Impact of multitasking on teachers’ performance in public elementary schools

Abstract

Multitasking has become a prevalent strategy for handling a multitude of tasks, though its efficacy remains a topic of debate in the domain of organizational behavior. In the context of education, teachers perpetually grapple with an extensive array of daily responsibilities. This study was undertaken with the objective of evaluating the impact of teachers' multitasking on the overall quality of performance within identified public elementary schools. In this research quantitative method was employed, involving school leaders and teachers from three specific schools, and a multifaceted approach was employed. The sampling strategy included purposeful sampling to select school’s representative of the population, employing stratified sampling for diversity, and ensuring randomness where needed. The study culminated in an integration of both data types, yielding a comprehensive understanding of the research questions. Ethical considerations, informed consent, and confidentiality were maintained throughout the research process, ensuring the validity and reliability of the findings. The study's findings reveal that public-school teachers are heavily burdened with multitasking responsibilities, negatively affecting their teaching performance and leading to subpar academic outcomes. To address this issue, the researcher strongly recommends the implementation, rigorous assessment, and continuous monitoring of a training program. In essence, this study highlights the detrimental impact of multitasking on teaching performance in public elementary schools and emphasizes the urgent need for improvement through a structured training program aimed at enhancing the educational experience for teachers and students alike.