I think a lot of us in other generations are part of the same trends
I used to laugh at fidget spinners and everything gen z, then I tried formal education again, taking a class for a semester and oh my god the first couple sessions were really difficult! It immediately clicked with me that we - at least I - am not exempt from deteriorated concentration. I’m acclimated to the creative and less-structured demands of getting things done on time, and being rewarded for that. But pretending to pay attention for hours and not do anything because its noticeable and rude and punishable? That was very different. A couple weeks into the class I was fine and patient. But the first few sessions were fidget inducing.
I don't think a lot of us know. We aren't in the same environment.
I think everyone's concentration is deteriorating, but kids don't have the benefit of having experienced life without social media. From the very beginning they've been immersed in this, making their problems that much worse
That is a difference, I think a large portion of the adult population hasn't considered introspection on themselves and are subject to the same trends. I was able to recognize it because I had read about modern children's behavior in classroom, and I was able to recalibrate because I was familiar with what my level of concentration should be and had been. But that's not a consolation if everyone, perhaps including the teacher I responded to, would find themselves "infected" the same way if they were told to be the student in the classroom. I bet a more holistic solution would be found if people recognized they are distracted too, instead of only looking at the easier target: kids forced to be in that setting.
>I - am not exempt from deteriorated concentration
It's a muscle. Anyone who hasn't done school for a while will have to rebuild that muscle. It was like that before social media, just gotta relearn how to learn.
Programming is similar. If you do nothing but CRUD for a while (for whatever reason), when you gotta do the hard stuff where you have to keep a bunch of structure in your head at the same time, you're probably gonna struggle with it. After a few weeks, you'll be in better shape.
Same with reading complex documents, writing, math, etc.
I used to laugh at fidget spinners and everything gen z, then I tried formal education again, taking a class for a semester and oh my god the first couple sessions were really difficult! It immediately clicked with me that we - at least I - am not exempt from deteriorated concentration. I’m acclimated to the creative and less-structured demands of getting things done on time, and being rewarded for that. But pretending to pay attention for hours and not do anything because its noticeable and rude and punishable? That was very different. A couple weeks into the class I was fine and patient. But the first few sessions were fidget inducing.
I don't think a lot of us know. We aren't in the same environment.