"Multi-tasking" is the most overused word of the past decade.

It's also been proven to be a misnomer. Almost everyone claims to be able to multi-task and it's become a contemporary myth that electronic-savvy children and teens can do this better than adults.

The reality is that people/teens really can't do two things or more things at once, they're simply altering their actions and concentration from one item to another. (Of course this doesn't mean you can't do simple, repetitive, non-cerebral activities like chew gum and walk at the same time)

Here's a simple test to prove that multi-tasking isn't a practical work habit: Have a person choose a song that she knows really well and for which she can sing all the lyrics. Then have her select a well-known nursery rhyme to be typed or written. Now combine the two activities - have her sing the song while writing the nursery rhyme lyrics. What will happen is that some snatches of the lyric will be sung then stopped while writing and then the singing will be taken up again. Both cannot be accomplished at the same time. No multi-tasking happening here.

What does this suggest? That multi-tasking is a farce that really should be re-named "multi-distracting".

Well said MV on “multi-distracting”. For most tasks, working head's down produces faster and more accurate results. I believe there are however some 'creative' tasks, where a distraction is helpful and sometimes even inspiring. My normal working style is two open windows (usually on separate displays), but both are focused on the same task. One is for research (usually browser), and the other is for work (e-mail, word processor, spreadsheet, etc.).

Instead of thinking of multi-tasking as simultaneous execution, think about it as swapping between tasks. I generally do this on the order of minutes or tens of minutes.

Good luck on banning kids from anything to do with computers! Computers are everywhere -- ban them from home, they use them at school, ban them from school, they use them at a friends house .. and that's not even taking into account access by cell phone. It is better to build healthy online habits than to try, as parents always pretend they can, to go cold turkey.

Doug

As a TA I am amazed at how many students are on facebook during class. They are paying to go to university, heck, they are even taking a relatively fun, film studies, class and they can't be bothered to be present for an hour and a half lecture. Then there are those on their computer while we are screening movies. This is too bad as university is expensive and they are throwing their education away by being unwilling to focus. I will be interested to see what the papers are like.

We need to be careful of how we view the online activities of teenagers and children. While to an adult, TA, teacher, etc., it may look like the student is off-task, yet they may be using the social networking sites to share knowledge, ask questions, and clarify the assignment - chances are your son has friends in his class who are also on facebook and MSN - while socializing may occur, when he has a question, concern or complaint - his friends and classmates are only a click away; it is the same system I used as a student (I used ICQ back then, 12 years ago) or the telephone. Just because we as adults don't understand the value of social networking and social learning using Web 2.0 technologies, does not invalidate the style of learning of your son, nor his using of them when he studies.

Instead of kicking him off facebook, or demanding he use an "educational site" - why not sit down with him, and have him explain how he uses it, why he likes it open during studying, and maybe suggest other ways that he can use Facebook / MSN or YouTube during his studies - can you imagine if his teacher was on MSN, and only a click away if your son had a question about an assignment?

Great comment from MV; I agree completely. On that note, there is an excellent article on the subject that was published in the Walrus a couple of years back. Here is the link:

http://www.walrusmagazine.com/articles/2007.04-technology-Multi-tasking-Society/

If the link doesn't work, go to Google and search "driven to distraction"+walrus and you will find it.

This is a very important article that explains how multi-tasking impedes the brain's ability to process and give meaning to the information it takes in.

It doesn't appear that they're listening, Robb.

how do they know about fb anyway? its really the worst way to communicate via web. i think they are out to do more harm than anything innocent.

I don't think Facebook is a good idea because it's a time waster. Kids are better exercising, socializing or doing their homework. Facebook eats up their time and isn't productive.

Also, kids have been known to post silly pictures and this has been known affect their later employment chances.

So, under 18, I would say no. I would discourage it. Over 18, you can't stop them.

When I was a kid my parents censored what I watched on TV and I wasn't allowed to watch TV by myself until I moved out at age 19. I didn't have my own TV. I had a radio.
There was no Internet, but if there had been, I am sure my parents would have censored it as well.
If I wasn't studying or playing sports I was only allowed to listen to music or read.
What was wrong with this?
It's ok for parents to censor what their kids do.

Authentic True Religion from orginal factory. high quality but low price. fast shipping, free duty.
true religion jeans
true religion sale
true religion brand
cheap true religion

Real Karen Millen Dresses from original factory direct. high quality but low price.fast shipping,free duty.
karen millen dresses
karen millen sale
karen millen dress
karen millen

Fashion Herve Leger from original factory direct. high quality but low price. fast shipping, free duty.
Herve Leger dress
Herve Leger sale
herve leger dresses
Herve Leger dress sale

That because when Coach marking his brand image, they positioning themselves as” the closest luxuries”.gucci sneakers was founded in 1941 as a family-run workshop.AND there is another good news 2011 gucci shoes handbags are on hot sale .In a Manhattan loft, six artisans handcrafted a collection of leather goods using skills handed down from generation to generation.Discerning consumers soon began to seek out the quality and unique nature of gucci outlet craftsmanship.
This has been like to use a senior brand the fashionable woman is a can easily acceptable price.
If you wanted to follow the feet of the fashion,gucci sunglasses but lack the budget to do so.But the gucci shoes for sale handbag’s average price is almost half price of its rivals such as Louis vuitton, gucci shoes for men etc.With the price of handbags for example, senior European brand’s bag about 600 us dollars, and low-standard brand about 100-200 dollars, Gucci Clothing handbags of the price is 300-400 dollars in between.During the last decade, cheap Gucci handbags has emerged as America’s preeminent designer, producer, and marketer of fine accessories and gifts for women and men including gucci men shoeshandbags, business cases, luggage and travel accessories, wallets, outerwear, eyewear, gloves, scarves, fragrance and fine jewelry.You can choose gucci belts.

