The section of Frontline titled “Distracted by Everything” (4:13-13:19) discusses how “connected” people are today. M.I.T. students, for example, are always connected. Laptops are open in lectures, smartphones are going off at social dinners, people stop to text while walking down the street. This is the reality. The professors teach to these tools, however, they acknowledge the impact that they are having on the students. “It’s not that the students are dumb. It’s not that they’re not trying. It’s that they’re distracted: (7:30-7:45).
In the article “Electronic Media Use, Reading, and Academic Distractibility in College Youth”, this trend is also discussed. It states “activities that require focused attention, such as reading, are declining among American youth, while activities that depend on multitasking, such as instant messaging (IMing), are increasing” (Levine, 2007).
Also, coupled with that is the focus on technology in schools. Clearly, technology is an important skill to have. As the AASL states “Today’s students need to develop information skills that will enable them to use technology as an important tool for learning, both now and in the future” (ALA, 2007).
If we are supposed to be teaching these essential skills, then should part of those skills be how to multitask effectively? When the new iPhone features include such things as multitasking, perhaps we should be teaching students how to do this more effectively, or should we be teaching them how to turn their multitasking off and focus on the one task in front of them?
References
American Association of School Librarians. (2007). Standards for the 21st century learner. Chicago: American Library Association. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/AASL_Learning_Standards_2007.pdf
FRONTLINE: digital nation: living faster: digital natives | PBS. (February 2, 2010). PBS. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/digitalnation/living-faster/digital-natives/
Levine, L. (2007). Electronic media use, reading, and academic distractibility in college youth.CyberPsychology & Behavior, 10(4), 560. doi: 10.1089/cpb.2007.9990