Laptop multitasking hinders classroom learning for both users and nearby peers
Open accessAbstract
Laptops are commonplace in university classrooms. In light of cognitive psychology theory on costs associated with multitasking, we examined the effects of in-class laptop use on student learning in a simulated classroom. We found that participants who multitasked on a laptop during a lecture scored lower on a test compared to those who did not multitask, and participants who were in direct view of a multitasking peer scored lower on a test compared to those who were not. The results demonstrate that multitasking on a laptop poses a significant distraction to both users and fellow students and can be detrimental to comprehension of lecture content.
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Participants in direct view of a multitasking peer scored 17% lower than those who were not.
“Moreover, participants in direct view of a multitasking peer scored 17% lower than those who were not.”
From Efficient, helpful, or distracting? A literature review of media multitasking in relation to academic performance (2018) · cites this paper as Sana et al. (2013)
Participants who multitasked on a laptop during lecture scored lower on the test than non-multitaskers.
“Participants who multitasked on a laptop during lecture scored lower on the test than non-multitaskers.”
From Efficient, helpful, or distracting? A literature review of media multitasking in relation to academic performance (2018) · cites this paper as Sana et al. (2013)
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- Authors
- Sana, F., Weston, T., & Cepeda, N. J.
- Affiliations
- McMaster University (CA)
- York University (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Cepeda, Nicholas J.
- ORCID
- Sana, Faria
- Venue
- Computers & Education
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2013-03
- Volume
- 62
- Pages
- 24-31
- ISSN
- 0360-1315 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2123222302
- Cited by
- 707
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2026: 34 · 2025: 34 · 2024: 43 · 2023: 47 · 2022: 55 · 2021: 65 · 2020: 79 · 2019: 72 · 2018: 70 · 2017: 59 · 2016: 51 · 2015: 60 · 2014: 30 · 2013: 8
- FWCI
- 63.99
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Computers & Education (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- York University Faculty of Health
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Information Systems and Management › Personal Information Management and User Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Visual and Cognitive Learning Processes
- Social Sciences › Education › Innovations in Educational Methods
- Keywords
- student learning, lecture comprehension, distraction, university classrooms, simulated classroom
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