Although experts say using electronic media while doing schoolwork negatively impacts learning, many students believe they’re immune to any ill effects because they’re good multitaskers, according to recent research.

And while numerous researchers found that simultaneous use of electronic devices has a significant detrimental impact on learning, many students shrug off warnings about the negative consequences because they consider themselves such good multitaskers, said food chemistry professor Shelly J. Schmidt of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

In a paper published in the Journal of Food Science Education, Schmidt reviewed recent studies on distracted learning and suggested strategies to help students stay engaged and on task.

Like many teachers, Schmidt, who also serves as a Fellow in the U. of I.’s Center for Innovations in Teaching and Learning, has grappled with the problem of students’ attention being diverted by their mobile devices during classes.

While some faculty members restrict or ban students’ unsanctioned use of cellphones and other devices in the classroom, these policies can be difficult for instructors to enforce and cast technology as «the enemy,» she said.

«Banning technology use in the classroom suggests to our students that they are children who can’t learn to appropriately handle it, rather than young adults we are helping to grow into professionals,» Schmidt said.

Story Source:
Materials provided by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau. Original written by Sharita Forrest. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.