Generation Wireless: The Urban Legend of the Multitasker? September 26, 2006
Posted by Lisa Chamberlin in About Technology, Uncategorized.trackback
Some say:
According to several published research reports (Pew), teens and young adults’ are changing the way they live their lives due to technology. “‘With information and accessibility lying effortless at my fingertips, I have grown accustomed to juggling multiple tasks at once, at lightning speed. In the average online conversation with a friend, for instance, I am likely to be talking to two others, shopping online at Barnes & Noble, laughing out loud at Friends 
reruns, and printing off notes from a chemistry lecture’” (Wyndam 4).This population group, often referred to as the Net Generation, Generation Wired or Wireless, or Generation M (Multitaskers), have never known a time when access to goods and services weren’t available 24/7. Whether they shop, pay bills, or collaboratively write essays with college students from countriese half way around the world, advances in technology have made the world accessible from anyplace at anytime. This micro-society has changed due to the portability of their technology as well. For Gen M’ers, computing is a shared experience – not only on social networking sites, but in the physical sense as well. Walk into any coffee house, library, or student commons, and undoubtedly you will find clusters of the Net Generation pouring over laptops, game consoles, sharing ear buds of iPods,
or texting each other with cell phones while still in the same room. Sociologists missed the mark when they predicted this generation would isolate themselves with technology, on the contrary, this generation collaborates more, and in more diverse ways, than previous generations could have imagined.
References
Pew Internet & American Life Project. Retrieved August 17, 2006 from: http://www.pewInternet.org/PPF/r/67/report_display.asp
Windham, C. (2005). The Student’s Perspective. In Oblinger, D.E. & Oblinger, J.L (Eds.) referencing Educating the Net Generation. EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research. Retrieved August 17, 2006 from: http://www.educause.edu/content.asp?PAGE_ID=5989&bhcp=1=5989&bhcp=1
Others Say:
This is a clip of a recent Time magazine article by Claudia Wallis regarding the issue of Generation M and how its ability to multitask may not be as productive as it (they?) think. (Only the portions of the article focusing on multitasking are included here – for the full article, please click on the link at the end).
Every generation of adults sees new technology–and the social changes it stirs–as a threat to the rightful order of things: Plato warned (correctly) that reading would be the downfall of oral tradition and memory. And every generation of teenagers embraces the freedoms and possibilities wrought by technology in ways that shock the elders: just think about what the automobile did for dating.
As for multitasking devices, social scientists and educators are just beginning to assess their impact, but the researchers already have some strong opinions. The mental habit of dividing one’s attention into many small slices has significant implications for the way young people learn, reason, socialize, do creative work and understand the world. Although such habits may prepare kids for today’s frenzied workplace, many cognitive scientists are positively alarmed by the trend.
“Kids that are instant messaging while doing homework, playing games online and watching TV, I predict, aren’t going to do well in the long run,” says Jordan Grafman, chief of the cognitive neuroscience section at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Decades of research (not to mention common sense) indicate that the quality of one’s output and depth of thought deteriorate as one attends to ever more tasks.
Some are concerned about the disappearance of mental downtime to relax and reflect. Roberts notes Stanford students “can’t go the few minutes between their 10 o’clock and 12 o’clock classes without talking on their cell phones. It seems to me that there’s almost a discomfort with not being stimulated–a kind of ‘I can’t stand the silence.’”
Gen M’s multitasking habits have social and psychological implications as well. If you’re IMing four friends while watching That ’70s Show, it’s not the same as sitting on the couch with your buddies or your sisters and watching the show together, or sharing a family meal across a table. Thousands of years of evolution created human physical communication–facial expressions, body language–that puts broadband to shame in its ability to convey meaning and create bonds. What happens, wonders UCLA’s Ochs, as we replace side-by-side and eye-to-eye human connections with quick, disembodied e-exchanges? Those are critical issues not just for social scientists but for parents and teachers trying to understand–and do right by–Generation M.
ALTHOUGH MANY ASPECTS of the networked life remain scientifically uncharted, there’s substantial literature on how the brain handles multitasking. And basically, it doesn’t. It may seem that a teenage girl is writing an instant message, burning a CD and telling her mother that she’s doing homework–all at the same time–but what’s really going on is a rapid toggling among tasks rather than simultaneous processing.
