Our Shrinking Attention Span

Transcript:

Hello everyone and welcome to Christian speaks to you. On this podcast, we’re going be going over, decreasing attention spans and sharing some helpful tips that you can help Implement in your own life to hopefully improve your concentration. So a little of background on the topic, technology, particularly social media, texting, smartphones and other forms of short form content can give a greater number of distractions. Not allowing to focus on a singular thing at one time. And this is a very big issue because it takes longer for to do things like, completing assignments, and other tasks, and you have an increase of stress level, when focused on multiple different things and you have the tendency to make more errors, if you’re working on multiple things and not focused. So, your first tip to help increase your attention span. This comes from George Washington University, is reading. Reading a book, can help increase your attention span. It helps to train the mind to concentrate on the task. That being reading the words that on page, a tip is when starting out is to mute phone or your computer, depending on how you read or maybe even your tablet, this avoids distractions, like notification dings and other things like that, and try to focus reading for 20 to 30 minutes straight without losing concentration. Another helpful tip you can Implement is to do what’s called the spider technique. This is essentially just training yourself to ignore different notifications every time they ding just train yourself to not look and eventually it’ll become second nature to ignore those kind of things while you’re focusing on something. Another thing you could do is constantly repeat the phrase be here now, to remind yourself to focus on what you’re doing in moment and not worrying about something else. So the final tip of this podcast is going be to tell you to out and some exercise. It’s good for your physical health. It’s good for your mental health, but can also help to improve your brain function, by ensuring that the blood circulates properly. I recommend walking outside, you get some of the fresh air, you get some of the sights and you get some of the sounds, it’s very relaxing. It’s helpful. And it’s much more enjoyable than walking inside. Thanks for listening. I hope these tips were helpful.

Behind the Scenes

Creating this podcast was a fun experience, and getting to play around with different recording and editing tools was very fun as well. To create this podcast I recorded the main monologue with a Sennheiser headset’s built in microphone. To record the book page turning sound effects and the walking over leaves sound, I utilized my iPhone and the voice memos app to record close to the subject. My MacBook was utilized to edit the audio using Sountrap and to export it. The only part of this podcast that was assisted by A.I. was that of the image posted above, as I am better at speaking than drawing.

Attributions

This podcast topic was based on personal interest into attention span and the effects technology has on it. But the research on attention spans and tips for overcoming a shortened attention span are courtesy of: CBS News, George Washington University, and Kansas State University. Music is “Moonlight Drive” by Yunior Arrante downloaded via bensound.com.

DWTS Season 33 Podcast

How did I do it?

To record my podcast, I used an online audio recorder called Vocaroo. This allowed me to record my voice. To edit, I used Soundtrap as I added music, sound effects, and was able to edit the music I recorded to fade in and out. AI helped me outline my podcast, as it organized what I was going to tall about, as well as help me form the image above.

Credits and Attributions

Podcast created and edited by Katie Royle

Music by: Dancing with the Stars Theme · Bobby Morganstein The Complete Tv Themes Vol. 4 Instrumental ℗ 2010 Bobby Morganstein Productions Released on: 2010-10-13 Music Publisher: Universal Music MGB Songs Auto-generated by YouTube.

Music

Gossip from Season 33

Transcript

To ready for the glitz Glam and gravity defying move season 33 Dancing With the Stars is finally here. This shows a loved reality TV show where celebrities are paired with professional dancers to compete for the big mirror ball trophy at the end of the season some these celebrities consists of the previous Bachelor Joey grass the previous Bachelorette Jen Tran US men’s Olympic gymnast Stephen who specialized Palmer horse. And US women’s rugby player alone with many more this show is mixed with TV stars and athletes who are just making their Dancewear debut along with supporting their social media Sensations. The judges consists of Carrie Ann who was known for just being very kind and getting off track a little bit. George Derek Hough who is known for giving his technical expertise and being very strict on the dancing alone and Bruno who has a big personality and focuses on the big personality according to the judges some of the frontrunners consists of Chandler and Brandon who have been very strong since the and Joey and Jenna who have also been strong but surprisingly and then some fan favorites from the votes have been Steven and Riley for their personalities alone. Ilona and Allen from their social media and their fun friendship. And someone who just got eliminated was Emma and Reggie. But Reginald was a fan favorite as just, this cute old man. Really trying to dance. So, if you want to keep people in competition, you can vote text 21513 and vote your favorite. Couple through social media, or text. Like, I just said this season, your vote really matters more than ever fans at home, or helping decide who stays and who goes and they’re many more couples left. So whether you’re rooting your favorite star or tuning in for jaw, dropping teens season 33, bringing the heat on Dancing With the Stars.

