This is the time of the semester when students in my educational psychology class are studying basic human cognition. When I teach this and other topics I, personally and for my class, attempt to relate the topic to issues I read about or see around me. So, as I consider the issue of the limited capacity of working memory and memory overload, I ask what students think about the multitasking capabilities that are commonly associated with K-16 students. Did anything they read in the book explain how talking on the phone, listening to music, and keeping a couple of chats active while reading a textbook could possibly be acceptable? I keep waiting for the experts who write the textbooks I use in educational psychology to update their books to explain the new capabilities of 21st century learners. So far, no luck. Perhaps the authors pay more attention to the research literature than the blogs claiming we must adapt to the new skills of those in our classrooms.
I was listening to an NPR story on multitasking while driving to work this morning. The piece involved an interview with a scientist with a research program related to the popularity of engaging in online communication while doing other things (e.g., driving). I was careful not to talk back. It turns out that sound bite stating that talking on the cell phone is equivalent to driving drunk is not just a way of explaining the impact of distraction. The statement is based on an experiment conducted in a driving simulator comparing intoxicated participants and participants using a cell phone.
I think I have made this point before – “just because lots of folks do something does not mean what they are doing is productive and it certainly does not mean that we are being helpful by being enablers”. Adolescents are likely no better at performing while distracted than you were at the same age.
