Abstract
Media multitasking (the use of one or more media while also engaged in a real time task such as homework) is becoming an increasingly common behavior among adolescents and young adults. As a result, parents and educators have questioned the implications that media multitasking may have on the cognitive processes required for student learning. The effects of media multitasking during learning were investigated using a true experimental design. Differences in memory for lecture content were examined among 62 college students randomly assigned to a multitasking group or control group. Participants in the multitasking group engaged in text messaging and an internet search while also attending the lecture. Participants in the control group simply attended the lecture. Quantitative analyses revealed a significant difference in memory for lecture content with the control group out- performing the multitasking group. Findings suggest that the cognitive demands required for internet searching and text messaging interfere with deeper learning, which has important implications for student learning both inside and outside the classroom.