My Detailed Outline

Details

My detailed outline for my two-minute podcast will be about Dancing with the Stars Season 33

• I will record in a quiet room with no background noise: unless I decide to add the sound effects from the show
• I will be using my iPhone or an online voice recording website called, “vocaroo”

The Outline

I. Introduction (15 seconds)

1. Opening Line:
   • “Get ready for glitz, glam, and gravity-defying moves—Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars is here!”
2. Context:
   • Brief mention that DWTS is a beloved reality TV show where celebrities pair with professional dancers to compete for the coveted Mirrorball Trophy.
   • Acknowledge that Season 33 continues the tradition of bringing surprising cast members, dramatic performances, and judge critiques.

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II. Cast & Star Power (25 seconds)

1. Diverse Celebrity Lineup:
   • Highlight a few standout celebrity contestants from different backgrounds (actors, athletes, social media influencers, etc.).
   • “This season boasts a mix of beloved TV stars, athletes making their dance floor debut, and viral social media sensations.”
2. Fan Favorites:
   • Discuss returning pro dancers who have built large followings, noting any past winners or fan favorites.
   • Mention any celebrity/pro pairings that have created buzz online.

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III. Memorable Performances & Themes (30 seconds)

1. Standout Performances:
   • Reference a few memorable or viral performances from the early weeks, focusing on the most exciting dances.
   • Describe the diversity of dance styles: from classic ballroom to electrifying contemporary routines.
2. Theme Nights:
   • Mention iconic theme nights, such as Disney Night, Latin Night, or Tribute performances.
   • Highlight how these themed nights shape the creative direction of the show.

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IV. Judges & Scores (20 seconds)

1. Judges Panel:
   • Briefly introduce the judges, highlighting their unique personalities and styles (e.g., Len Goodman’s traditionalism, Derek Hough’s technical expertise).
2. Scores & Critiques:
   • Mention any early frontrunners in the competition or surprising low scores.
   • Comment on any controversies or moments when the judges disagreed.

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V. Audience Engagement & Voting (15 seconds)

1. Fan Participation:
   • Describe how fans can vote for their favorite couples through social media or text, making the show interactive.
   • “This season, your vote matters more than ever—fans at home are helping decide who stays and who goes!”
2. Closing Teaser:
   • End with an exciting teaser for the upcoming episodes: “With new twists and challenges ahead, this season is shaping up to be one of the fiercest yet!”

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VI. Conclusion (15 seconds)

1. Final Line:
   • Wrap up by saying something like, “Whether you’re rooting for your favorite star or tuning in for the jaw-dropping routines, Season 33 is bringing the heat on Dancing with the Stars!”
2. Encourage Tuning In:
   • Mention the day and time of the next episode, and where people can watch (e.g., ABC, streaming platforms).

My Test Recording

More Information

My topic

My podcast will be about Dancing with the Stars Season 33, which is the current season right now. I chose this topic because my best friends and I watch the show each week and we are so entertained, I want to speak about it and get others to tune in as well. Some of our favorite celebrities are on this season. This show has brought us together and I wold love to inspire others to do the same.

Equipment

I will be using my Iphone to record, as I know the quality will be better and I will be able to transport it easier as I talk. I will be in a quiet room with no background noise, however if time allows, I am going to play the theme music for a few seconds.

AI

I used AI to help me write this outline as it planned my timing for me and gave me the categories to talk about in an organized fashion. I will fill in the specific details as to the stars I am talking about, the iconic theme nights I found interesting, and my reasonings for wanting my audience to be involved.

Topic

My podcast will be focusing on how sports are an important activity for families to enjoy together. The main topics of my audio story will be: bonding, learning, and memory making that occur because of the viewing of sports.

