Re: [Phys-L] multitasking

["John Clement" <clement@hal-pc.org>]

The video that I have referenced is a full feature length video "How
Difficult can this Be" A Fat City Workshop by Richard Lavoie.  The video
below is not the same. 

John M. Clement
Houston, TX

> http://humanexceptionality.wordpress.com/2011/01/24/how-diffic
ult-can-this-be/
> > Never heard of this video. Can you please send the link? YouTube?
> >
> >
> > Phys-L@Phys-L.org writes:
> > > > Walking and chewing gum are relatively easy to do. So 
> are texting and
> > > > driving (sometimes), but mistakes can be fatal.
> > > This is because the two tasks are automatic tasks.  You 
> can do any number
> > > 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
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> >
> >
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> _________________
> Christopher M. Gould    213-740-1101    Dept. of Physics & Astronomy
> gould@usc.edu                           Univ. of Southern California
> http://physics.usc.edu/~gould/          Los Angeles, CA   90089-0484
>
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