When I sub-teach I realize the children are doing too many things at once. I normally sub in the preschool room and watch how the learn or interact with one another. This is the age that, as a teacher, you introduce school and learning to the preschoolers. Before that they were home with mom or dad and some did or did not have structure. Some know their alphabets and some don't. Some know Their numbers and some don't. It is the job of both parent and teacher to get them on level (whatever that is defined by the school system the preschoolers are in) and prepare them for their next grade. Prek takes them out of the home atmosphere and get them familiar with the classroom. I watch when they play which is a form of learning. It teaches the preschooler to share, communicate, and be independ from parents. During play they spend time in one area at a time. Such as reading center, building center, color or art center, and the grocery store. These center focus on specific learning abilities, for example; the reading center deals with reading and listen to the person read the book and following along. The building center is where the blocks are and it teaches the child to be creative, build whatever you want. These centers have a specific purpose so with this being said "
Preschoolers should learn focusing on Deep attention". Most school systems normally, in schools toddlers and or preschoolers learn a subject for 30 to 45 minutes. For instance they may spend that time learning colors, or numbers and sometimes both but that is not multitasking. When they learn colors or numbers they are related and it is not two completely different things. And they do learn different subjects at different time of the day. They also learn to share during play time and even that is separated. There is the reading center, the block center, art center, and a few other centers depending on the school. But these centers is where the toddler learns to share, communication, negotiate, planning ( to spend a different amount of time in a particular center), and most important independence(learning to solve a problem on their own with out parents).
So with these important life skills as an educator I want them to master these skills and once they have mastered these skills they can build on their foundation.
As an educator I must communicate to the parents of my toddlers or preschoolers that multitasking is not something they should introduce to their child at this particular age. Deep attention is what is benefitial now and the best learning stragedy.
Deep Attention as Katherine Hayles describes is the cognitive style tradtionally asssociated with the humanities, is characterized by concentrating on a single object for long peroids, ignoring ourside stimui while so engaged, preferring a single information stream, and having a high tolerance for long focus times.
As a parent and teacher I prefer the preschooler learns by deep attention vs hyper attention/multitasking.
According to Hayles article "Hyper and Deep Attention:The Generational Divide in Cognitive Modes" by Katherine Hayles. This article tells or explains multitasking or in some circles Hyper Attention is a genertation mindset. Multitasking or Hyper Attention is when a person performs more than just one task at a time. For example, if you are on the computer and are listing to your favorite itunes, than that is considered multiasking. Hayles talks about hyper attention as something new and is more evident in the generation that has been exposed to the computer. Hayles compares the mindsets and the person who is more likely to do multitasking. For instance, a person of my age (thirtyish) would not likely be considered a hyper attention person because our exposure was to do or be committed to one task at a time, which is called Deep attention. Deep attention is for example when a person focus on one task at a time like reading a book.
Hayles gives a good description of hyper and deep attention and the generational divide between hyper attention people and deep attention people. The mindset or the picutre of the mindset helps the reader identify which group they belong to.
Another article"you say multitasking like it's a good thing" by Charles J. Abate. This article tells us that multitasking was "coined in the computer engineering industry. In that context, it denotes the ability of microprocessor(the brain of a computer) to process seceral tasks simultaneously. Ironically, even the paradigmatic use of this term is demonstrably false. Microprocessors, as well as their current programmable cousins, cannot literally perform several tasks simultaneously. They are inherently linear in their operation and can perform only one task at a time" (pg 38). "When I use the term "multitasking I refer to an attempt by individuals to engage in several tasks in rapid linear succession (rather than simultaneously)."I agree with both articles, first you have to understand the word multitasking/hyper attention to see if it is benefical to young learners.
And the Hayles article helps us clarify hyper attention/deep attention as well as telling us the mindset. Now the article by Abate compares the human mind to a computer and tells us the falsehood of multitasking and the harm it will cause our young learners.
It is better to learn one thing at a time and when you a now learning information like the toddlers and preschoolers it is better to focus on the one task at a time. Yes we have made great advances in technology but that still does not or should not replace deep attention or deep learning. Maybe later on in school, like middle schooolers years you can introduce multitasking to that generation but all our children need a solid foundation and multitasking doesnot provide that. As Abate states it is a falsehood.
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