Approximately 25 percent of college students identify with having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); of all college students with a documented disability, one-fourth have ADHD (Kendrick, 2025; Stevens, 2022). The main symptoms of ADHD are hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity, which may make online learning particularly challenging for college students who live with this neurodevelopmental disorder. Unfortunately, Stevens (2022) reported students with ADHD having lower academic achievement than their neurotypical counterparts. Therefore, online institutions should support college students with ADHD and other learning challenges by providing resources that foster active learning and student autonomy. 

Encouraging Active Learning

Active engagement is essential to a student’s academic success. Students need not only to attend class and complete assignments regularly but also to participate fully in their learning. College students with ADHD may have difficulty with time management and handling stress, which impedes their full class participation (Dobrowolski & Watson, 2022). Using active learning strategies aids students’ comprehension and cognition of course material, but Rachal et al. (2007) explained students rarely learn the right strategies to help them perform well academically. Here are a few learning strategies higher education faculty can incorporate into their online instruction to encourage and improve active learning. 

Pomodoro Method

The Pomodoro Method was invented in the 1980s by Francesco Cirillo as a time management tool. This technique has students use a timer to work for 25 minutes continuously before taking a five-minute break. After repeating this four times, they are allowed a longer break (Costales et al., 2022). This method allows ADHD students to use their often-hyper-focused attention during the uninterrupted work time, then provides brain breaks, making smaller tasks more bearable. It also creates a clear boundary between work and rest, reducing the risk of getting off task. 

Online learning necessitates prolonged concentration and self-regulation, increasing fatigue in neurodivergent students who have difficulty paying attention. Instructors can build brain breaks into their course lectures and seminars, which would decrease stress and fatigue among their online learners. Also, incorporating breaks into each lesson “could enhance lecture quality by maintaining student interest and engagement, thereby increasing overall learning effectiveness” (Mpetha et al., 2025, p. 07). This could relieve some of the pressure on instructors, who are constantly searching for new ways to get their students more engaged in the material. The Academic Success Center has a helpful video on the Pomodoro Method. 

SQ3R

Originated by Francis P. Robinson in his 1946 book Effective Study, the SQ3R method stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review. This structured approach encourages students to actively engage with their reading, which can improve retention of the material (Saputra & Al Haddar, 2024). This is especially important since, according to McKenna et al. (2019), reading disorders are a common comorbidity among ADHD students.

Instructors can integrate the SQ3R method into their teaching practices by explaining the method’s components and encouraging students to utilize the steps in their regular reading assignments. The Question phase in particular can help foster students’ critical thinking skills. Therefore, online educators can encourage “students to formulate thoughtful questions that stimulate deeper engagement with the text” (Saputra & Al Haddar, 2024, p. 177). Then, students become active participants in the reading process by searching for answers to their questions, developing a deeper understanding of the material.

Mind Mapping

Mind mapping, or concept mapping, is a term popularized by British psychologist Tony Buzan to refer to a visual way to connect ideas (Hannon, 2022). Mind maps are often drawn with a large circle in the center of the page to represent the main concept. Then, lines branch off, connecting to smaller circles, linking that concept to related points. This type of graphic organizer allows a student with ADHD to “compensate for difficulties in performing cognitive tasks by activating the visual-spatial and motor processing areas in the brain” (Hannon, 2022, p. 95). They help organize ideas into subcategories, uncluttering concepts into an organized visual representation. A typical mind map might look like the following image:  

Source: pexels.com (https://images.pexels.com/photos/1181311/pexels-photo-1181311.jpeg)

Instructors can aid students by providing templates of mind maps and other visual aids for students to use while taking notes or watching lectures. For example, Mindomo is a mind-mapping website that offers free templates, specifically geared at collaborating with others, for students to use. The program also “incorporates built-in task functions, teacher monitoring of each student’s contribution, and grading capabilities” that can easily be incorporated into online curriculum (Fang et al., 2024. p. 4). Online platforms like Mindomo not only assist instruction, but their collaborative function also aids ADHD students in improving their social skills.

Building Autonomy and Academic Support

Social integration has been linked to student retention among college students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; therefore, “building a social support system once beginning college may be especially important to first year adjustment for students with ADHD” (Stevens et al., 2022, p. 12). Instructors can assign group activities to improve social interactions among online students. Group assignments may increase the engagement of students with ADHD since they feel responsible for other members in their group. Additionally, making attendance mandatory adds external pressure for students to attend (Dobrowolski & Watson, 2022).