Plan

1. Story
   1. The importance of sports/ watching sports with family. My personal experience with sports in my family. 
2. Goal
   1. Inform the audience on the role of sports within a family. 
3. Angle
   1. There is a lot of emphasis placed on the role of playing sports in a child’s life, but not much focus on how watching sports can be beneficial for a family unit. 
4. Format
   1. Monologue
      1. Monologue because I can share my personal experience of my family watching sports. 
5. Research
   1. I would need to have specific support that shows that watching sports actually has evidence based benefits within a family.
      1. Meaningfulness of Watching Sports as a Family
      2. Benefits of Watching Sports with Family
6. Locations/ Subjects
   1. I will probably use my house as the location. My background noise is mostly going to be the sound of a football game on in the house and my family talking and joking during it.
7. Budget/ Equipment
   1. I plan on using things I have at home for this, such as my phone and the microphone on my wired headphones for recording, and then my laptop for editing. 
8. Time
   1. I think I should be able to tell this story in the allotted time. My script is very detailed and I plan on practicing beforehand to ensure that I am able to get my point across clearly and concisely in the time.

Outline

In order to create my outline, I first devised my plan for the podcast and then utilized Microsoft Copilot as a starting point for my outline. I then went more in depth and created a script.

title – there’s more to life than sports

intro (0:00-0:20)

– introduce myself and the topic 

“Hey guys, this is Alexa and today I’m going to share why I think that sports are a crucial bonding activity for families.”

– background of topic 

“I’m sure most people have heard the phrase, ‘there’s more to life than sports’ and I completely agree. There is more to life than sports, but sports provide a way for us to appreciate the most important thing: our families.”

– intro music 

point 1: connecting and bonding (0:20-0:50)

– background sounds of family talking and laughing together

– explain relevance 

“One of the most evident benefits of watching sports together is that it sets aside a specific time for families to gather together and relax. No matter the sport, as a family gathers together around the tv, they are talking and laughing, and spending important quality time together.”

– personal experience

“From as early as I can remember, my family has sat together and watched football on Sundays. Even though I don’t necessarily enjoy the sport itself, I always look forward to this time together. Football Sundays are a big deal in my family and are a tradition I plan to continue within my own family one day.”

point 2: learning (0:50-1:20)

– background sounds of game commentary

– explain relevance 

“Sports are an important part of any child’s life. There are many studies that show that sports are important for not only a child’s physical health, but also their mental well-being. This can also be the case with watching sports. Children can watch with their parents and learn the rules and the intricacies of the game.”

– personal experience

“As I mentioned earlier, I was never a big sports fan. I did not and still don’t enjoy playing sports, but while watching sports with my dad and brothers, I learned a lot about competition and sportsmanship. Growing up, the boys’ love for sports extended outside of the tv as well. On countless Sundays, there would be family football games in the front yard, where my brothers attempted to teach me specific routes. Learning about sports has led me to have a healthy amount of competitiveness and taught me a lot about the world.”

point 3: creating memories (1:20-1:50)

– background sounds of stadium cheering 

– explain relevance

“The memories a family makes while watching sports are numerous. From seeing your favorite team win the Superbowl, to attempting a new recipe for your family to try. These are the stories that will be passed down for generations to come.”

– personal experience

“For my dad’s birthday a couple years ago, my brothers and I took him to a Redskins game, which was my first football game ever and one of my favorite memories. Another core memory I have is all the baseball games my family would attend while I was younger. My dad loves to talk about his memories of watching football with his dad and his grandpa, which makes our time as a family now, even more special.” 

conclusion (1:50-2:00)

– summary of topic

“Long story short, grab your family, pick a sport, and enjoy the game. Because while you’re rooting for your favorite team, you’re learning that there’s more to life than sports.” 

– outro music 

My Sample Recording

As mentioned above, I recorded this sample in my bedroom, while using my phone and wired headphones for the microphone. My sample recording simply contains what I was planning to eat for breakfast this day.

Episode synopsis

This episode centers around the ever shrinking attention span of people in the modern age. Research indicates that in the past twenty years the average person’s attention span has decreased significantly. This is due to excessive distractions attributed to social media and ever increasing technology use. The episode seeks to identify problems contributing to our declining attention span and help users identify strategies they can use to increase their concentration and attention span.