1 Today Jewelry beads, jewelry making, Jewelry Findings are becoming increasingly popular, and more and more people choose to use this
Snowflake Obsidian Beadsto make art or jewelry, and Snowflake Obsidian Beads are easy to use and look great. Every day new jewelry beads come out in different hues and all kinds of shapes and sizes, depending on what you like to work with and what matches your personal taste. These acrylic beads let you become your own designer that you can put together the pieces you most desire. By the way, putting together a beautiful Jewelry Beads is a wonderful feeling.
Snowflake Obsidian Beads are relatively cheap compared to other types of beads. They are reasonably priced yet have all the style and elegance of a more expensive type of bead. Most Snowflake Obsidian Beads are transparent and seem to glow in a variety of shades and colors. They are molded into shape, including balls, cubes and so on. Snowflake Obsidian Beads are also available in other, more complicated designs, such as butterflies, heart shapes, celestial symbols or even skulls.
If you use the Snowflake Obsidian Beads,you will love it an go on using the Snowflake Obsidian Beads.

Another weekRetro Air Jordan Shoes of sneakers in the books. As Air Jordan Retrousual we caught some first looks, new images, Retro Jordan Shoesand recent releases. In standard fashion Jordans gotNike Clearance Shoes a lot of attention. We saw a few colorways of Authentic Nike Shoesthe Air Jordan Nike Clearance Store5 and got more looks at upcoming summerCheap Jordan Shoes heaters. We also sawCheap Jordan Sneakers what may be the nextJordan Sneakers Sale classic Dunk. Enough recap, nike clearance couponwe bring you nike clearance salethis week’s all retro jordan shoesgood, bad, and ugly.authentic retro jordan shoes Were we right this week? cheap jordans for saleGive us your own in the comment section.cheap jordans free shipping

2010 wedding dresses
Cheap Modest Wedding Gowns 2011
Cheap Wedding Dresses
Bridal Dresses
wedding dresses china
simple wedding dresses
informal wedding ress
Evening Gowns
Short Bridesmaid Dresses
Wholesale Hotsale Evening Dresses
wedding dress pictures
strapless wedding dresses
Cheap Evening Dresses
Designer Wedding Gowns
Beach Wedding Dress
wedding dress 2010
wedding dresses for sale

Earlier thisnike shoes shop online week we brought you two of three shoes

in the order cheapest nike shoes onlineNike x Pacman collaboration. With the

fight coming next month, cheap retro jordan shoesfans of the filipino

phenom are excited to see some tribute to this welterweight.Cheap Jordan Shoes The first shoe in the pack is the Nike zoom Huarache Air Trainer Low. The second in this

commemorative trio is the Nike.

Let it be known that I'd give real money to watch Tyrion smack world of warcraft goldPrince Joffrey in the buy wow goldmouth one more time. Of cheap wow goldcourse, I could just watch world of warcraft gold kaufenthe entire scene on a wow powerleveling kaufenloop. Yes, if you're comprar oro wowlooking for the "villain wow orof the piece" this acheter wow poweek, it's definitely achat wow orJoffrey, who, simply put, is buy wow golda cowardly, entitled little wow cd keys***. "The Kingsroad" (named wow gold kaufenafter the main passage wow powerleveling kaufenfrom Winterfell to King's wow cd keyLanding) plays out like comprar wow powerlevelinga bit of a road Cheap Last Chaos Goldpicture, with most Cheap Metin2 Yangof our characters on PC Game Codethe move, headed to Cheap WoW Goldan assortment of ms pointdestinations. "The Kingsroad" was xbox live pointsa solid episode as it live punktfocused on shifting our characters microsoft pointsout of their comfort LC Gold kaufenzones. Poor Daenerys assumed LC Goldthe role of the nomadic, exhausted microsoft pointsKhalisi, Jon left home ms pointand realized he'd joined Xbox Live Goldthe ranks of rapists and lc goldthieves and Ned found out that his job as the King's Hand already massively sucked even before he'd reached the main kingdom.

Greetings Summoners, a new yordle is on the Rift CD Keyway and that’s not Rift Game Cardall! A quartet of enticing WoW CD Keynew skins and horde WoW Time Cardof balance changes WoW Game Card(60 day)await you.Have you StarCraft 2 CD Keyever wondered if scarecrows wished Microsoft Pointsfor something more? Well they do, and Xbox360 Live Month CardFiddle Me Timbers Xbox Live Pointsis what happens when a special PlayStation Network Cardscarecrow throws off PSN Cardthe shackles of societal expectations Wii Points Cardand pursues his dream PC Game Codeof becoming a feared Gamehospirate. Dreadknight Nasus, on Sport Gamethe other hand, has RPG Gameno such problem. This Strategy Gamefallen guardian is perfectly Action Gamecontent with spreading Simulation Gamefear, destruction, and Racing Gameof course dread amongst his enemies.Rumble Board GameBundles Rumble, the Mechanized Adventure GameMenace, has joined the League of Shooter GameLegends! Riding atop a robotic monstrosity Fight Gameof his own creation, this feisty yordle’s ambition is matched only by his unconventional intellect. When you purchase Rumble in the new patch, be sure to grab his new skins, Bilgerat Rumble and Rumble in the Jungle, for a reduced price in the special bundle deals.