The effects of distractions while doing homework

[danskapia]

Hi everyone,

 

I am new here and I thought that I would share what my 7th grade son is doing for his science project this year. Since I am constantly telling my son that he should not watch TV while doing his homework he had the wise idea of trying to prove that TV watching while doing his homework doesn't effect the outcome and he is still learning something.

 

I (being a part time web developer) decided that we could test this theory by creating a website that has two math tests. One would be a control test and one would be the test taken by people while being distracted.

 

We would like to invite everyone reading this to help out by taking the tests. We will compile the results and post them after we have enough sample data.

 

If you would like to help you can take the test here:

 

Science Project - What are the effects of watching TV while doing homework

 

Thank you in advance for helping out.

[Donk]

Done... I might have screwed up your figures by getting full marks on both tests , but I can promise you that I DID find the video & audio distracting. :confused:

[danskapia]

Done... I might have screwed up your figures by getting full marks on both tests , but I can promise you that I DID find the video & audio distracting. :confused:

 

Thanks Donk. Yes. And the video is pretty funny.

[TheBigDog]

Clever experiment! I am interested in seeing the results. Do you randomize which test is given first?

 

Bill

[danskapia]

Clever experiment! I am interested in seeing the results. Do you randomize which test is given first?

 

Bill

 

Good point. No we did not randomize which test is taken first. This was thrown together fairly quickly. I'll look into randomizing them. This is actually the second iteration of the test. My son has made observations on both the first and second iterations. After we randomize he'll have to make a third set of observations.

 

We'll have to present the results of each of the three iterations.

 

Thanks for the input.

[lawcat]

The test was unfair. The distractions part contains more difficult problems of division. The test is a fraud.

There is another reason the test fails expectations. The test is an exam and not a learning exercise. A more fair test would be to read a few paragraphs as in learning, both distracted and undistracted, and then answer questions undistracted for each problem individually.

[danskapia]

The test was unfair. The distractions part contains more difficult problems of division. The test is a fraud.

There is another reason the test fails expectations. The test is an exam and not a learning exercise. A more fair test would be to read a few paragraphs as in learning, both distracted and undistracted, and then answer questions undistracted for each problem individually.

 

Lawcat,

 

I think that "fraud" is kind of harsh for a science project that a 7th grader came up with. However; TheBigDog's suggestion of randomizing which test to display first should solve the problem and should reduce the effects of so called "harder questions."

 

As for this project being an exam. I disagree. Most math homework that I have seen consists of repetitious presentation of math questions that was presented to the students earlier in the day. So; isn't this part of the learning process?

 

Lastly. One man's long division is another man's short. Ponder that...

[HydrogenBond]

Distractions can make it harder to learn. However, if you can block out the distraction, does that help create better concentration? The brain will try to multi-task between the distraction and the required task. If one can shut off the distraction, one is essentially turning off multi-task mode into mono-task mode, so the entire CPU is made available for one task. If one can't do that, then using part of the CPU for each task, may not be enough, causing both tasks to suffer or slow in speed.

 

It can get even more complicated, and has to do with emotional potentials. If one likes to be calm when they learn, and a distraction causes stress, the multi-tasking can also create conflicting emotions, with can set up a third task to deal with. Not only is the latest news on the TV distracting (want to watch), but one is getting pissed off needing to study while needing to remain calm while trying to study. Now there are three tasks.

[danskapia]

Distractions can make it harder to learn. However, if you can block out the distraction, does that help create better concentration? The brain will try to multi-task between the distraction and the required task. If one can shut off the distraction, one is essentially turning off multi-task mode into mono-task mode, so the entire CPU is made available for one task. If one can't do that, then using part of the CPU for each task, may not be enough, causing both tasks to suffer or slow in speed.

 

It can get even more complicated, and has to do with emotional potentials. If one likes to be calm when they learn, and a distraction causes stress, the multi-tasking can also create conflicting emotions, with can set up a third task to deal with. Not only is the latest news on the TV distracting (want to watch), but one is getting pissed off needing to study while needing to remain calm while trying to study. Now there are three tasks.

 

Yes. My son actually was thinking that we should change the distraction to an annoying one in a few days to see what happens. It sounds like you speak from experience. Perhaps an inconsiderate roomate?

[Moontanman]

When i was in school i felt like listening to music while studying helped my concentration. I seldom remembered the music, after a while I totally ignored the music but it helped for some reason.

[Donk]

Anything the mind can accustom itself to isn't a distraction. Distraction comes when something grabs your attention.

 

I often get some serious work done while hearing next-door's baby crying. In the days when it was my baby, work would have been impossible even if the sound was no louder.

 

My workmate often has long (and loud) conversations in Punjabi. Since I don't know the language, it doesn't disturb me much. The other week, though... you know how a part of you is constantly monitoring other people's words? How you hear your name spoken in a crowded party with a dozen conversations going on at once? In the middle of a torrent of incomprehensible babble, I heard my name. My work immediately went to pieces

[pamela]

hmmmmnnn. It would seem to me that you can only focus your attention on one or the other. If your child is attempting to read several paragraphs all the while his favorite show is on, he will not likely retain all the information. As a parent, I am in agreement with you, danskapia, that the tv on is not conducive to an effective outcome. However, depending on what show is on, that may affect the outcome. Last night, I attempted to read a very interesting article here. My 13 year old, chattering non stop near me, was making it rather difficult to grasp what I was reading. I would start and then stop, and then reread......Really the only way to grasp what I was reading was to share the information with him and get his feed back. Now of course, the article has taken on more meaning than originally intended with his added input, but it actually opened up more information in my mind as well. I then reread the entire article, retained the information, only now, had a wider scope on comprehension as my mind had taken it from merely information to ways of application. So if your child is studying cosmology and the Universe Series is on, I imagine that might be a beneficial distraction. :)

[danskapia]

When i was in school i felt like listening to music while studying helped my concentration. I seldom remembered the music, after a while I totally ignored the music but it helped for some reason.

 

Interesting that different people find different things distracting. Having said the obvious; I can't listen to music while studying. I need quiet.

[danskapia]

I would like to thank everyone who has participated. However. There are a lot of people that have viewed this thread but still haven't participated. We need more people for the sample data.

 

Please help...

[paigetheoracle]

I should think that the results should probably show little effect and might even be helpful as it keeps the mind alert, rather than fatigued. The problem I notice is where the effect isn't controllable by me as when somebody demands my attention or there is a loud, sudden external noise because it shatters my concentration and causes me to lose my train of thought, unless I'm concentrating really hard.

 

I can't take the test for a reason I'm just about to post on - namely becoming partially deaf in both ears, through my wife's insistence that she try to clear the wax out of both my ears, instead of just the one I was deaf in - now I can hardly hear out of either!).