Methods
The experimental condition consisted of what?
A PowerPoint presentation containing information about the detrimental impacts of multitasking in class on learning, memory, and grades.
Students with higher GPAs reported higher or lower levels of multitasking?
Lower levels of multitasking
In future research, it would be beneficial to consider other factors’ known to influence…
Students’ ability to stay focused in class
Participants were university students from which country?
Canada
The placebo intervention condition consisted of what?
A PowerPoint presentation that included information about healthy sleep rather than multitasking in class.
True or False: Most respondents believed that multitasking while in class reduced the quality of their work at least a little.
True
True or False: An educational intervention alone may not be effective in reducing multitasking in the classroom.
True
Research suggests students pay attention to the lecture only 54% of the time. 28% of students report using which app during class? (Hint: This was cited in 2012)
What did the control condition consist of?
No intervention, no PowerPoint
The educational intervention did not reduce attention/multitasking. Is it true that even when students are fully aware of the possible harms associated with multitasking in class, they will still engage in the behavior?
Yes, it is true.
Future research should consider that the solution to reducing student multitasking in lecture could very well be replacing the traditional lecture with…
Active Learning- known to promote student attention and performance.
Students engage in task switching between technology and homework on an average of how many minutes during a homework session?
On average every 6 minutes
What were the dependent variables of the study?
Attention and multitasking scores
True or False: The small portion of students indicated that they believed if they paid more attention in class, they would get better grades.
False. A majority of students (69.8%) indicated this belief.
What were the main limitations reported for this study?
Small sample size, relied on self-reported data, data only from one university, differences in students’ self-reported data and objective measures
During class, engaging in multitasking may result in what?
Missing important information, which may reduce comprehension of the material.
What was measured prior to the interventions?
Classroom time use, perceived stress, and boredom proneness
Students’ stress levels were significantly positively or negatively correlated with multitasking in class?
Negatively correlated. Students with higher stress levels reported lower levels of multitasking.
The study reported that ecological validity was an issue. It is possible that students did not take the information seriously due to…
Receiving the intervention in the context of a research study
Rather than looking for a solution that will reduce multitasking during lecture, some have suggested minimizing what in colleges?
The traditional lecture itself and replacing it with active learning.