Lecturer reports students can no longer use a computer for shocking reason
With the rise of TikTok and ‘brainrot’ content, research shows Gen Z’s attention span currently sits at an abysmal 8 seconds. Now, it’s gotten so bad a tech expert is reporting that her students can’t focus long enough to use a computer.
According to Ami Podrebarac, a digital media lecturer at London Fashion College, Gen Z’s phone addiction means that they are now struggling to come to grips with basic software. “Over time it became clear that many students experienced frustration when transitioning from using touchscreen devices, such as smartphones and tablets, to more traditional computer setups involving a mouse, mechanical keyboard and external monitor.”
“Initially, I assumed students were simply grappling with learning new software, something that can be challenging for anyone,” she says. However, it soon became clear to her that the issue ran deeper. Her Gen Z students are having trouble with the physical act of using a computer. For them, having to focus on three things: the screen, keyboard and mouse is mentally overstimulating.
“The cognitive load required to navigate multiple physical interfaces simultaneously often impacts their ability to stay engaged and focused,” Ami says. She also reveals that she’s had to change her teaching style in order to keep them engaged: “Recognising this shift has been essential in understanding how to better support their learning needs.”
So, Gen Z definitely aren’t beating the snowflake allegations – although, it may be more than an oversensitivity issue. Ami’s PhD research, which looks at technology and AI, argues this phenomenon is being caused by a fundamental change in the upcoming generation’s brain development. As a result, Ami says that their ongoing screen addiction has led to both “cognitive and physical shifts.”
Most Gen Z have grown up glued to tablets and smartphones. According to Common Sense Research, 43% of US tweens (aged eight to 12) own smartphones. Last year, one of the UK’s largest mobile network providers had to issue a warning to parents not to provide under-11-year-olds with phones that provide access to apps like TikTok.
The amount of time that young people are spending on their phones is also posing a problem. Worryingly, a study by Ofcom revealed that 18 and 24 spent an average of six hours and one minute per day in 2024 – more than any other generation.
It’s even leading to a growing number of young people regretting the amount of time they’ve spent on their devices. According to a poll by The New Britain Project, two-thirds of 16- to 24-year-olds think social media does more harm than good, while three-quarters want tougher regulation to protect younger people from it.
The problem is that research shows part of the addiction stems from the physical act of scrolling itself. No matter whether one’s vice is Instagram, TikTok or Reddit, what these apps all have in common is that they allow you to scroll endlessly with a thumb.
Ami explains that the act of using your thumb to scroll is so addictive because it is “smooth, immediate and deeply habitual.” She warns: “Scrolling with a thumb can become an almost unconscious compulsion, tightly linked to reward circuits in the brain.”
On the flipside, operating a classic computer setup requires a more circumspect awareness of your surroundings. You are engaging your entire hand, looking back and forth from the screen, switching focus between the keyboard and the mouse. As Ami argues, “It slows the pace, demands spatial awareness, and fosters a different kind of cognitive engagement.”
As to whether the mouse is doomed to become a relic remains up to question. However, according to market research, the computer mouse industry is projected to reach more than £5 billion over the next five years.
Industries like IT and graphic design still use software that requires the classic computer setup, which means any Gen Z looking to enter the workforce may find themselves in trouble. Despite being digital natives, they will have to catch up with other generations when it comes to more old-school tech.
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