Behind the Scenes

The audio sample posted here was recorded utilizing Sennheiser headphones as the microphone, and edited on a MacBook laptop. Soundtrap was used as the editing software in which recordings were stored and sound effects were added in. Royalty free music was downloaded from Bensound.com and used for non commercial purposes.

Audio Sample:

Script/outline for podcast:

Topic: How to improve attention span

• 0-20 seconds
  • Podcast intro: Welcome audience to Christian Speaks (To You) podcast.
  • Intro music: 
  • Topic intro: Explain that increasing technology usage is leading to attention spans being shorter. Studies conducted in 2003 showed average attention span while on a webpage was close to 3 minutes, while as of 2023, it’s about 47 seconds.

• 20-40 seconds
  • Background on topic: Technology provides a greater number of distractions than such as texts, and social media notifications. ¹
  • Why this topic is important: This is important because people make more errors when they are distracted, it takes longer to complete assignments and tasks, and stress levels increase when focusing on multiple different things.¹

Ways to increase attention span.

• 40-60 seconds
  • First point about topic: Reading can help to increase attention span by training the mind to concentrate on a singular task. A good tip is to mute your phone to avoid distractions and focus on reading for 20-30 minutes straight without losing concentration. (Insert sound effect recording of pages turning in a book, which I will record myself). 

• 60-80 seconds
  • Second point about topic: The spider technique. Explain about what the spider technique is and how this metaphor can help you understand how to ignore distractions when they come up. You can also incorporate the phrase “Be Here Now” which is said after a distraction arises to help refocus your brain on the topic at hand.

• 80-100 seconds
  • Third point about topic: Other important tips for improving your attention span that can be helpful to try: Exercise such as jogging or walking (Record sounds on outdoor walk)., helps to release endorphins and get blood flowing which will improve brain function. Giving yourself a reward for completing an assignment or task, such as rewarding yourself with a snack after reading for 30 mins, etc. 

• 100-120 seconds
  • Conclusion: Thank audience for listening and hope that some of the tips can be implemented into your life and be of use. 
  • Acknowledgments: Thank CBS, George Washington University, and Kansas State for their research being published and utilized by this podcast.
  • Sign off: Thank audience once again and say goodbye to listeners.

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^[1] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/are-attention-spans-getting-shorter-and-does-it-matter/

^[2] https://healthcaremba.gwu.edu/blog/how-to-increase-attention-span

^[3] https://www.k-state.edu/counseling/services/resources/self_help/improvingconcentration.html

Who knew?

As discussed in my first post, I love to create! Some of my earliest memories consist of painting welcome home banners with my mom and brother for my dad when he’d come home from deployments, painting pumpkins, and making Christmas cookies with my mom.

If I could pinpoint a time that really got the ball rolling on my exploration of creation in my “adult” life (besides being in choir all of middle school), it would be taking pictures for the photography club that I wasn’t even in my 8th grade year. That club advisor went on to choose my art for our school yearbook cover that year (you know my 12 year old self was SICED).

Ever since then, I’ve not only enjoyed exploring things like photography, graphic design, drawing, modeling, event planning, content/video creation and fashion, but sharing these things with others in addition to learning from others that are more advanced in these areas.

Now. Despite my thorough exploration of digital creation, there is ALWAYS more to learn! So I am going to summarize some things that have been a review for me recently along with new things I’ve learned.

All the Things

If you are a human in 2024, you have likely heard of ‘pixels,’ or the smallest units of a digital image. Pixels, (short for “picture elements”) are tiny dots that combine to form an image, akin to atoms in a physical object. Each pixel can display a different color, and a higher number of pixels enhances image detail.

Resolution refers to the image’s level of detail, defined by the total number of pixels, expressed in width x height format. For example, “100×100 resolution” means the image is 100 pixels wide and 100 pixels tall, while “1920×1080 resolution” signifies an image that is 1,920 pixels wide and 1,080 pixels tall. More pixels contribute to a clearer and more detailed image.

There is so much more to know about graphics like rastor graphics (the photos on your phone) and vector graphics (your favorite brands logo), but I won’t get into the nitty gritty- just know there’s a world of knowledge about graphics!

Info drawn from Professor Cartland’s Canvas page!

