Multitasking - the evidence
Prensky claimed that 'digital natives' like to process information in parallel and are good at multitasking. This view was criticised by Sánchez at al. (2010) who argued that just because young people tend to use media simultaneously and have many windows open on a computer, it does not mean that they are capable of parallel processing, just that they are adept at juggling different sources of attention. This is consistent with cognitive psychology: tasks requiring conscious thought and deliberation, such as studying, communicating, or solving a problem, compete for the same limited cognitive resource and therefore can only be done one at a time. Most so-called multitasking is therefore actually task-switching.
I ask whether young people multitask more. I consider whether multitasking should be encouraged in education by looking at short-term and long-term effects of media multitasking on learning. I also review the literature on whether technology enhances multitasking and whether multitasking can be improved by training.
I ask whether young people multitask more. I consider whether multitasking should be encouraged in education by looking at short-term and long-term effects of media multitasking on learning. I also review the literature on whether technology enhances multitasking and whether multitasking can be improved by training.