When people try to perform two or more related tasks either at the same time or alternating rapidly between them, errors go way up, and it takes far longer–often double the time or more–to get the jobs done than if they were done sequentially, says David E. Meyer, director of the Brain, Cognition and Action Laboratory at the University of Michigan:
“The toll in terms of slowdown is extremely large–amazingly so.” Meyer frequently tests Gen M students in his lab, and he sees no exception for them, despite their “mystique” as master multitaskers. “The bottom line is that you can’t simultaneously be thinking about your tax return and reading an essay, just as you can’t talk to yourself about two things at once,” he says. “If a teenager is trying to have a conversation on an e-mail chat line while doing algebra, she’ll suffer a decrease in efficiency, compared to if she just thought about algebra until she was done. People may think otherwise, but it’s a myth.
References
Wallis, C. (2006, March 19). The multitasking generation. Time, 1-9, 3-5.Retrieved September 7, 2006, from http://www.fritzhubbard.org/words/The_Multitasking_Generation.pdfEntire article:
http://www.fritzhubbard.org/words/The_Multitasking_Generation.pdf
What do you say?
Technorati Tags: Multitasking, iTunes, Online, NetGeneration, Teen habits
Due to the advanced technology, I believe that teenagers and young adults have become quite the multitaskers. Today multitasking has changed dramatically from what we considered it to be back in the 1980’s. The development of new technology including the ipod, CD player, cell phone, instant messaging, and many others, has helped to influence these changes. Multitasking is not just driving while changing your cassette tapes and talking to your friends, today it’s talking on a cell phone, eating, and even applying makeup while driving as well. Unfortunately, there is one thing these multitaskers should look out for. Doing too much all at one time may cause a person to create more errors. For instance, someone gets distracted on the phone while driving and runs a red light. There are downsides to the advanced technology. Is multitasking as safe as it used to be?
Katie,
You echo much of what is in the article. But what are you Gen M’ers who are addicted to multitasking to do? If you’re making more errors and finding life not quite as safe, how do you break the habit?
The Teach
Wasted Research
The research of technology on social interaction among different generations is a junk science. So many new technologies exist today that older people have a bias against. The majority of researchers have years of learning in other area’s of expertise. Yet, they claim to give opinions on how a cell phone will affect social development on young people. What one person sees as a nuisance another sees as a benefit. The ability to communicate across cities, states, countries, and continents has broadened the social communications of millions. While it may be difficult for some to understand how to use some of the more high tech gadgets that are available, once learned, they become quite handy. All people learn and adjust to what they are exposed too, so quit making bad hypotheses and theories on how detrimental these gizmo’s will be to society.
Because it is Possible
Being a part of Generation Multitasker I think we are more social due to technology. We have so many new ways to communicate. “Some” was right on when they said that “Sociologists missed the mark…” because they did. “Others” are way off in saying that we are replacing “side-by-side” and “eye-to-eye” because we are not! Our technology is not deleting physical human connection; it is just giving us another way to communicate when we are not together. If my friend from Korea wants to instant message me while she’s over there I am not going to say, “No, because I wont be able to see your facial expressions.” I will chat online because it’s possible, and I want to stay in touch. As a part of Generation Multitasker I am taking advantage of the technology given, anything less would be a waste.Technology these days
I would have to say that overall, I am glad to be a part of Generation M. There are many reasons why! One is that it makes things a lot easier given the resources that we have now. We have internet that has tons of material to learn from and many ways to gain information. Just the amount of technology that we have today helps with so many things. But a part of me would have also liked to be a part of the generation where people were more independent on things that they had to do. For example, when you messed up on a typewriter, there was no undo button. You definitely had to use your brain a lot more back then. Just think what kids would say now days if they had to use an encyclopedia, their first response would be, “I’m not doing that.” I really think that there are pros and cons between the generations. I believe that people back then were smarter given their lack of resources because they were forced to use their brains a lot more and a lot harder. But also given the technology that we have now, it’s almost like a crutch to compensate for our incompetence.As a part of Generation M, I think trying to do to much is our problem. Last week I tried to multitask while doing my algebra homework. I was attempting to pay bills online, text message my sister and do algebra. It didn’t take me to long to realize that I needed to pay complete attention to my algebra. Algebra is extremely difficult for me and trying to mulitask was affecting my ability to comprehend my algebra work. More errors occur when trying to do to much. Although trying to multitask doesn’t work for me, I have seen it work for others. I guess it just depends on the person and the tasks to be accomplished.
