Students and Media Multitasking - Digital Nation Essay

Students and Media Multitasking

     What is media multitasking? Media multitasking is the simultaneous use of television, computer, iPod, eReader, radio, phone, print or any other type of media. This is relatively recent phenomena that began around the turn of the century, around 2000. Media multitasking is especially prevalent with young people and students. It not only has an impact on the students but it also affects those around them. Media multitasking is a detriment to learning and should not be allowed in the classroom. Students, teachers, and classmates are negatively affected by media multitasking.

     Ask any student if they are successful at media multitasking and their response will be a resounding ‘Yes’. The fact is that they are not nearly as successful as they believe. When trying to do several things at once, attention will be divided. Attention to a single task decreases as the number of tasks increase.  Studies have shown that dividing attention reduces total brain activation and could "recruit" brain regions normally involved in habit or rote learning--the striatum--rather than regions such as the hippocampus that are necessary for acquiring the type of knowledge that's critical for academic success (Rekart 61). Such studies signify the importance of students needing to focus and reducing or removing extraneous stimuli while studying and attending class. However, there are those who claim that the younger generation or digital natives, growing up with new media and technologies, are operating at faster-than-normal speeds, are comfortable and capable of parallel rather than sequential or linear access to information, are capable of accessing information randomly, and are capable of multitasking (Lin 37). While there is a time and place that media multitasking is appropriate, it is counterproductive in relation to learning and studying.

     Teachers are also impacted by media multitasking students. They struggle with students’ decreased attention spans and lack of focus. It is also disrespectful for students to not pay attention in class. What actions can teachers take to control or even eliminate media multitasking by students’? Based off research teachers can use more course based quizzes and tests to assist the student’s ability to learn, retain, and retrieve information (Rekart 62). Keeping a classroom free of clutter and removing distracting stimuli can assist the teacher with minimalizing student distractions. To keep students engaged throughout class a teacher can use multiple instructional techniques such as lecture, film, role-play, and debate to deliver a lesson. Teachers are also banning laptop use in their classrooms. Yet, other teachers believe that banning laptops is wrong since students should develop self-monitoring skills and should learn how to juggle online and offline worlds, a challenge they will face later on throughout their careers (Hammer).  Whether the teacher bans laptops or not, they are ultimately responsible for setting boundaries and guidelines regarding acceptable behavior in their classrooms (Hammer).  

     Teachers are not the only ones impacted, classmates are also affected by students that media multitask in the classroom. Older returning college students tend to believe that using a laptop during a lecture should not be allowed. Students who are paying their own way through college, wanting to focus all of their attention on the teacher, believe they should not be distracted by students who are using their laptop, cell phone or both. A number of studies have been done that shows students who do not media multitask during class outperform those who do. A student who is media multitasking is making a conscious choice to split his or her attention, but a classmate sitting next to or behind does not have a choice. If teachers are going to allow media multitasking in their classrooms they should consider placing those students at the back of the classroom.   

      Media multitasking is a relatively recent phenomena that will require numerous studies to determine the short and long term effects on a student’s ability to learn. Media multitasking impairs the student’s attention span, is disrespectful to the teacher, and distracts classmates. Educational institutions and students need to work together to provide an environment conducive to learning. Like any good thing in life moderation and self-control are key to minimizing the negative impacts of media multitasking.

 

 

Works Cited

Hammer, Ronen, et al. "Mobile culture in college lectures: instructors' and students' perspectives."  Interdisciplinary Journal of E-Learning and Learning Objects 6 (2010): 293+. Academic OneFile. Web. 16 Feb. 2014.

Lin, Lin. "Multiple dimensions of multitasking phenomenon." International Journal of Technology and Human Interaction 9.1 (2013): 37+. Academic OneFile. Web. 16 Feb. 2014.

Rekart, Jerome L. "Taking on multitasking: students will continue to media multitask--to their own detriment. Nonetheless, teachers can limit the multitasking effect and improve learning." Phi Delta Kappan 93.4 (2011): 60+. Academic OneFile. Web. 16 Feb. 2014.