Multitasking not always a positive for students, researchers say
Although the ability to multitask can oftentimes be seen as the key to success, and is even a coveted characteristic that many employers seek, new research shows that too much multitasking may do students more harm than good.
Researchers and educators who took part in the Web-Connected Minds conference earlier this month in Arlington, Va. discussed data showing that although students have a great deal of technology at their disposal that could assist in learning, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it can’t become a distraction. Though people say they are multitaskers, research shows that when someone tries to do two tasks at once, a “bottleneck” takes place at the prefrontal cortex, causing a delay in doing the second task. According to researchers, the less accustomed the person is to doing the second task, the longer it will take for the brain to kick into gear to complete it.
When it comes to academics, the delay caused by something as small as checking a text message or incoming phone call during class or while doing a homework assignment could result in a student missing out on potentially important information from the reading or lecture, according to experts at the conference.
“There appears to be an intrinsic, structural aspect of brain function that prevents perfect task-sharing,” explained Steven G. Yantis, chairman of Johns Hopkins University’s psychological and brain sciences department, at the conference.
The delay in the decision-making portion of the brain, or prefrontal cortext, due to multitasking is even worse for those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But experts say the solution is not to ban all forms of technology or potential distractions from the classroom, which is increasingly difficult to accomplish due to their prevalence anyway. Instead, parents and educators should work to help students of all ages identify the most optimal times to engage in the use of technology during class or while studing, being sure to stress the importance of self-control. After all, that incoming text message doesn’t necessarily have to be read and answered right this second.