Multitasking is a good thing
I think it is a good thing for teenagers of this day and age to be able to multitask. It seems to me, that there is a link between multitasking and new technology. Well, technology isn’t going to go backwards, it’s only going to advance. So it should be a good thing to be able to successfully do two or three things at one time. For example, presidents and CEO’s of big corporations have five or six things going on for at least eight hours a day. They know how to handle the multitasking and you are obviously a successful person if you are holding one of those jobs. I strongly agree in being able to multitask and always be ready to take on another challenge.
Generation “M” = 50 year old Children
The Multitasking generation has advantages that past generations lacked, given the opportunity to play electronic games instead of playing outside, opportunities to listen to mp3 players instead of there elders, the opportunity to be raised by electronic devises rather then there parents. With these “advantages” we are seeing in more and more increasing numbers the social impact that they provide. Go to any schoolyard from college campuses to elementary playgrounds and listen to the kind of language that is being used, this little fact shows how bad social grace and respect has degraded. The inactivity of generation “M” can be directly associated with the number of “devices” that are available for use. According to obesity.org approximately 30.3 percent of children (ages 6 to 11) are overweight and 15.3 percent are obese. For adolescents (ages 12 to 19), 30.4 percent are overweight and 15.5 percent are obese (American Obesity Association, http://www.obesity.org/subs/fastfacts/obesity_youth.shtml). All of the previous items can be directed at one thing, Generation X was taught that a good baby sitter was the television. Now we have more of such insufficient babysitters for parent’s not to take their responsibility of raising their kids. Without the guidance of the parent in the life of a child you are going to have parents that don’t know how to raise children. Children raised by the media; that would be good would it not? With all of the social implications and most likely mental degradation as well, that the upcoming generations are going to find it hard to cope with adulthood the way past generations have. What great opportunity’s right?
to Doppelganger:
not all of us are generation m’s, I see so many similarities in the young as i do in the old. I am a gen x’er. There have always been woman, who put on lipstick or brushed there hair on there way to work. For men, well i know of quite a few who shaved on there way to work. There is nothing new, with there being distractions while driving. I think the biggest problem with all the high tech gadgets is the lack of curtisy with when and where they are being used.
multitasking benifits me the mulitasker in many different ways. The more things you do at once the more you get done. If I were to work on my homework while talking on the phone and watching television I would get my work done, be social and not miss the newest episode of “The Price is Right”. Multitasking aslo frees up time for me so other things may be done such as frisbee golf with a couple of friends . While I get more things done by multitasking i then don’t have to worry about it later, which leaves me with more free time. multitasking give you a feeling of getting things done. While you multitask you also might feel more “in the zone” and end up getting some other important things finished. In short multitasking only helps the multitasker by giving an attitude of going, freeing up time, and getting what you need to done in a quicker period of time.
Useful Gadgets
Modern technology such as chatting and mp3 players can all make life easier and more enjoyable, but they can also complicate matters as well. Things like cell phones and instant messenger allow you to stay connected with everyone you know, and even some you of those you don’t. Of course it can also be a lot of fun, too. There are a lot of times when it’s been nice to just crash into the computer chair, start talking to friends, put on some music, and even find a little time to log onto World of Warcraft. Technology just doesn’t serve as a form of communication, but also as a form of entertainment. Think of all the down time you can get on hard days, or all those long car rides you can just pop an ear bud in and listen to your favorite music. Then again, it can also cause problems. Trying to multi task four separate chats while listening to music and watching TV, with homework tossed somewhere in between, can cause you to loose a lot of your efficiency for each task. Your friends will start thinking your mad at them for ignoring them, you’ll miss what was said on television, your homework will come out half complete. While it’s easy to multitask with technology it can really cause you to loose focus on what you’re doing. In the future it could be easier in the future to finish your chats before you turn on the television; log onto your characters after homework is done. It might make things a little easier, and in the end it could make all your gadgets that much more useful and entertaining.
