problem 3 - learning in the digital age + misconceptions Flashcards
digital natives
students who were born at a time when digital media is seen as fundamentally different from previous generations
believed to have ability to cognitively process multiple sources of info simultaneously (multitask) - not true
passive consumption
digital natives dont actually exist
implications of digital native for educational design
Students’ tech skills need to be properly taught & acquired before they can be applied
Teachers should teach & be taught how to deal w (online) info
- Diminished concentration & the loss of the ability to ignore irrelevant stimuli = task switching between diff devices
what is multitasking
means that a person is capable of simultaneously carrying out 2 or more info processing (or thinking) tasks
– they can carry out multiple tasks, each requiring cognition and/or info processing
myths about multitasking
- People can multitask – presumed capabilities of the human cog architecture & info processing by them
- Digital native myth: naturally occurring acquisition by children of the MC skills necessary for learning strategies
- Children & women can multitask more or better
what is threaded cognition
carrying out a number of diff (cog) tasks in quick succession rather simultaneously carrying them out
- All resources – cog, perceptual & motor – execute processing requests serially, 1 request at a time
- Occurs so quickly that performance seems to occur simultaneously
- We are capable of doing more than 1 thing at the same time only if all activities are fully automated
what is task switching
people are not capable of multitasking and can, at best, switch quickly & apparently seamlessly from 1 activity to another
- This involves dividing attention between tasks, & bcuz each of the tasks competes w all of the others for a limited number of cog resources available, performing 1 task interferes w the others
what is the psychological refractory period
the period during which the response to a 2nd stimulus is sig slowed bcuz a 1st stimulus is still being processed
- Reason why task switching is inefficient
bottleneck theory
there is a central cog bottleneck that operates to limit perf
+ control between 2 or more primary tasks must be passed through a queuing mechanism = we can only focus on one item at a time
Execution of the 1st task leads to postponement of the 2nd one
outcomes of multitasking
- Rapid switching behavior, when compared to carrying out tasks serially, leads to poorer learning results in students & poorer perf of the tasks being carried out
- More mistakes are made & it takes sig longer compared to sequential work
- Burden of memory load = more errors
outcomes of heavy multimedia use
- GPA of high intensity users = sig lower
- Detrimental to students around a heavy multimedia user
- Heavy media multitaskers are more susceptible to interference from irrelevant env stimuli
- more media multitasking = smaller grey matter density in the anterior cingulate cortex (exec functions)
what is the multimedia principle
one learns better from text with pictures than from text alone
what are the 3 types of graphics?
Instructive graphics = pictures relevant to the learning objective
- facilitate understanding of the material.
Seductive graphics = graphics are interesting but not relevant to the learning objective
Decorative graphics = neutral images not relevant to the learning objectives
- are cognitively neutral & intended to create a pleasant atmosphere without being distracting.
Sung et al (2012) study (graphics)
Aim: compare the effects of adding diff kinds of graphics to an online instrumental lesson
Method: 200 uni students in South Korea
- Measured perf and satisfaction using tests on the studied material and questionnaires on the satisfaction of the learning material
- Instructive, seductive, decorative & no graphic groups
Results:
- Pics can help stimulate cog processing & motivation of learners
- Instructive = improve perf (stimulate relevant cognitive load)
- Seductive = poorer perf (stimulate external cog load, pay attention to the surrounding, leads to limited attention)
- Decorative = do not affect performance (most satisfaction)
scattered attention & trained attention hypotheses
scattered = LT media multitasking may lead to disrupted cog control – individual gravitates toward the preferred task rather than maintaining focus despite attentional distractions
- Multitasking reduces performance by causing interference, distraction, and ultimately errors
trained = frequent media multitasking could pos affect cog control via eventual training and improvement of control processes
- Multitasking promotes mental flexibility that enables high-level efficiency and productivity
Research more consistent w the scattered hypothesis
coherence principle
adding relevant graphics to words helps learning but adding irrelevant graphics doesn’t