Multitasking not always good
I have found that there is a time and a place for multitasking in the classroom and it is NOT when I'm going over new and complicated material. GEN Yers seem to think they can be on the internet, check their cell phones, glance at Facebook, etc and still understand the complicated information I'm going over. They "hear" it, but they're not processing and retaining the information. I really need their attention 100% when I'm going over step by step how to do something. If they miss a step, things don't work. Then I wind up explaining it all over again and students get frustrated.
I agree totally. I can be explaining a topic and if they are on technology they only hear a part of the discussion. There is a time and place for technology and at times the classroom is not the place.
Donald,
this is very true & also can help emphasize to the students the importance of timeliness & attendance, important attributes in their careers.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
When I start a class I give out the expectations and start the class. Students that are absent the first day are directed to connect with a fellow student to get back on track with the flow of the class. I encourage this student to connect with the instructor if there are any questions to be answered. It tends to work and be effective. An instructor cannot stop and start each time a new student decides to enter/attend a class.
Kathleen,
this is a great idea so they are hearing this message from multiple sources.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I've tried addressing this by doing things like incorporating media literacy into my curriculum (which is English), for example, showing my students Frontline's "Digital Nation" episode, which addresses all these issues really well.
Nancy,
good question & I personally think (institutional policies aside) that it is up to the discretion of the instructor as you best know your subject matter & your class makeup as well as your own comfort level with the access to phones.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
So, the question I have is how do you manage the multitasking in your classroom? I have oten noticed students on their cell phones in class, and I do get distracted and feel disrespected. But, then the students provides some tidbit of information regarding the topic I was discussing that she had just looked up on her device - valuable, definitely. Perhaps, this discussion should be split depending on the discipline. I can see that this activity could result in students missing important specific information in a heavy science course or a lecture on a medical procedure. I don't know the answer, but I do appreciate their initiative. It is difficult for instructors to know the motives of students or exactly what students are doing on their devices.
Many of our instructors require students to place their cell phones in a holder (shoe hanger for a closet) during class so that they do not have access to them. The one rule I stick to is that I better not see a cell phone during a test.
Kim,
yes, research has shown that multi-tasking is not as efficient & productive as we think.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Ann, I agree with you that our brain can not multitask. I tend to think that if I give 100% of my attention to one task, I am able to do a better job versus doing 3 different tasks at the same time(which allows me to only give a percentage of my time/dedication to each task.
multitasking is fine if you can handle it .but most can not so i try to keep it as simple as possible to help a more even learning objective
with in the class. those who can do and those you can not we help to get it done.
In a sense multitasking is something like a class participant holding a conversation with the person next to them while the instructor is delivering or developing a theme or string in the class that requires undivided attention. Texting while driving is another -- quite a number of people; even some members of what we call the Boomer generation do it but the one thing they are trying to accomplish sometimes works at cross purposes with another. The conversation in class and the texting while driving should consider taking a backseat to engaging in what's being paid for and/or driven down the road. :)
Andrew,
very true & what we have to do is get the students to own their education & take it as seriously as possible.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I agree. Multitasking is not an effective strategy for learning. Consider music instruction (at the level of mastering an instrument or technique, not improvisation). This requires total focus. Anything less than that will not do. I am sure if you watch a young person in this situation who is serious and dedicated, you will see this kind of focus.
Ann,
this is very true & it is very difficult to convince the Gen Y students of this.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I believe that Gen Y (and any human beings) give the appearance that they may be multitasking, but our brains really don't multitask. To absorb information well, distractions should be kept to a minimum when the topic is important.
Jason,
I agree & this is the kind of situation in which we have to put our foot down (so to speak) & demand that they pay attention to us & the material.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I agree. I found when teaching technology, have the the students engage interactively using the technology with you to a directed goal. Also "floating" from student to student helps connect with the student while allowing me to assess their individaul skill level. It takes longer to go over the material, but improves their retention. You save time by not having to go over te lesson over and over.
