Syllabus

• Week 1

  Introduction to autism and attention

  • Welcome to the course

    In this first activity, you will be introduced to the learning aims of the week. You will also be provided with information to help guide you through this course.

  • Introduction to autism

    In this activity, you will be introduced to the topic of autism, and its prevalence in the population and its cross-cultural tendencies as well as other key facts about the condition.

  • Introduction to attention

    In this activity, you will be introduced to the topic of attention. We will define attention on a systematic level, and discuss how fundamental it is to almost everything we do.

  • Summary

    In the final activity of the week, Dr Lila Kossyvaki provides a short summary of the topics covered in week 1, and provides a sneak peek into week 2.

• Week 2

  Attention and learning in autism

  • Welcome to week 2

    Dr Carmel Mevorach introduces the second week of the course and provides an overview of the topics that will be covered throughout the week.

  • Introduction to attention and learning

    In this activity, we take a look at how attention functions contribute to academic skills and consequently how important it is for educational practitioners to consider the attention demands involved in certain academic skills.

  • Attention in autism

    In this activity, we introduce the concept of attention atypicality in autism. We will use the three attention functions to review what we know about them in autism and how they may be associated with the behaviours of autism.

  • Summary

    In this activity, Dr Carmel Mevorach provides an overview of the topics covered throughout week 2 and gives a sneak peak into week 3.

• Week 3

  Technology and attention training

  • Welcome to week 3

    Dr Lila Kossyvaki introduces week 3 of the course and provides an overview of the topics that will be covered throughout the week.

  • Technology as a useful tool to teach individuals with autism

    In this activity, we consider the benefits of using technology for teaching people with autism. We will discuss the types of technology used and why it might be 'fit for purpose' when teaching children with autism.

  • Cognitive training

    In this activity, we will learn about approaches for cognitive training, specifically the direct process approach. We will also introduce the Computerised Progressive Attention Training (CPAT) program.

  • Summary

    Dr Lila Kossyvaki provides a short summary of the topics covered throughout week 3, and gives a sneak preview of week 4.

• Week 4

  Computerised progressive attentional training (CPAT)

  • Welcome to week 4

    In the final week of the course, we take a deeper look at the Computerised Progressive Attentional Training (CPAT) app.

  • The SEARCH activity

    In this activity, we take a look at the first of the three CPAT activities, 'Search'.

  • The CPT activity

    In this activity, we take a look at the second of the three CPAT activities, 'CPT'.

  • The GLOBAL/LOCAL activity

    In this activity, we take a look at the final of the three CPAT activities, 'Global/Local'.

  • CPAT Instructions

    In this activity, we go through all of the CPAT instructions, step by step.

  • Implementation

    In this activity, we provide some helpful resources for using CPAT. We also take a look at some of the challenges in the context of the principles of the direct intervention cognitive training approach.

  • Summary

    In this final activity, Dr Carmel Mevorach provides an overview of the week, and brings the course to a close.

Who will you learn with?