New Generation of Multitaskers
Technology may be changing the way people live their lives but this isn’t the reason or cause for multitasking. For many years people of all ages have been multitasking but now that there is new technology, researchers say it is becoming a problem. Multitasking is a big thing among teenagers in this generation, whether it’s listening to music while doing homework or texting a friend while watching T.V. This generation interacts with others better then any other generation but that is because of the new technology we have. I agree that this generation tends to watch T.V., text on their cell phones and do homework at the same time, but multitasking is becoming a regular thing in this generation. From my own experiences multitasking, like listening to music while doing homework, helps me relax. Technology is advancing but there will always be people who multitask.
I believe that the legend of multitasking is a very controversial issue. I can’t say I can fully side one way or the other. Being from the “M” generation I probably would lean more towards technology being a good thing in my life. I enjoy the technology that has been created for me today to use. Technology that I use can be distracting though in many ways. For example a computer, i-pod(music), and cell phone,are all pieces of technology that I use everyday for fun. Normally when I am trying to do the educational tasks I end up doning fun tasks instead which distracks me from my more important tasks, such as education, or my job. Which is a bad thing, because I either don’t get my task done or I don’t do it to my full potential. These technologies are very distracting to me because I enjoy them so much. You could say they are like a hobbie to the “M” generation. They can be very useful but when you abuse them like anything else it becomes bad. I’m glad this article is on the web for everyone to read because I feel that it tells the truth to both sides of the story.
Generation M is Very Helpful
Generation M is an advantage to many people and also harmless. For example,people can surf the web and find many interesting things like directions, recipes, car parts, and facts about anything. For example, i work at a Mexican restaurant i was looking for a Mexican dress so i got on eBay and found many dresses i found the one i liked. I didn’t have to go all the way to Mexico to try to find a dress. Technology is harmless your not putting yourself at risk by sitting on a chair at home. Using technology has helped me find many doors that i hadn’t explored don’t you wish you had answers for your questions?
is GENERATION M HELPFUL or HARMFUL
I believe Generation M is both helpful and harmful to the people that multitask around the world. Generation M is helpful because multitaskers can get a number of things done much quicker. Generation M is harmful to users after time, because the quality of ones output and depth of thought begins to deteriate.
Generation Plugged Where
I don’t think that people raised in generation M, as it has been named, realize what an elder might mean when they oppose their plugged in habits. As a young man or woman, it would be easy to mock an older person that see as technologically challenged. Where as, quite to the contrary, these people have been places used things and accomplished goals that would make some of these generation “M’ers” guffaw in surprise or quiver in fear. Besides the computer didn’t spring from the ground, it was invented, but still, some are quick to decide that any one who would dare not understand their daily rituals, as youth, are the enemy. Another thing that occurs, on occasion, is the abrupt misinterpretation that these people are trying to ruin their good time by scaring them away from the computer. In my opinion nothing could be further from the truth. Even though, in the world of cyber technology, many things happen that shouldn’t, it’s this generations own disregard for personal safety and fear of others that is being addressed in many cases. All things considered, I feel that maybe its time for some of these young adults to reevaluate their predecessors intentions.
Multitasking isn’t a bad thing!
Being part of generation M, I feel that it is harmless. With today’s technologies you can do everything from contacting old friends via myspace or get the latest shoes shipped to you from the comfort of your home. Many people, like me, believe that their cell phone is their best friend. You can check your email, text friends, play games, or talk to your partents. To bad they haven’t found a way to do it all at the same time. I don’t think that people should be concerned about how much we rely on the technologies of today, if anything technology has had it easier on people. Also who’s to say that multitasking is a bad thing?
The Advantages of Techonolgoy
I agree and disagree with Gerneration Wireless. I agree that technology is changing the way youth are living their lives. Technology is changing, what does society expect! It is not only changing the way youth are living their lives, but adults as well. Technology is affecting the way adults are learning and educating today’s youth. Lets refer to my math teacher. He teaches math on a computor, and thinks its okay to just show one or two examples on the chalkboard. What the h***! This is not computor 101. This is math d*** it! I strongly disagree with the readers who expressed their thoughts on this article. It seems though the majority of the individual’s feel that technology is to blame the educational downfall of today’s youth. For an example one reader responded,”social scientist and educators are worried that technology is affecting the way young people learn, reason, socialize, how they do creative work, and how they understand the world”. Excuse me, but if it were not for today’s technologies we would not have the opportortunities to explore the world through Internet. Before we had the advantage of advanced technology we relyed on libraries, which limited our abilities to obtain the educational materials and information sought. The Internet offers us opportunities to be creative and to express it many different ways. It opens doors for people to socialize with others around the world and not only to learn how their world is different to ours, but to understand it as well. My opinion is that technology is not the problem, the problem starts when people begin to misuse the advantages of today’s technologies.
