We all know the potential – from annoying to tragic – of, for example, dialing or texting or talking on a cell phone while driving. Study after study shows the enormous level of danger involved. Yet we, as a society, not only cling to, but have almost psychotically embraced, the mythical benefits of multi-tasking. We do it all the time. We pride ourselves on it. We’re judged on our ability to do it. We judge others by their ability to do it.
Imagine the response when, in a recent workshop, one of my participants stated, “A learner texting during class time is simply the same as playing with a table toy.” That statement sparked a spirited discussion and got me thinking about multi-tasking, concentration, and the learning process. Just what is the difference between texting and playing with a table toy and how does each affect the learning process?
As training professionals, we know that people learn differently; some people actually learn better when they are quietly fiddling with a table toy (say a koosh ball) or doodling. These actions are passive, require no effort, and don’t break our concentration from the content at hand. Additionally, they aren’t disruptive to other trainees.
Texting, on the other hand (in a classroom environment), requires a learner to switch back and forth between tasks. This takes its toll; as they switch, they’re not focusing on either task. Research suggests that when it comes to listening to a lecture or taking a test, undivided attention is better than multi-tasking. Neuroscience studies using brain scans have shown that the brain struggles with paying attention to sights and sounds simultaneously. When the brain starts working on a visual task, its auditory parts show decreased activity, and vice versa.
When Dr. Beth Hellerstein, Assistant Clinical Professor at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, was asked about the effects of multitasking on learning, she replied, “When students are distracted while studying, they may be learning facts but are not able to integrate them or apply them to a higher level of thinking. We worry about how this superficial learning will impact long term recall and application of knowledge and skill.”
The bottom line then is that multi-tasking (or texting in this case), in a learning environment, translates into less efficient learning that takes longer to complete. In other words, multi-tasking is truly, still a myth!
Melissa
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