Executive Function Assignment for First Year Students

What are executive function (EF) skills? Basically, they are the mental skills that help you get things done.

Your brain starts to develop EF skills when you’re a small child and continues to develop them until at least your mid-twenties. Some studies have shown that gifted students develop these skills even later (until their early thirties) because their brains are busy connecting the neuropathways that make them so smart. 

Being successful at ATYP requires a certain amount of time management, organization, and planning and prioritizing ability (all EF skills). Some students come with those, some will learn them rather quickly, and some might need additional assistance. It helps to know where you are on this scale.

Accepting you have some growing to do is less daunting if you understand the following:

1. Having an EF weakness – in any area – does not make you a bad person, or less intelligent, or broken in some fashion. It may mean that your brain hasn’t fully developed yet or it may mean that you could use some practice or coaching to improve.
2. Many EF issues don’t show up until put to the test. A student who has never had trouble prioritizing projects or activities may suddenly find that this is a concern when there are more items to juggle, and this frequently happens in middle school when students have multiple teachers or as work becomes more challenging, like at ATYP.
3. Everyone has EF domains where they are stronger and where they are weaker, just like everyone has talents and gifts in some areas and “not so much” in others. It is okay to be great and not-so-great in different domains, as long as you shore up your weaknesses so they don’t become an obstacle to success.
4. You continue to develop EF until young adulthood, which means you have a lot of time to grow into the skills you need. Don’t worry if goal-directed persistence isn’t your thing at 12; it might be your thing at 22.

The Assignment

We are asking you to complete three modules (each no more than 20 minutes in length) to help you get started discovering your EF strengths and areas for growth. These modules are located in eLearning at elearning.wmich.edu. Sign in using your WMU login and password. Scroll down until you see your ATYP classes and the Execution Function Modules courses. Then click on the word Content in the menu across the top. You will see a list of all the modules. Just click on one of the modules on the left and you will see the items in it.

1. Module 1: What is Executive Function?
   • Watch the video
   • Complete the survey
2. Module 2: Time Management
   • Watch the video
   • Complete the assignments, especially the schedule so you can think about how to find time to do your homework. (A blank schedule can be found here.)
3. Choose one additional module
   • Based on the results of the survey in Module 1, select one additional module to complete.
     • Digital distractions
     • Organization
     • Planning and prioritizing
     • Task initiation
     • Task completion
     • Working memory
     • Perfectionism
     • Self-awareness and problem solving

This is a required assignment. If you tackle one module per week for the next three weeks, you should be well on your way to developing the skills you need!