I believe being a part of Gen M is great. Technology has given us an opportunity to be multitaskers, and if we can multitask, more power to us. I agree with ‘Some’ when it is stated that “…this generation collaborates more, and in more diverse ways, than previous generations could have imagined.” Maybe Gen M’ers aren’t face to face when we communicate through technology, but at least we interact with people, even with people around the world. I think it’s great that we take advantage of the technological advances.
Students of the Generation M Generation M students are working too hard to do, many things at once. Some of them will be working on their algebra homework, watching t.v. and talking on the phone all at once.This has to be hard on the brain and body, they both have to work harder just to keep up with the activities we want to do. Maybe this is a result in children getting bad grades. Because without their undevided attention to the activity they’re doing, they won’t get their answers right, or fully understand what they are supposed to remember. Not doing well on homework results in doing poorly on tests. I think that it’s great that we do have the technology to have anyone and anything in the world at our fingertips. But, I don’t think we should strain our minds to do it all at once. Students need to take things easy, and focus on what’s most important, give it their all. When all their work is done, then they can entertain themselves with more than one thing.
Is Generation M That Different?
Why do all these schoolers have to look in to this new generation that we live, and then they decide that we are not living it right? They say that we can’t learn as much because we try to multitask to many things, such as music, homework, and talking to your girl. well the only difference from now and back when they were multitasking is that we do different things it used to be okay to talk to mom sitting right next to you, watch t.v., and do your homework because thats what was the only things that went on back in the day. Then they say we can’t succeed in school as well because we are too distracted, and what ever we study isn’t going to stick in our brains. Even though we seem to become more succesful at a younger age, finish school sooner, and there are more of us in school so we must be doing something right. And then there is the ones that just say if we would stick to doing one thing at a time it wouldn’t take as long, but if you ever had to cook, do homework, and listen to mom yell at you over the phone because you forgot to call her yesterday. you know if you do all at the same time its way much quicker and you get it all done and leave you time to relax to the t.v, radio, and chat lines. There isn’t no difference in how we multitask today, from other generations, its just that now its different things we use in our multitasking, so who better to know if it works or doesn’t then us generation M, who use it everyday?
Pete to Mohammed Molina
I like your response, your points are well thought out and put together. I definitely agree with the points you made about the past generation not knowing what they are talking about the baby boomers think as my generation “X” as lazy good for nothings. One thing to consider in this however is not the amount you can do but the quality of what you do. Sure it has made it easer to multitask however you have to consider the length of time it takes to make something of quality. The old saying “Rome was not built in a day” holds true today as it did in the past. I leave you with this thought…When you stated cooking did it taste as good if you took your time, did you have to go over you homework more times too find mistakes and last did you truly listen to what your mom was saying?
Generation M Good or Bad!!!!
Today we have many advantages due to Gen M. I think it is more helpful then harmful. First today if we have a emergency and need to get a hold of our parents or husbands quick, then we can just call their cell phones. Today there are plenty of classes on line, and without the technology we have today those classes would not be available. I think multitasking is good it helps to get more things done faster and eaiser. I dont think there is anything different from today then 10 or even 20 years ago, the only things changing are technology. If teenagers want to graduate and make something of themselves they focus and do it. I dont think Gen M has anything to do with it. If teenagers want to have a better life and brighter future, then it is up to them. A student can quit concentrating on school today, just the same as a student could do 20 years ago. I dont think multitasking has anything to do with it.
Generation M
I agree with most of the things research say about the multitaskers i thing it’s good and also bad. The good thing is we have the ability to do many things at once. the bad thing is we are not concentating on one thing only and that will hurt is in the long run. I personally don’t use alot of technology but i do have a cell phone and i text message a lot. Now people don’t really care if you have a cell phone because it seems like everyone has one. I also think now we are more social and active in a way even if we are sitting at home. I think everyone can multitask just that everyone does it in their own way.