Multitasking – Being engaged in more than one activity at the same time (for instance, using social media while watching television)

The act of multitasking has been around for quite some time now and is by no means a new concept. However, digital communication has certainly changed the way we multitask keeping us constantly plugged into all forms of media. We have conditioned ourselves to be on the lookout for cues such as blinking lights, vibrations, or popups. Once we see these signs, we quickly drop what we are doing to take a look. Upon doing so, we lose sight of whatever it was we were doing in the first place.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdpQir1sqiQ]

Multitasking in the Real World

The video above shows one of the most common piece of technology today that connects us to all forms of social media ranging from email, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. Regardless of whatever the holder of the phone appears to be doing at the time, they have lost sight of it and is only focused on their phone. This can lead to inefficiencies such as for people distracted while working. It can also be dangerous such as for people running, biking, or driving while not fully paying attention. It can also lead to people losing out on human interactions in the scenario of people eating together and being on their phone for the whole time. In “Why a leading professor of new media just banned technology use in class”, Valerie Strauss makes a strong point explaining, “…hardware and software is being professionally designed to distract…” (Strauss). Because of the functions and goals of the apps and other creations, we are compelled to pay attention to them so long as we choose to stay connected.

In regards to education and learning, technology can be a great resource and tool for us to use, giving us access to information in a very convenient manner. However, at the same time it can be a great distraction leading us to never fully commit to one task. It is crucial to know when to isolate yourself and work only on one thing. It is important to keep your eyes on the prize and focus on the goal.

So long as you decide to just focus on learning and disconnect from potential methods of multitasking distraction, you can take full advantage of technology with minimal drawbacks!