Sludge Content as Digital Pedagogy: A Mixed-Methods Study of Attention Span and Learning Outcomes Among Generation Alpha Students

Proponent/s Name/s (Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial)

• Paula Lorraine B. Garcia, De La Salle Santiago Zobel SchoolFollow
• Jhon Justine S. Felipe, De La Salle Santiago ZobelFollow
• Princess Eunice C. Casteñares, De La Salle Santiago ZobelFollow
• Alyanna Kate Costa, De La Salle Santiago ZobelFollow
• Ashlley Nicole R. Porras, De La Salle Santiago ZobelFollow
• Paul Jose Gerald Reguera, De La Salle Santiago ZobelFollow

Document Types

Paper Presentation

Research Theme (for Paper Presentation and Poster Presentation submissions only)

21st Century Learning and Innovations (CLI)

School Name

De La Salle Santiago Zobel School

Track or Strand

Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL)

Research Advisor (Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial)

Gamboa, Gerald, B.

Start Date

23-6-2026 1:30 PM

End Date

23-6-2026 3:00 PM

Zoom Link/ Room Assignment

DLSU Manila Campus (In-person) - Don Enrique T. Yuchengco Hall - Y304

Abstract/Executive Summary

This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study arrives at the conclusion of the content dubbed "sludge" being the TikTok-native multimedia that fuses narrated tutorials with images of completely unrelated activities (e.g., Subway Surfers), which serves as an intervention contrasting Mayer's coherence principle and Sweller's cognitive load theory, all in the context of the attention span issues of the Generation Alpha students. The study surveyed 61 respondents and conducted semi-structured interview with 18 participants and 1 teacher with 1 follow-up focus group discussion consisting of 6 participants within Generation Alpha BRafeNHS students at De La Salle Santiago Zobel which is aimed at assessing the impact on attention span through focus and shifting by using the validated Attention Control Scale (α = .90), learning engagement, and outcomes (the result of formative collocations assessments) in comparison to the traditional instruction, which will be steered by the three objectives and four hypotheses expecting significant improvements in attention scores, quiz performance, observed behaviors (McNemar-tested), and correlations among the different measures. The research comprised of two major phases: Phase 1 implemented quasi-experimental pre/post-testing with paired t-tests, Pearson correlations, and observational checklists as the main statistical tools; Phase 2 conducted thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews for triangulation according to Creswell's design. The rationale behind the study is to determine whether cognitive overload facilitates cognitive processes or causes a bottleneck, thus giving a clue to multimedia strategy development in the case of the Philippine classrooms that are digital-native and need a balanced approach.

Keywords

Attention Control; Multimedia Instruction; Learning Engagement; Generation Alpha Learners; Sludge Content

Initial Consent for Publication

yes

Statement of Originality

yes