Encouraging user attention during presentation sessions through interactive participation artifacts

A computer program product for enhancing participant attention during a presentation comprising:

• a computer usable medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code comprising:
• computer usable program code configured to identify a presentation session in which at least one participant of the presentation session is associated with a computing device;
• computer usable program code configured convey a participation artifact during the presentation session to the at least one participant, wherein the participation artifact is configured to solicit a response from the at least one participant and to ensure that the artifact receiving participant is paying attention, said response resulting from interactions between the at least one participant and the computing device, wherein said interactions are specific to the participation artifact and responsive to a receipt of the participation artifact;
• computer usable program code configured receive a response to the participation artifact from each participant receiving the participation artifact;
• and
• computer usable program code configured process the received response to assess an attention level of each participant receiving the participation artifact.

A computing device for enhancing participant attention during a presentation comprising:

• a processor;
• a non-volatile memory;
• a volatile memory;
• and
• a bus communicatively linking the processor, non-volatile memory, and the volatile memory, wherein said non-volatile memory comprises software executable by the processor utilizing the volatile memory, wherein said software is configured to:
• identify a presentation session in which at least one participant of the presentation session is associated with a computing device;
• convey a participation artifact during the presentation session to the at least one participant, wherein the participation artifact is configured to solicit a response from the at least one participant and to ensure that the artifact receiving participant is paying attention, said response resulting from interactions between the at least one participant and the computing device, wherein said interactions are specific to the participation artifact and responsive to a receipt of the participation artifact;
• receive a response to the participation artifact from each participant receiving the participation artifact;
• and
• process the received response to assess an attention level of each participant receiving the participation artifact.