Nov 10 2010
Response – Post 10
In the video “Digital Nation,” one area addressed was the idea of multi-tasking and how it may actually be a disservice to younger generations. Simply walking down the street it’s not uncommon to see students texting or talking on a cell phone while walking with a friend and looking something up on a mobile device. Our world is filled with technological distractions and the idea of being constantly connected is almost mandatory in today’s world.
However, the documentary confirms what many of us have known to be true: multi-tasking is more harmful than helpful, even though younger generations remain utterly convinced that these results do not apply to them. The documentary travelled to Sanford University to investigate an on-going study surrounding multi-tasking and productivity. While there the researchers were able to show that those who focused on a single task at a time did better at the assigned tests than those who were multi-tasking and attempting to accomplish several things at once.
The argument made is that multi-tasking is in fact a distraction, and that by immersing ourselves in a digital world we are missing out on important learning opportunities and participating in the real world surrounding us.
I won’t lie, I’m guilty of not only multi-tasking, but the convincing myself it’s actually a good behavior…even though I’ve seen first-hand when I’ve missed important information or don’t grasp a concept as quickly as I normally would because I’ve been trying to accomplish several tasks at one time. However, I don’t think the issue is convincing people that multi-tasking is counterproductive, I think the issue is finding a way to rein in these behaviors and creating a way to engage students and younger generations without completely distracting them.
Furthermore, I think the issue extends beyond the classroom. It’s not only younger generations who are hooked on technology and the idea of multi-tasking, many older generations are starting to tap into this idea of being constantly connected and it seems to be creating a rippling effect. Furthermore, the concern of reining in these behaviors is still the core issue that must be addressed – the technology and the temptation isn’t going to go away, so it is now about adjusting how we use the technology and learning how we can control certain behaviors to find the ultimate balance between the virtual realm and the real one.