The multi-tasking myth has been around for a long time. This myth says that we can do 2 tasks well at the same time. This could be listening to music while you are studying, or answering a text message midway through a practice test, but this kind of multi-tasking has a very negative effect on your learning.
As you learn you MUST be focused on just the learning in front of you. Our brains, whether male or female, are NOT designed to multi-task well. Now, I want to be clear, multi-tasking is possible, but it diminishes your productivity, your learning, your skills development and much more. This may not be a problem if you multi-tasking is watching T.V. while you paint your nails. But if you are trying to explain the connections between types of training and physiological adaptations then you will do a poorer job than you could if you also watched T.V. or interacted on Facebook with your friends.
In Hattie’s Book looking at Visible Learning and the Science of How we Learn he mentions a study where receptionists where doing a task and had to answer a phone call. Taking a the phone call (let’s say it was 2 minutes long) delayed completing the task by much more than the time of the phone call. So the task may have taken an extra 5 minutes rather than 2. This is because our brains are NOT designed to be able to focus and complete multiple tasks at once.
The multi-tasking myth has lead many students to thinking they can study and Facebook, that they can learn in class while talking to their friends about the weekend, or even that they can watch a learning video while doing research on the net. But this is NOT the case.
Instead you need to make sure that you are focused on single learning activities at a time. This means if you are going to study for a set time you will learn more if you do it without your phone, internet or any other distraction around. It is why your teacher wants the class to be quiet while you learn. You cannot LISTEN to music and be focused on your learning at the same time (you can use it as background noise to minimise other distractions and help you focus, but the second you start to LISTEN to the music you will have to refocus and relearn what you were doing taking around twice as long to complete the task).
Study needs to be done as a single task. If you are working on summaries, flashcards, past papers or just reading sample answers you need to make sure nothing else will take your attention until you have finished the task you were hoping to complete. Finish reading the sample answer before reading the text message.
PLEASE!!! Stop the multi-tasking myth, focus your study, use deliberate practice and improve your learning. Quality (how good it is) study is much better than quantity (how much you do).
