I recently attended a conference in Washington DC on the topic of “Learning in the Digital Age: Multitasking, Social Networking and the Changing Brain”. The speakers were David Meyer of the University of Michigan, Patricia Greenfield of UCLA and the Childrens Digital Media Center” and David Rose of Harvard and CAST. Their presentations very much connected to observations and concerns that I have both as an educator and as a parent.
Here are my notes from Dr. Meyer’s presentation. I will share the notes from the other two presenters in future posts.
- He is a research scientist dealing with empirical evidence in his study of the brain.
- He doesn’t allow laptops in his classroom.
- There is an ever increasing pressure in our society to multitask. If we are feeling the strain now, what will our multitasking lives be like in 10 years?
- Multitasking means increasing inefficiencies.
- Learning suffers when one multitasks.
- While we know a reasonable amount about how the brain deals with multitasking, there is a lot more to learn.
- We are almost continuously in “task performance”. “The task of life with mental chatter is always on.”
- Task analysis helps us better understand multitasking.
- Definition for multitasking from a psychological scientific perspective- “Trying (but not always succeeding) to perform multiple tasks either simultaneously or in rapid alternation between them.”
- Types of Multitasking: Completely Sequential switching back and forth between tasks. Partially Simultaneous/Sequential and Completely Simultaneous.
- Multitasking is a major cultural phenomenon. Ever increasing pressure to multitask at work and at home.
- Disjointed (non-conflicting) Tasks- tasks that don’t used shared parts of the brain. Example is folding laundry while listening to music. Language versus visual/manual parts of brain. These situations are quite rare for most multitasking events.
- Conjugate (conflicting) Tasks- tasks that used shared parts of the brain. Examples are walking and texting, typing an essay and responding to IM.
- The Executive Cognitive Control portion of the brain must engage to handle multiple tasks.
- Scientists do behavioral measurement (reaction times and response accuracy) to measure and compare individuals doing single and multiple tasks.
- Scientists use PET and fMRI and EEG scans to also see the brain reacting to single and multiple tasks.
- Thus, scientists can clearly measure how individuals handle single and multitasks in how long it takes to complete the tasks and how efficient individuals are in completing them.
- The research demonstrates that multi-tasking brings in the consistent need for the Executive Cognitive Control (ECC) portion of the brain to activate which slows down the task completion process. In other words, the reaction time is increased the more complex the tasks are. Inefficiency increases when compared to doing a single task.
- Switching Time Costs- the term to describe the moving back and forth between tasks. When there is conflict between the tasks, the ECC deals with cueing tasks, goal shifting, rule activation and attention refocusing—all of these lower efficiencies and increase time spent on the tasks.
- Dr. Meyer then showed the audience via brain image scans of just how many portions of the brain are involved when multitasking takes place. He also mentioned the term “attention refocusing” which describes an additional task put up the brain as it goes from one task to another and returns which then involves a refocusing to once again engage in the original task. An image came to my mind of seeing ourselves sitting “in” the Executive Cognitive Control portion of the brain with a bank of displays and lots of control panels as we work to deal with the cueing, goal shifting, rule activation and attention refocusing that goes on during multitasking. I could see how inefficient and stressful it would be to try and handle all these “tasks” that were taking place in order to handle the real tasks our brains and bodies were taking on.
- Dr. Meyer went on to point out the obvious dangerous and sometimes deadly effects of multitasking (e.g., car accidents due to cell phones/texting, texters walking into trees, etc.). He pointed out that research shows that long term brain damage can occur due to the stress that often arises when trying to deal with too many tasks. The brain dealing with increased stress leads to the secretion of bio-chemical hormones into the blood stream that over time damage portions of the brain specifically the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus.
- Dr. Meyer gave the example of air traffic controllers as an extreme example of multitaskers who besides dealing with the stress of handling many tasks often suffer from anxiety and depression.
- To become better at multitasking, we must learn how to improve our task scheduling. Dr. Meyer did not comment further than to give the example of fighter pilots who receive massive amounts of training to deal with all the decisions and tasks that go with modern air warfare. The question is what training can we provide our students to help them choose how to prioritize tasks and to then become more and more practiced at focusing on doing one task at a time while knowing when to switch to another without going back and forth in rapid succession.
I am reminded of my first weeks working as an instructional technologist back before social networking and other Web 2.0 tools came on to the scene. I taught lessons on using presentation tools, image editing, digital mind mapping, etc. and then had the students working on projects using the various tools. It became evident how easily and quickly students moved off the primary task of project completion to attend to the bells and whistles that the various tools offered. Looking at the students from a Habits of Mind perspective, besides teaching the technology, information literacy and communication skills, I also needed to teach study skills in my lessons on how to focus on doing one task at a time while knowing when and how to switch to additional tasks that support meeting one’s primary objective.
The discipline of a focused mind not only helps get the task completed with increased efficiency but as Dr. Meyer points out leads to a healthier mind and body. Thankfully I was working in an elementary school where I could start these lessons before bad habits were in place.
The power of the computer connected to the Web means we can access the tools and information at the touch of a key that can help us do a better job in our task completion. We know the wonders that technology can provide our students. Yet, we must work to help our students gain the self-discipline to stay on the main task while working deliberately in a planned manner also access the tools and information needed to meet their objectives. In addition, accessing social networking tools, entertainment media, etc. is one area of multitasking that clearly lowers efficiencies and decreases understanding.
As I tell my sons, create a time limit to complete your work on the computer setting aside time later on to connect to your friends and media sources. In both cases, your brain will thank you and you will do a better job with all your “tasks”.
One final takeaway for me is me is that many of us are becoming like air traffic controllers in our everyday lives. According to Dr. Meyer, this is a very unhealthy situation.
Image Source
