Comments on: Multitasking Virus In Our Classrooms http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/multitasking-virus-in-our-classrooms/ Providing HOPE for educators since 2007 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 07:07:56 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: jas0025 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/multitasking-virus-in-our-classrooms/#comment-2992 jas0025 Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:42:02 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=624#comment-2992 I am a college student and I leave my laptop at home just for that reason. I think about half my class uses their laptops for reasons other than taking copious notes. I think that the whole multitask plea is bogus. If they are facebooking they are facebooking, not taking notes. I have been there, I know. I am a college student and I leave my laptop at home just for that reason. I think about half my class uses their laptops for reasons other than taking copious notes. I think that the whole multitask plea is bogus. If they are facebooking they are facebooking, not taking notes. I have been there, I know.

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]]> By: Joel http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/multitasking-virus-in-our-classrooms/#comment-2892 Joel Wed, 29 Oct 2008 02:15:35 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=624#comment-2892 Thanks, Dave. Great reminders. I agree with some things in that article, but not all. I agree that accepting responsibility for overcoming the lack of motivation is key to overcoming disengaged students. Thanks for your thoughts. Even though I didn't write the original article, they definitely give me food for thought! Thanks, Dave. Great reminders. I agree with some things in that article, but not all. I agree that accepting responsibility for overcoming the lack of motivation is key to overcoming disengaged students. Thanks for your thoughts. Even though I didn’t write the original article, they definitely give me food for thought!

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]]> By: Joel http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/multitasking-virus-in-our-classrooms/#comment-2822 Joel Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:16:47 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=624#comment-2822 <a href='#comment-2793' rel="nofollow">@Waski_the_Squirrel</a> - Agreed 100%. I enjoyed my time off, but am coming back into the blogging world with a bit of a renewed energy. We'll see how it oes. :) @Waski_the_Squirrel – Agreed 100%. I enjoyed my time off, but am coming back into the blogging world with a bit of a renewed energy. We’ll see how it oes. :)

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]]> By: Joel http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/multitasking-virus-in-our-classrooms/#comment-2821 Joel Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:15:53 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=624#comment-2821 <a href='#comment-2792' rel="nofollow">@Travis A. Wittwer</a> - Multitasking it a myth that has been perpetuated by an advertisement saturated, ADD obsessed generation. It gives us a sense of productivity at times, but really it is far less effective. Just as with debt reduction, there is incredible power in focus. Focus on one task until it is either complete, or you run out of time to focus on it (ie the bell rings to begin your next class). You will get much more done and you'll realize that a lot of the seemingly urgent things really aren't that urgent. @Travis A. Wittwer – Multitasking it a myth that has been perpetuated by an advertisement saturated, ADD obsessed generation. It gives us a sense of productivity at times, but really it is far less effective.

Just as with debt reduction, there is incredible power in focus. Focus on one task until it is either complete, or you run out of time to focus on it (ie the bell rings to begin your next class). You will get much more done and you’ll realize that a lot of the seemingly urgent things really aren’t that urgent.

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]]> By: John Kerry http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/multitasking-virus-in-our-classrooms/#comment-2796 John Kerry Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:40:03 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=624#comment-2796 The amount of information that today's generation is exposed to is phenomenal. Just the fact that you could name so many is an indication to it. Educators now have an additional task to teach kids how to choose some and let go of others. The amount of information that today’s generation is exposed to is phenomenal. Just the fact that you could name so many is an indication to it. Educators now have an additional task to teach kids how to choose some and let go of others.

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]]> By: Waski_the_Squirrel http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/multitasking-virus-in-our-classrooms/#comment-2793 Waski_the_Squirrel Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:26:59 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=624#comment-2793 I enjoyed this article. Just last week a student (who is failing the class) used the multitasking defense. I've learned the hard way that I can't multitask. My attention to everything suffers if I try. (I'm glad you're back to writing again. I'm having trouble getting more than one entry a week.) I enjoyed this article. Just last week a student (who is failing the class) used the multitasking defense.

I’ve learned the hard way that I can’t multitask. My attention to everything suffers if I try.

(I’m glad you’re back to writing again. I’m having trouble getting more than one entry a week.)

