Do You Multi-Task? Subliminal Learning On the Desktop

Do you do more than one thing at a time?  How’s that working out for you?

Right now I’m reading mail, surfing Google Reader, listening to a podcast (Run-As Radio) and posting a blog item.

I have to admit that the podcast is just running in the background.  Sometimes I’m listening, sometimes I’m completely focused on other tasks.  But every now and then some interesting tidbit tickles the lizard stem in my brain, and I surface to listen.  (It’s a technical podcast that’s above my head, but I’m interested in the concepts they’re talking about.)

I’m wondering what this means in the world of learning.  I’m not sure if this should be called “subliminal” learning, “parallel” learning, or “intermittent” learning.  Whoops, just paused to listen with full attention for about 30 seconds.

Most people in the “Gen X” and later do this as a matter of course — lots of IM windows, cell phone, email, etc.  Does that mean that we should be designing learning in ways that learners can have several different experiences going at the same time?

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