Thursday, March 10, 2011

The Myth of Multitasking

Students are always trying to convince me what great "Multi-taskers" they are.  I try to explain that there is no way they can read what is on the board, write or check text messages, and/or learn new material. They are just distracted. I don't have their complete attention; I have their partial attention. When learning new material, having their complete attention is very important.
I think the problems isn't just with students, it's with everyone.  I hear about more people texting while driving and more signs springing up at restaurants, shops, and businesses that don't want you to use your IPhone.
Much research has been done to the effectiveness and efficacy of our multi-taskers.
http://www.techlearning.com/Blogs/36994

Saturday, March 5, 2011

When the Going Gets Tough, Do the Tough Get Going?

With the news that more young people are committing suicide because they can't find jobs, it is no wonder that some are being more creative in finding ways to cheat to get into universities.  The number of suicides last year topped the 30,000 mark. Among the victims, youths in their 20s formed the largest group, at 153, while six were minors.

Today's headlines in Japan are of a student arrested for cheating on an entrance exam at Kyoto University. This could possibly be the first person prosecuted for cheating in Japan.  He could face up to three years in prison or a fine of $6,000.

With unemployment at a high, the pressure on young people to do what it takes may be too much. Like the university of Kyoto, maybe we need to look for more ways to prevent cheating and not leave our students with temptations.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110305p2g00m0dm011000c.html