Here is a link to a longer article that I summarize below:

  • "Multi-tasking adversely affects brain's learning, UCLA psychologists report"
  • A closely related article: "Study: Multitasking hinders learning: Distraction-free studying is more efficient and effective, new brain research suggests"
  • "What's new is that even if you can learn while distracted, it changes how you learn"--making the learning "less efficient and useful," 
In their
multitaskers are
ability to ignore irrelevant information
much worse
ability to organize information
worse
memory
equal
ability to switch tasks rapidly
worse [A surprise! That's what they do a lot and they were worse at it!]
ability to focus on a task
worse

The research did not find anything multitaskers are better at. 

AP. Wednesday, August 26, 2009. Research conducted at Stanford University. 
Published in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, August 25, 2009.

What does this mean to you?  It means that if you also do other things while you study, you will not learn as well. Pay full attention to what you are doing (and don't do e-mail or phone or change music every few minutes).