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Date: Thu, 07 Jun 2012 05:52:53 -0400
From: Anthony Lapinski <Anthony_Lapinski@pds.org>
Reply-To: Phys-L@Phys-L.org
To: Phys-L@Phys-L.org
Subject: Re: [Phys-L] [SPAM] Re: multitasking
Thnaks for sharing.
Never heard of this video. Can you please send the link? YouTube?
Phys-L@Phys-L.org writes:
This is because the two tasks are automatic tasks. You can do any number
Walking and chewing gum are relatively easy to do. So are texting and
driving (sometimes), but mistakes can be fatal.
of
automatic tasks at the same time. But you can only do 1 cognitive task
at a
time. The problem with driving and texting is that texting is cognitive,
and driving while partially automatic requires attention. Texting reduces
the attention, so you really can not drive safely at the same time as
texting.
The video "How difficult can this be" highlights how this works. Some LD
problems come about because certain tasks never become automatic. For
example if hearing is a cognitive task, the indivicual has to devote all
available processing to decoding. Then understanding is delayed. You can
not ask such a student a question and expect and quick response because
they
are still decoding. So if you have such a student count to 6 after asking
the question, before calling on a student.
As to the more general learning how to multitask, yes it can be learned.
But in the process the ability to concentrate for long periods of time
suffers. Becoming adept at multitasking is most probably the kiss of
death
for learning physics. Essentially ADD individuals multitask all of the
time, and can't stop. They pay attention to everything simultanesously.
Now this can be useful if you are in a situation where something is
hunting
you and you have to be ready at all times to take preventative action.
ADD
individuals probably make good spies because they can listen to all of the
conversations around them while talking to one person. Essentially
becoming
good at multitasking is making you more ADD.
The walking and chewing is not really multitasking because you don't have
to
switch attention. Each is accomplished automatically separately. Driving
and texting is multitasking because when you are texting you are removing
attention from the driving. Driving has automatic components, but it is
basically a cognitive task. Experienced drivers can do this more safely,
but it is still extremely unsafe. Younger drivers tend to stay in the
text
mode too long and do not return attention to the road. I remember an
example of this where a young driver was lighting a cigarette and part of
the flaming match fell. An experienced driver might glance at it and then
decide to pull over, but the youngster tried to get it while driing and
totalled the car.
I highly recommend all teachers should see the video "How Difficult can
this
Be". You will learn a lot about problems that students can have, and you
may begin to spot them. I have seen them in HS and college students, and
the problems are often undiagnosed. I came across a student for whom
reading was a cognitve task. The only way he could read was to read out
loud into a recorder. Then when he listened to the playback he could
understand the material. He successfully hid this from people, but I
spotted the problem. He confessed to me what he was doing, and I tried to
get him help.
John M. Clement
Houston, TX
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@mail.phys-l.org
http://www.phys-l.org/mailman/listinfo/phys-l
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@mail.phys-l.org
http://www.phys-l.org/mailman/listinfo/phys-l