College students with ADHD often have low self-esteem and hesitate to seek assistance from their university (Mpetha et al., 2025). In a study conducted by Stevens et al. (2022), student self-efficacy was associated with higher grade point averages in students with ADHD, which highlights the importance of students feeling comfortable asking for help. With the added difficulty of students acclimating to online instruction, educators should recognize opportunities to improve student outcomes in the classroom, consequently improving students’ self-esteem.

Students with ADHD have difficulty understanding text presented digitally, and Parks et al. (2022) explained that printed text can minimize their distractions. Therefore, online instructors can provide students with the option to print out all course materials, including e-books. Also, when instructors provide recorded lectures and video resources, they encourage students to actively engage with the material at their own pace. For example, “Being able to choose to pause and rewatch recorded lecture material provides an opportunity to enhance students’ autonomy and self-regulation” (Kendrick, 2025, p. 24). These types of online learning formats allow students to engage with the material, improving focus and retention of key information. 

Finally, many universities offer academic coaching or similar support for neurodivergent students. These coaches strive to help students “increase their self-discipline, self-efficacy, study skills, formulate realistic goals, think more frequently about their long-term goals and maintain a desire to achieve them” (Parker et al., 2013, as cited in Sedgwick, 2018, p. 227). For example, Purdue University Global’s Learning for Success Center peer tutors support online students with improving strategies such as time management, notetaking, and critical reading, encouraging them toward a successful online education. The Learning for Success Center offers additional resources on its website.  

College students with ADHD should have the same opportunity to achieve academic success as their neurotypical classmates. Kendrick (2025) affirmed, “Autonomy and self-regulation are key factors and ingredients leading to overall success in remote learning environments, not just for students with ADHD, but for all learners” (p. 24). Online institutions can encourage active learning strategies to strengthen students’ self-efficacy and contribute to better academic outcomes.  

References

Costales, J., Abellana, J., Gracia, J., & Devaraj, M. (2022). A learning assessment applying pomodoro technique as a productivity tool for online learning. In Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Education Technology and Computers (ICETC ’21). Association for Computing Machinery. 164–167. https://doi.org/10.1145/3498765.3498844

Dobrowolski, S., & Watson, S. J. (2022, September 6). Attention is not the solution: Experiences of university students with ADHD with remote learning. Psychology of Conflict, Risk and Safety. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/5ecma_v1 

Fang, M., Abdallah, A. K., & Vorfolomeyeva, O. (2024). Collaborative AI-enhanced digital mind-mapping as a tool for stimulating creative thinking in inclusive education for students with neurodevelopmental disorders. BMC Psychology,12(488), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-01975-4

Hannon, R. (2022). Combating attention deficits with mind-mapping tools: The resource for adult education. COABE Journal, 11(1), 91-100. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/combating-attention-deficits-with-mind-mapping/docview/2892718388/se-2 

Kendrick, J. (2025). Supporting postsecondary students with ADHD in remote learning environments: A qualitative study of student experiences and disability services practices. Northeastern University. https://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20776367 

McKenna, J. W., Shin, M., Solis, M., Mize, M., & Pfannenstiel, K. (2019). Effects of single-case reading interventions for students with and at-risk of emotional and behavioral disorders in grades K-12: A quantitative synthesis. Psychology in the Schools. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22242 

Mpetha, M., Mapaling, C., Matlakala, F. K., & Grobler, H. (2025, June 26). ADHD symptoms and psychosocial challenges: A North-West University case study. Frontiers in Education. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1527419 

Parks, K. M. A., Moreau, C. N., Hannah, K. E., Brainin, L., & Joanisse, M. F. (2022). The task matters: A scoping review on reading comprehension abilities in ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders, 26(10), 1304-1324. https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547211068047

Rachal, K. C., Daigle, S., & Rachal, W. S. (2007). Learning problems reported by college students: Are they using learning strategies? Journal of Instructional Psychology, 34(4), 191-199. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/learning-problems-reported-college-students-are/docview/213904290/se-2

Saputra, D. G., & Al Haddar, G. (2024). Enhancing reading comprehension in education: A study on the effectiveness of the SQ3R method. Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan dan Humaniora, 13(3), 167-179. https://journals.ristek.or.id/index.php/jiph/article/download/95/90 

Sedgwick, J. A. (2018). University students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A literature review. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, 35(3), 221–235. https://doi.org/10.1017/ipm.2017.20

Stevens, A. E., Abu-Ramadan, T. M., & Hartung, C. M. (2022). Promoting academic success in college students with ADHD and LD: A systematic literature review to identify intervention targets. Journal of American College Health, 70(8), 2342–2355. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2020.1862127