Reading Performances Between Novices and Experts in Different Media Multitasking Environments

Abstract

This experimental study investigated connections between subject expertise and multitasking ability among college students. One hundred thirty college students participated in the study. Participants were assessed on their subject expertise and reading tasks under three conditions: (a) reading only (silence condition), (b) reading with a video playing in the background (background multitasking condition), and (c) reading and watching video simultaneously (test multitasking condition). The data indicated that the participants performed best in the background condition; the experts scored better than the novices; experts performed better when the reading-comprehension questions were more difficult. Implications for teaching are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• multitasking
• monotasking
• dual task
• novices
• experts
• new media and technologies

This study was supported by the Junior Faculty Summer Research Fellowship grant at the University of North Texas and by the University of North Texas BEGIN grant from the U.S. Department of Education.