Generation M It’s 7:30 pm at Lisa’s house and she’s in her room doing her homework. However, homework is just one of the things she’s doing while her eyes are fixed on the…
Generation M It’s 7:30 pm at Lisa’s house and she’s in her room doing her homework. However, homework is just one of the things she’s doing while her eyes are fixed on the computer screen. As well as studying for her Biology exam, Lisa is also listening to music, chatting with her best friend online, downloading songs and occasionally texting people on her mobile phone. “My parents keep telling me off for multi−tasking while studying, but they don’t understand that it helps me concentrate,” she says. Young people today spend a lot of time using electronic media; on average, 7 hours and 38 minutes every day. That adds up to 53 hours a week, more time than most adults spend at work. But that’s not all. Because young people spend so much time ‘media multi−tasking’, that is, using more than one type of media at the same time, they actually consume a total of 10 hours and 45 minutes of media content every day. This is the reason why they are called “the multi−tasking generation” or “Generation M”. But how do our brains deal with multi−tasking? Automatic things like walking and chatting on the phone can be done at the same time, but when it comes to learning new information, multi−tasking has an impact. “Multi−tasking affects how you learn in a negative way,” says Russell Poldrack, Associate Professor of Psychology at UCLA. Dividing our attention between too many activities makes the knowledge we gain harder to use later on. This doesn’t mean we should never multi−task, but it does mean it is not a good idea to do it while learning something new. According to specialists, it is also essential to take time away from electronic media. “At the sound of the bell, all my students reach into their bags and grab their mobile phones to text message their friends. It is as if they’re afraid of silence,” says Casey Roberts, a secondary school teacher. “Their MP3 players, laptops and games consoles have become extensions of themselves. I really think that Generation M should take time to relax and reflect. There’s life beyond the screen, and the pleasure of face−to−face communication can be neither denied nor replaced.” пересказ текста на английском
The text describes the lifestyle of today’s youth, particularly focusing on Lisa, who exemplifies "Generation M." At 7:30 pm, while studying for her Biology exam, she engages in multiple activities: listening to music, chatting online, downloading songs, and texting. Despite her parents' concerns about her multitasking, Lisa believes it helps her focus.
Research indicates that young people spend an average of 7 hours and 38 minutes daily using electronic media, totaling over 53 hours a week—more than most adults work. This heavy media consumption often results in "media multitasking," where individuals use multiple media simultaneously, leading to an overall media engagement of about 10 hours and 45 minutes per day.
However, experts like Russell Poldrack from UCLA highlight the negative effects of multitasking on learning. While automatic tasks, like walking and talking on the phone, can be done together, learning new information suffers when attention is divided. Although multitasking isn't entirely discouraged, it should be avoided during new learning endeavors to enhance comprehension and retention.
Teachers, such as Casey Roberts, observe that students are almost addicted to their devices, rushing to grab their phones the moment class ends. They believe that Generation M needs to take breaks from screen time to relax and engage in real-life interactions. Roberts points out that while technology is an integral part of their lives, nothing can replace the value of direct communication with others.
