Costs of Multitasking

As many of us are getting to know our students early in the term, this week I would like to share a couple of SoTL articles that focus on the myth of multitasking. I share this now because some of our students believe that multitasking is an asset, where the research clearly indicates this approach, especially for learning tasks, is detrimental. The article is entitled, “Multi Costs of Multitasking” by Madore and Wagner (2019).

The authors remind us that “multi” tasking does not actually occur. Multitasking means trying to perform two or more tasks concurrently, which leads to repeatedly switching between tasks or leaving one task unfinished in order to do another. The study of multitasking has revealed important principles about the operations, and processing limitations, of our minds and brains. One critical finding is that we inflate our perceived ability to multitask: there is little correlation with our actual ability. In fact, multitasking is a misnomer, as the human mind and brain lack the architecture to perform two or more tasks simultaneously. So when a student attempts to switch tasks, they almost always take longer to complete a task and do so with more errors.

Additional findings from recent studies found via Google Gemini GenAI include:

Multiple studies have shown a direct link between frequent multitasking during class and lower GPAs, with students engaging in off-task behaviors like checking social media or texting experiencing poorer academic performance.
Research suggests that multitasking significantly hinders information retention and comprehension, as the brain struggles to effectively process multiple streams of information simultaneously.
Multitasking behavior is often associated with decreased attention span and difficulty focusing on the primary learning task, leading to missed key points in lectures.
Media multitasking interferes with attention and working memory, negatively affecting GPA, test performance, recall, reading comprehension, note-taking, self-regulation, and efficiency (Deng et al., 2022).

Strategies to mitigate negative impacts of switch tasking could include educators implementing strategies integrating active learning techniques, setting clear expectations regarding technology use, and designing engaging lessons.

References

Madore, K., & Wagner, A. (2019). Multi Costs of Multitasking. Cerebrum, 1, 4-19. PMID: 32206165.

Deng, L., Zhou, Y., & Hu, Q. (2022). Off-task social media multitasking during class: determining factors and mediating mechanisms. Int J Educ Technol High Ed, 19, 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-022-00321-1

Jamet, E., Gonthier, C., Cojean, S., Colliot, T., & Erhel, S. (2020). Does multitasking in the classroom affect learning outcomes? A naturalistic study, Computers in Human Behavior, 106, 106264, ISSN 0747-5632, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106264

May, K. E., & Elder, A.D. (2018). Efficient, helpful, or distracting? A literature review of media multitasking in relation to academic performance. Int J Educ Technol High Ed, 15, 13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-018-0096-z