問題詳情

IV. Reading Comprehension     Multitasking is often assumed to increase our productivity but it definitely depends on the activities. Of most importance to studentsis the impact of multitasking on the cognitive processes used while learning. Is multitasking actually detrimental to learning? Keep thisthought in mind as you read further: To perform several activities quickly in the same span of time is not the same as trying to learn andstore information. It is during activities that require concentration and active thinking that multitasking becomes especially problematic.    Multitasking behaviors need to be understood in the context of their purpose and goals. For example, if a student is using a computerto enter data while listening to music, then these two activities can be done simultaneously. This is known as “dual tasking.” Whenever weare engaged in any two tasks at precisely the same time, then simultaneous processing, or dual tasking, is taking place. However, very oftenit is sequential processing that occupies our time. For example, a student might be using a computer to write an essay, stops to send a textmessage, checks Facebook, returns to the essay for five minutes, then stops typing to read the return text message, etc. Delbridge (2001)referred to this type of switching among sequential tasks as “attention switching” because to effectively change tasks requires a change ofattention and focus. Changing attention does allow us to switch among activities, but different parts of the brain are involved in the actualperformance of each task. It has been clinically demonstrated (Delbridge, 2001) that task and attention switching during sequentialprocessing can indeed result in effectively accomplishing multiple goals in the same general time period. However, researchers have foundthat focusing on just one task involves fewer errors and requires less time to accomplish than trying to engage in multiple tasks.    Information that is intended to be remembered requires a deeper level of sustained attention to process than information that does notneed to be stored in memory. Sequential and simultaneous processing both interfere with our ability to sustain attention unless one of thetasks is very passive or requires little or no thought, such as listening to background music. It is the level of processing during an activitythat is most significant to our ability to store information. The more cognitively difficult a task, such as learning complex information, thenthe greater degree of attention it requires.    Sustained thought is impaired when one’s attention is partial or fractured. Stone (2007) coined the term “continuous partial attention”and distinguished it from multitasking. She wrote that multitasking is driven by a desire to be more productive whereas “continuous partialattention” means, literally, to pay partial attention – continuously. It has little to do with being productive or efficient and more to do withbeing neurologically stimulated by multiple activities. After all, our brains tend to thrive on novelty and distracting stimulation from ourenvironment. We know that constantly scanning the environment for stimulation and interesting details is easier than trying to maintainfocused attention on a difficult task. Think about how easy it is to surf the internet! It might not have any real meaning to us, but it is noveland captures our attention. Given that many students struggle with maintaining focused attention, particularly when reading textbooks, itcan be anticipated that they will look for stimulation, whether or not it is relevant to their learning. “Digital multitasking,” which is thetendency to move between and among electronic and digital devices, is especially popular among students and can consume large amountsof their attention and time. Constant use of technology disrupts or interferes with our ability to sustain attention, which is the foundation ofthought. Attention is needed not only to learn, but to understand the world in which we live. A challenge for students is to maintain focusand concentration. It is only when we pay attention to information that we can connect it with what we already know, make it personallymeaningful, and store it in memory.    We remember what we pay the most attention to. Given that, we have a great deal of control over what we select to pay attention to.Perhaps that, alone, is the key to effective multitasking. Students must focus when it matters, sustain thought, work efficiently, and thenreward themselves with the multiple modes of technological stimulation that they find so appealing. We know what is required for deep andlasting learning to occur. We also know that multitasking is not compatible with it. Turn off the digital media distractions when learning is agoal. Focus when it matters most. (“Learning and multitasking: Can we do both?” by C. M. Dzubak (2012). Retrieved fromhttp://www2.yk.psu.edu/student-affairs/2012/02/learning-and-multitasking-can-we-do-both/)[!--empirenews.page--]
41. What is the main idea of this passage?
(A) Multitasking has become more common among students and scientists have sought to understand how it affects learning.
(B) The effects of multitasking are often unidentified and there are no easy answers for helping students learn to multitask better.
(C) Digital multitasking stimulates our brains to release chemicals to help people maintain focus and concentration.
(D) Some people are better multitaskers than others because they have strong sense of purpose and goal attainment.

參考答案

答案：A
難度：適中0.603175
統計：A(38),B(19),C(4),D(2),E(0)

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