research and are great support for your final. Good luck with the remainder of the semester!
ReplyDeleteHey Sasha! I really connect with your project topic - especially your reframing of hyperfocus as a strength rather than a deficit. As someone with ADHD myself, I’ve experienced both sides of that tension: being told my intense focus on certain interests was “too much,” and later realizing that same ability to dive deeply into a topic is what makes me creative, resourceful, and effective when the environment supports it.
ReplyDeleteIn my own life and studies, I’ve noticed how tools like Canva, Flip, and even YouTube tutorials help me regulate focus and sustain effort far longer than traditional learning tasks!
I think your project touches on an important shift in how we define “on-task” behavior in education. Instead of expecting neurodivergent students to adapt to rigid attention models, new media lets teachers adapt learning design to the way attention naturally works for them. I’m especially interested in how you might connect this to universal design for learning (UDL) principles - particularly providing multiple means of engagement and expression.
I’m looking forward to seeing how your analysis develops, especially your exploration of multimodal tools like Book Creator and digital storytelling. I think your focus on agency, identity, and inclusion makes a strong contribution to rethinking what authentic engagement looks like in digital learning spaces!