Multitasking: Boon or Bane? Chris Stefanski and Dennis McElroy 

Class 422,

Two viewpoints, two extremes, are embraced in the article Multitasking: Boon or Bane?  written by Stefanski and McElroy.  Both perspectives offer valid points, but they relinquish to talk about the importance of what can occur between the “boon” and the “bane”.  Stefanski (2012) states that with his enormous daily workload routine, “We are all expected to be constantly accessible and connected, so we have no choice but to multitask.”  At what cost? Would I jeopardizes my own equanimity to push it like he suggests?  I think I would try to find a happy medium a place where I find my wise mind leading the way.  Where I do agree with Stefanski is that he advocates that the only way to become better at multitasking is to practice.  This of course, would hone the skills needed to productively navigate through all the technological information that is so abundant and would  also foster my ability to efficiently jump between tasks.  Practice makes perfect.  Then there is McElroy’s (2012) angle which emphasizes focus on one task at a time and that, “there’s no way students can do it to their highest potential if their attention is elsewhere”.  He goes on to explain that humans are constantly taking in and processing information; though paradoxically this is why we get sidetracked and why we sometimes lack focus on a task in the first place.  McElroy (2012) argument resonates with me more so in that to complete a job I must be able to focus on that task and allocate other tasks to “…appropriate, lesser levels of awareness”.  

I think the ability to multitask and process information runs along a spectrum; a spectrum between the two thoughts proposed by these authors. Multitasking is not as black and white as the two suggest.  I believe the ability to work on multiple tasks is subjective to the individual.  It requiring great focus and can be beneficial if the final product is systematically accomplished.   Most importantly, I think being mindfully attentive that there is this spectrum between excessive multitasking and doing only one thing at a time is the awareness I need to successfully navigate between both.  With the constant inundation of new information within our shifting educational setting, I feel it is imperative to practice completing one task at a time, but still keeping the notion to confidently and attentively use critically thinking skills in order to conquer other tasks. The key for me is to not take multitasking to either extreme, as sited, and use keen mindfulness so tasks are met. 
Thank You For Your Time,

Thomas

Reading Blog Post #4 (Choice)

 

McElroy, D. and Stefanski, C. (2012).  Multitasking: Boon or Bane? Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(6), 6-7. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/DigitalEditionMarch-April2012.aspx