EDUCATION
The variant 'Multitasking is a myth' for Pre-University and University students actually came about by accident.
A few years ago Wouter his daughter, who was in 5 VWO at the time, trying to explain the consequences of watching TV and sending text messages while doing homework. She picked it up quickly and a few weeks later she had drastically changed her approach.
When the principal then asked Wouter to give the workshop to the entire VWO department, the daughter responded with: 'but then I will lose my advantage'.
Workshop on working more efficiently in education
The workshop turned out to be a great success for all students. From that moment on, Wouter visits various schools in the country several times a year for a reduced rate.
It turns out that a large proportion of students aged 16 and over do not realise that homework seems a lot more difficult if you do several things at the same time.
Phone Use
Various studies (see page articles) have shown that your IQ drops by 15 points and your final exam score can be one to two points lower if you have your phone next to you while doing homework. Even if the phone is on silent, it still affects your academic performance.
Of course, students are reminded by parents and teachers to "put the phone away" and to "really focus on their homework."
It is well known that most students ignore this advice.
During Multitasking is a Myth, the message is delivered in a playful way, and students experience through exercises what happens in the brain when they try to focus on multiple things at once.
For the rest of the year, teachers can refer back to the workshop or lecture.
At the end of the session, students receive a school-adapted booklet titled Multitasking is a Myth (PDF).
Florence Stanis
School coach
2Flow Education Office
I sugest more training for young people like 'Multitasking is a myth'. Why? Because students learn in this workshop on an interactive way about themselves and each other. The presentation and exercises ensure that students become aware of what multitasking does to them: it is inefficient and it produces stress
Basia Elting
5VWO
After the workshop 'Multitasking is a myth' I started thinking more about how I can do my homework as efficiently as possible. When I have my phone next to me on the table, I always get the tendency to look at it and because of this I can not focus on my homework and make more mistakes.
Femke Boon
5VWO
'Multitasking is a myth' is something I had heard many times. I knew you could work more efficiently if you only did one thing at a time, but I had never noticed it as concretely as during the workshop we attended at school. It was very interactive and I really enjoyed it. Many students were still talking about the workshop the rest of the day, not because there was an assignment or because we had to do something with it, but because we were enthusiastic. I heard good intentions around me about adjusting learning strategies. It was a fun and educational experience that my class really enjoyed.