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]]> By: Travis A. Wittwer http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/multitasking-virus-in-our-classrooms/#comment-2792 Travis A. Wittwer Tue, 07 Oct 2008 01:56:20 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=624#comment-2792 <a href='#comment-2785' rel="nofollow">@Joel</a> - I too have found that multitasking is no longer enjoyable. There was a time when I thought that it made me a more productive person, made me feel like I was doing things. I now feel that it amps me up and I have more stress than enjoying one project from start to finish and the pride that comes from a strong process. @Joel – I too have found that multitasking is no longer enjoyable. There was a time when I thought that it made me a more productive person, made me feel like I was doing things. I now feel that it amps me up and I have more stress than enjoying one project from start to finish and the pride that comes from a strong process.

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]]> By: Joel http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/multitasking-virus-in-our-classrooms/#comment-2785 Joel Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:27:39 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=624#comment-2785 Great thoughts, Travis. I find myself multitasking far more than I want to. I used to enjoy it. Now it just flat out annoys me. It bugs me when kids are trying to multitask during my class (which usually exhibits itself as talking while I am talking or other off-task behaviors). It bugs me when other people I'm around do it. Thanks for your comments! Great thoughts, Travis. I find myself multitasking far more than I want to. I used to enjoy it. Now it just flat out annoys me. It bugs me when kids are trying to multitask during my class (which usually exhibits itself as talking while I am talking or other off-task behaviors). It bugs me when other people I’m around do it. Thanks for your comments!

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]]> By: Travis A. Wittwer http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/multitasking-virus-in-our-classrooms/#comment-2783 Travis A. Wittwer Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:46:13 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=624#comment-2783 Multitasking is an interesting thing. For adults, we say we can do it and some of us appear to do it, and do it well. What I have found is that multitasking is great when the tasks are wholistic and related. In that scenario, the person is getting more depth on a topic or expanding skills. For example, a few months ago I was listening to a speaker and she mentioned a book whose topic intrigued me. I took a pause from my notes and then went to my local library's web site and checked it out. The book was wonderful (Here Comes Everybody, Clay Shirky). I was also taking some of her key points and placing them into a blog posting on the topic about which she spoke. I think the trick is to help students know what is purposeful multitasking and what is not. And when they engage in the "not", how to finish up quick and then return to the task at hand. But then again, some interesting research I have read states that people cannot, in fact, multitask. The idea of multitasking is an incorrect term. What people are actually doing, is tasking one thing at a time, because the brain cannot give attention to multiple actions like my above scenario, and then moving on to the next task. In this way, microtasking may be a better term as it is tasking smaller bits of a larger action, one bit at a time, until all the bits are added up to complete several tasks. The reason for the previous paragraph, is that some of my students think you can do several things at the SAME time which I have found for them is untrue. It is not possible for them to carry on a long conversation with their neighbor and still master the 7 writing techniques for adding style into your story. However, they have been brought up by print and nonprint advertisement to think they can. Multitasking is an interesting thing. For adults, we say we can do it and some of us appear to do it, and do it well. What I have found is that multitasking is great when the tasks are wholistic and related. In that scenario, the person is getting more depth on a topic or expanding skills. For example, a few months ago I was listening to a speaker and she mentioned a book whose topic intrigued me. I took a pause from my notes and then went to my local library’s web site and checked it out. The book was wonderful (Here Comes Everybody, Clay Shirky). I was also taking some of her key points and placing them into a blog posting on the topic about which she spoke.

I think the trick is to help students know what is purposeful multitasking and what is not. And when they engage in the “not”, how to finish up quick and then return to the task at hand.

But then again, some interesting research I have read states that people cannot, in fact, multitask. The idea of multitasking is an incorrect term. What people are actually doing, is tasking one thing at a time, because the brain cannot give attention to multiple actions like my above scenario, and then moving on to the next task. In this way, microtasking may be a better term as it is tasking smaller bits of a larger action, one bit at a time, until all the bits are added up to complete several tasks.

The reason for the previous paragraph, is that some of my students think you can do several things at the SAME time which I have found for them is untrue. It is not possible for them to carry on a long conversation with their neighbor and still master the 7 writing techniques for adding style into your story. However, they have been brought up by print and nonprint advertisement to think they can.

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