My Site Graphics

I got to make two graphics for my site, and I’ll be so honest, my professor is probably going to tell me I have to go back and do them on different software or that they’re resolution is off, but that’s a problem for future me (I’m still learning-everything is FINE).

My Favicon

First of all, favicon is the best word I’ve ever heard. Second, it’s that lil logo you see on the tab at the top of your screen. Mine is a little heart connected to an upside down heart that I drew forever ago. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always signed these hearts with my name, and a couple years ago, my parents and I got it tattooed. I made this JPEG graphic on Vectr, using 512 x 512 pixels as it is the recommended sizing by WordPress for favicons. I wanted the background to be transparent, but I couldn’t figure out how to do it in Vectr, so I gave up.

My header

I also created a header for my website! I am a Canva girly at heart, so I created a PNG vision board using all photos that I took in my camera roll- after all, my whole thing is about ‘loving yours,’ so I wanted it to be all of the moments in my life that I am grateful for. Friends, coffee, food, fitness, and family. I included a few quotes from Pinterest to which I’ll link their original home on the web. The WordPress theme that I have my website set to right now has a header of 1300 x 500 pixels, and the closest pixel sizing that Canva has is 1500 x 500, so I had to crop a little in WordPress, but that’s okay.

Small steps everyday.

Focus on the good.

She believed. She prayed. She planned. She executed.

Be happy with what you have while working for what you want.

Me and a collage go together SO well.

My Images

My “favicon” is a “K” in pink with the name “Katie Royle underneath. The color pink represents how I go about life. Not only is my room covered in this color, but it represents a sense of vibrance that I try to display throughout my days. For my Site Image, I decided to stick to the theme and use a pink “K.” When people click on my link, I want them to feel happy from the colors, while understanding what they are clicking on with the letter “K.”

My Process

I decided to use Logo Maker to create these icons. These files are JPEGs as I felt it was a common file type that viewers will be able to see clearly.

Image found on Design

Image found on Design

Favicon

My Image & Why

I wanted my favicon to be simple, yet funky. I also felt that it stylistically matched my site theme. I’ve always had a love for abstract art and I feel that this unique favicon exemplifies my personality and creativity. I included the ‘A’ as a nod to my site name (amkincaid.net).

Header

My Image & Why

Once again, I wanted my header to be creative and reflect the site’s theme. I expanded upon the simple shapes I used in my favicon image, in order to ensure continuity throughout my creation process. I included ‘My Blog’ to serve as my site name, as well as including my name and the class that this blog is primarily used for.

Creation

Process and Software Used

I used Vectr to create this image. I went through a trial and error process of learning to use the website and what each of the tools did, but soon found my groove and really just went to town on my image. I first sketched a rough idea of what I envisioned and then let me creative side shine through in the digital reproduction of this image. I was sure to use high contrast wording, for example on my header, I used black text on a white background. This high contrast wording is crucial to obtaining attention and making it more accessible for those visual processing abnormalities.

File Type Chosen & Why

I downloaded my favicon file (512×512 pixel) and my header file (1920×1080 pixel) as JPEG images. JPEG images are typically raster graphics, meaning that each pixel on the image has a specific color that altogether create an image. This is not necessarily the best option, as the image can appear blurry once stretched out, but it is common for website building platforms to require these file types. I ultimately chose the JPEG for an admittedly silly reason: it was the default file type when downloading my creation off of Vectr. That being said, I ensured that I had the right pixel size before download to ensure my image would have the best quality possible when applying it to my site.

Reflections

My License

I learned more about copyright throughout this module. Copyright is legal framework to protect a creator’s rights to their original work. The goal of copyright is to maintain the integrity of creative works as the creators get to decide how their work is distributed and used. As the creator of my site, I own the copyright to it. I chose my license so I can encourage others to share my work while giving me credit for what I completed. I wanted to allow collaboration and others to build off of my work, while still accrediting my ideas.

Others’ Work

Using the work of others ethically allows you to respect the creators while sharing work by understanding copyright terms. Attribution is important when using work ethically in order to honor their work. Fair use plays a crucial role because you will be able to decide the appropriate timing of when to use work without permission. Licensing is also important as you must legally understand how to use other people’s work. Being ethical allows each individual to serve and gain a sense of respect.