# PWR-099 — Divided attention: learner worksheet Release: Revision 7T · Full Tutorial Edition Estimated time: Estimated 29 min reading and worksheet pass Difficulty: Intermediate Equipment: Common household or practice equipment — Twenty-four cards: 12 red and 12 blue, shuffled; Two labelled trays for the colour sort; A 60-second neutral tone track with exactly 10 clearly spaced target tones and an answer key; Timer and score sheet for time, card errors, tone hits, misses and false counts; Quiet seated table with notifications off Space: Room-scale practice space Automated structural checklist: 10 of 10 structural checks present Evidence quality/context: G2; Focused research depth Automated method-quality band: Comprehensive Method-rating basis: Structure coverage, instruction/check specificity, alternative distinctness, source troubleshooting, comparison depth and whether purpose/check fields are authored rather than derived. Editorial review: Pending manual editorial sign off ## Before you begin - [ ] I read the tutorial authority and stop conditions. - [ ] I have the required equipment/space or a declared accessible alternative. ## Canonical source context Divided attention is performance when two demands overlap. People usually incur a cost, and practice may improve only the exact pairing or priority policy. This lesson uses a low-stakes card sort plus neutral tone count. The learner measures each task alone, declares which task has priority, performs them together, calculates each task's speed and accuracy cost, and stops if one task is sacrificed. Never transfer this drill to driving, road crossing, cooking heat, tools, medication, caregiving, work surveillance or any other consequential context. Target outcome: The learner produces separate single-task and dual-task speed/accuracy results for card sorting and tone counting, with dual-task cost correctly calculated for both. ### Authority and setup conditions - Remove all safety-critical and real responsibilities; this is a desk exercise only. - Check tone volume is comfortable and provide a visual-flash alternative as a different configuration if needed. - Choose the priority rule: keep card-sort accuracy at baseline before trying to improve tone count. - Stop for headache, dizziness, distress, sensory overload, confusion or rapidly increasing errors. ### Required or supplied materials - Twenty-four cards: 12 red and 12 blue, shuffled - Two labelled trays for the colour sort - A 60-second neutral tone track with exactly 10 clearly spaced target tones and an answer key - Timer and score sheet for time, card errors, tone hits, misses and false counts - Quiet seated table with notifications off ## 1. Set the two rules Sort red cards left and blue cards right; count only the target tone, not distractor sounds. Repeat both rules aloud. Why: Clear rules prevent task confusion from masquerading as divided-attention cost. Success check: The learner correctly classifies two sample cards and two sample sounds. Accessible alternative: A visible, captioned or haptic version of “Sort red cards left and blue cards right; count only the target tone, not distractor sounds. Repeat both rules aloud.” can rehearse the response sequence, but it removes the declared auditory stimulus and is therefore a related activity, not an equivalent attempt at Divided attention. To preserve the target, keep the authored sound and adapt only non-target access such as response input, instructions, breaks or support; retain this success check: “The learner correctly classifies two sample cards and two sample sounds.” Alternative relationship: Related alternative changes trained or measured target Learner notes: ________________________________________________________________________________ Completed: [ ] ## 2. Measure card sorting alone Shuffle all 24 cards, start the timer, sort by colour and stop after the last card. Record time and wrong-tray cards. Why: Each component needs its own baseline. Success check: A complete time and accuracy result is recorded. Accessible alternative: Complete the same research action — “Shuffle all 24 cards, start the timer, sort by colour and stop after the last card. Record time and wrong-tray cards.” — using speech-to-text, text-to-speech, enlarged text, keyboard-only navigation, shorter work blocks or a support person. Preserve this declared check: “A complete time and accuracy result is recorded.” Do not convert the research task into capability practice. Alternative relationship: Target preserving when declared check is preserved Learner notes: ________________________________________________________________________________ Completed: [ ] ## 3. Measure tone counting alone Play the tone track while hands rest. Write the target count only when the track ends and record error against the answer key. Why: The secondary task also needs a baseline. Success check: Hits/count error is recorded without card sorting. Accessible alternative: A visible, captioned or haptic version of “Play the tone track while hands rest. Write the target count only when the track ends and record error against the answer key.” can rehearse the response sequence, but it removes the declared auditory stimulus and is therefore a related activity, not an equivalent attempt at Divided attention. To preserve the target, keep the authored sound and adapt only non-target access such as response input, instructions, breaks or support; retain this success check: “Hits/count error is recorded without card sorting.” Alternative relationship: Related alternative changes trained or measured target Learner notes: ________________________________________________________________________________ Completed: [ ] ## 4. Rest and restate priority Pause for at least two minutes, then state: card accuracy has priority; if it falls beyond the declared rule, stop the pair. Why: A declared priority prevents hidden sacrifice. Success check: The priority and stop rule are written before pairing. Accessible alternative: Complete “Pause for at least two minutes, then state: card accuracy has priority; if it falls beyond the declared rule, stop the pair.” in shorter passes, or use keyboard input, dictation or a support person, while preserving this success check: “The priority and stop rule are written before pairing.” Use a scribe or large-button timer so motor speed does not dominate, while recording the assistance. Alternative relationship: Target preserving when declared check is preserved Learner notes: ________________________________________________________________________________ Completed: [ ] ## 5. Run both tasks together Start the tone track and card timer together. Sort at a controlled pace while silently counting tones; finish the sort, then write the tone count. Why: This creates one declared dual-task fixture. Success check: Both raw results are captured without an added phone or conversation. Accessible alternative: A visible, captioned or haptic version of “Start the tone track and card timer together. Sort at a controlled pace while silently counting tones; finish the sort, then write the tone count.” can rehearse the response sequence, but it removes the declared auditory stimulus and is therefore a related activity, not an equivalent attempt at Divided attention. To preserve the target, keep the authored sound and adapt only non-target access such as response input, instructions, breaks or support; retain this success check: “Both raw results are captured without an added phone or conversation.” Alternative relationship: Related alternative changes trained or measured target Learner notes: ________________________________________________________________________________ Completed: [ ] ## 6. Calculate both costs For card time, calculate (dual time minus single time) divided by single time times 100. For each accuracy, subtract dual accuracy from single accuracy. Why: One aggregate can hide that one task was sacrificed. Success check: The score sheet shows separate time and percentage-point accuracy costs. Accessible alternative: Complete the same research action — “For card time, calculate (dual time minus single time) divided by single time times 100. For each accuracy, subtract dual accuracy from single accuracy.” — using speech-to-text, text-to-speech, enlarged text, keyboard-only navigation, shorter work blocks or a support person. Preserve this declared check: “The score sheet shows separate time and percentage-point accuracy costs.” Do not convert the research task into capability practice. Alternative relationship: Target preserving when declared check is preserved Learner notes: ________________________________________________________________________________ Completed: [ ] ## 7. Diagnose the trade-off Check whether card priority was protected and where tone misses occurred. If priority accuracy fell, sequence the tasks or slow/simplify; do not celebrate the combined speed. Why: Improvement must not come from neglecting the priority task. Success check: The decision names which task paid the cost. Accessible alternative: A visible, captioned or haptic version of “Check whether card priority was protected and where tone misses occurred. If priority accuracy fell, sequence the tasks or slow/simplify; do not celebrate the combined speed.” can rehearse the response sequence, but it removes the declared auditory stimulus and is therefore a related activity, not an equivalent attempt at Divided attention. To preserve the target, keep the authored sound and adapt only non-target access such as response input, instructions, breaks or support; retain this success check: “The decision names which task paid the cost.” Alternative relationship: Related alternative changes trained or measured target Learner notes: ________________________________________________________________________________ Completed: [ ] ## 8. Repeat only the same harmless pair After rest, run at most one more paired trial with the same cards, track and priority. A new task pairing is a new test. Why: Repeated exposure should stay bounded and comparable. Success check: No unsafe or consequential context is added. Accessible alternative: A supported, seated, reduced-range or slower version of “After rest, run at most one more paired trial with the same cards, track and priority. A new task pairing is a new test.” is equivalent only when it keeps the same trained or measured target, declared configuration and success check: “No unsafe or consequential context is added.” If any of those change, record it as a related alternative rather than an equivalent repetition. Alternative relationship: Conditional equivalence requires target and configuration check Learner notes: ________________________________________________________________________________ Completed: [ ] ## Reflection What changed? ________________________________________________________________________________ What remains difficult? ________________________________________________________________________________ What will I repeat, adapt, ask for help with, or stop? ________________________________________________________________________________ --- Completion of this worksheet demonstrates tutorial participation only. It does not establish capability, qualification, safety clearance, diagnosis, treatment or independent validation.