By Dr. Michelle Bianco

This blog explores the idea that online college composition requires a proactive, distraction-free learning environment that is intentionally organized for success. It emphasizes the importance of coaching students to create such an environment in their home spaces, with a particular focus on supporting students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), who often face challenges with time management, focus, self-motivation, and organization.

A student recently shared a video online about her experience with ADHD during an in-class essay assignment. The video begins with a shot of her desk, scattered with research notes, paper, and a pen. At first glance, everything seems fairly standard. Then the camera pans across the classroom, revealing students chatting, eating, drinking, and music faintly audible from someone’s headset. The caption reads, “In-class essay with ADHD, and she wants me to do what here?”

Watching this video made me realize that, despite our best efforts to alleviate stress and anxiety, we may have unintentionally created an environment that feels chaotic—an “environmental hell”—for students with attention-related disorders.

I was reminded of a video call I once had with a student. When the call began, I noticed he was sitting at his kitchen table; he explained his challenges with ADHD in my class. As the call went on, I became increasingly distracted by the chaos in his home. Adult family members came and went, talking, laughing, and even yelling. Children occasionally burst into the room with the energy of a category F4 tornado. I paused and asked, “Do you have a private or quiet area where you can work?” The student replied, “No.”

Are we setting students up for success?

Of the 17.9 million students currently enrolled in post-secondary institutions, an estimated 1.4 million students—are diagnosed with ADHD (Bodalski et al., 2023). With better resources and improved diagnoses, this population appears to be increasing annually. These students face unique challenges in the learning environment, including distraction, time management, and self-regulation difficulties. My own dissertation research indicated that accessibility barriers, such as inaccessible course materials or technology, can exacerbate these challenges and contribute to negative perceptions of the learning experience for students with ADHD (Bianco, 2024).

Online learning can be environmentally challenging

Online learning demands strong time management skills, organization, and self-motivation for students to overcome challenges and succeed (Zamecnik et al., 2022). Studies find that first-year students in basic writing classes reported little control over their feelings of success, and many assume they will fail because of a lack of writing ability. This is compounded for students with ADHD who report feeling isolated from the resources, overwhelmed, and deficient.

Studies suggest that college enrollment and completion rates for students with ADHD are lower than those without ADHD (Sedgwick-Müller et al., 2022). While online college courses offer some students greater opportunities for attendance, engagement, and participation, students with ADHD report a significant disconnect from much-needed services. Students find it hard to resist the temptation to check their social media, play video games, watch videos, or browse the Internet (Sedgwick-Müller et al., 2022).

Online college composition

Mentally, writers must master what Cheng et al. (2022) refer to as the writing environment and self-constraints, both linked to organization. One of the main obstacles for students with ADHD is difficulty with attention and focus. DuPaul et al. (2021) have led multiple studies finding that students with ADHD may have trouble staying on task, making it challenging to complete writing assignments within a given time frame. They may also have difficulty sustaining their attention to the task at hand, leading to frequent distractions and interruptions. According to a National Center for Learning Disability (NCLD) (2023) report, 94% of students with SLD received accommodations and support in high school settings; however, only 17% accessed these services in post-secondary education settings (Wu & Molina, 2019). This means most students are not turning to student accessibility services. Data suggests instructors must create learning environments to support students with attention-related disorders.

Teach students to be proactive about creating a healthy learning environment in the home:

• Set up a dedicated area for studying that is free from distractions with minimal noise and clutter.
• Organize the workplace with only essential materials like notebooks, pens, and a computer.
• Consider a standing desk or ball chair to incorporate the need for movement but ensure proper lighting to reduce eye strain.

Motivated to succeed

Motivation can be encouraged by time management. Encourage students to use better habits of managing their day, so they can feel encouraged by successful task completion.

• Create a daily routine for your course which includes specific times for small “bite-size” tasks such as watching short microlesson videos, reading aloud, taking verbal notes, creating a title page, and freewriting for one minute.
• Use timers at home to break tasks into small chunks using techniques like the 25-minute work intervals followed by short breaks.
• Prioritize tasks with to-do lists to identify high-priority tasks.

Finally, it is important to understand that our classroom setting is a living room, kitchen table, or someone’s bedroom. Have we coached our students to create an environment that promotes educational success? Turn off the television, turn down the music, avoid the cell phone, and lock up the video game! We need to explain to students the importance of a quiet, organized, and dedicated workspace. Students with ADHD most often are not provided the skills development and tools to succeed. Faculty should encourage students to communicate their challenges to instructors and advisers early in the course to explore accommodation. Suggest apps and online tools for goal tracking and motivation. Use visuals and diagrams to teach students how to create an ideal study setting. Give students the words to communicate to their families the need to promote a healthy learning environment.

References

Bianco, M. L. (2024). A Causal-Comparative Study of the Writing Motivational Constructs of Students With and Without Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder in Online College Composition Courses (Publication No. 31482509) [Doctoral dissertation, Liberty University]. ProQuest One Academic (3083261235).

Bodalski, E. A., Flory, K., Canu, W. H., Willcutt, E. G., & Hartung, C. M. (2023). ADHD symptoms and procrastination in college students: The roles of emotion dysregulation and self-esteem. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 45(1), 48–57. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-022-09996-2

Cheng, S., Coghill, D., & Zendarski, N. (2022). A rapid systematic review of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and high order writing: Current findings and implications for intervention. Research in Developmental Disabilities. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104180

DuPaul, G. J., Gormley, M. J., Anastopoulos, A. D., Weyandt, L. L., Labban, J., Sass, A. J., Busch, C. Z., Franklin, M. K., & Postler, K. B. (2021). Academic trajectories of college students with and without ADHD: Predictors of four-year outcomes. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 50(6), 828–843. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2020.1867990

National Center for Learning Disability. (2023, February 1). Diagnosis of ADHD in Adults. LD Navigator. https://www.ncld.org/resources-type/diagnosis-of-adhd-in-adults/

Sedgwick-Müller, J. A., Müller-Sedgwick, U., Adamou, M., Catani, M., Champ, R., Gudjónsson, G., Hank, D., Pitts, M., Young, S., & Asherson, P. (2022). University students with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a consensus statement from the UK Adult ADHD Network (UKAAN). BMC Psychiatry, 22(1), 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-03898-z

StockSnap. (2017). Man, Writing, Laptop [image]. Pixabay. https://pixabay.com/photos/man-writing-laptop-computer-write-2562325/

Wu, I., & Molina, R. M., Jr. (2019). Self-determination of college students with learning and attention challenges. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 32(4), 359–375. https://doi.org/10.1177/0885728808317658

Zamecnik, A., Kovanovic, V., Joksimovic, S., & Liu, L. (2022). Exploring non-traditional learner motivations and characteristics in online learning: A learner profile study. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2022.100051