How Multitasking Affects Human Learning

As instructors issues of students not paying attention in class and specifically surfing the web while in class usually comes up every year.

Many students defend such behaviour because they believe they are effect multitaskers.   However, recent studies have shown multitasking actually hampers the brains ability to learn and in the end makes one less productive.

A recent NPR interview with Russel Poldrack, a UCLA Psychology Professor talks about how bad multitasking is especially in a learning environment  Listen Here.



Ultimately what confounds us the most is why students who choose to surf the internet or work on other things in class seem to care very little for their instructors and more importantly their fellow students who find their behaviour distracting.

So when you are working on other things in class just remember this you are wasting your money and someone around you is looking at you and wishing you would start being more respectful toward others.

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