In a world where technology is omnipresent, a surprising paradox emerges: younger generations, although born in the digital age, struggle to master basic computer skills. This observation, put into light by teachers and researchers at the end of 2023, reveals a worrying reality that challenges our perception of “digital natives”. As smartphones reign supreme in adolescents’ daily lives, their ability to use a computer for simple tasks is eroding, raising concerns about their future career adaptability.
The paradox of the smartphone generation
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Anne Cordier, researcher in information and communication science, has noted an alarming decline in computer skills among students from first grade to high school. This phenomenon, far from being isolated, is corroborated by Cécile Cathelin, professor of literature and trainer in digital uses. The latter reports that even basic actions like opening a Word document pose problems for many high school students.
The period of confinement linked to Covid-19 highlighted these gaps, revealing students’ unpreparedness for distance learning. Yasmine Buono, specialist in digital education, challenges the preconceived idea that mastery of social networks and video games is equivalent to overall IT skills.
The smartphone appears to be the main suspect in this equation. Offered from a very young age, it promotes recreational use of digital technology to the detriment of office and professional skills. This omnipresence of the smartphone creates a gap between the intuitive use of mobile applications and the more complex mastery of computer software.
The teachers’ alarming observation: we must transform these young passive users of technology into competent and critical actors in the digital world. © skynesher, iStock
Digital inequality: a societal challenge
Unequal access to technologies accentuates disparities between students. Anne Cordier emphasizes that children from working-class backgrounds are particularly affected by this phenomenon. The health crisis has highlighted this digital divide, with computers becoming essential for distance learning.
Paradoxically, Cécile Cathelin observes that, even in private high schools where one could expect better digital acculturation, the students’ skills are not necessarily superior. She notes that parents, including those from higher socio-professional categories, rarely share their computer knowledge with their children.
This situation raises questions about the transmission intergenerational digital skills and highlights the need for a more systematic educational approach.
Digital communication and skills
Beyond technical skills, Yasmine Buono focuses on the challenges linked to digital communication. The students, accustomed to informal exchanges on social networksoften struggle to adopt a professional tone in their electronic communications. This gap manifests itself in difficulties in:
- write a formal email;
- use appropriate polite expressions;
- structure a message coherently.
To remedy these deficienciesBuono recommends learning good digital communication practices, adapted to different professional and academic contexts.
|
Skill |
Observed level |
Professional impact |
|
Use of office software |
Weak |
Pupil |
|
Formal communication by email |
AVERAGE |
Pupil |
|
Mastery of social networks |
Pupil |
AVERAGE |
Towards a reform of digital education
Faced with these challenges, various solutions are proposed. Cécile Cathelin, through her Educatee platform, suggests the intervention of digital professionals in educational establishments. This approach aims to provide practical and up-to-date expertise to students.
Anne Cordier, for her part, pleads for a reintegration of the teaching of computer science basics into the school curriculum. She highlights the importance of:
- Provide adequate equipment in schools.
- Integrate computing into the daily classroom routine.
- Train teachers in digital skills.
These measures aim to bridge the technological gap and effectively prepare younger generations for the demands of the modern professional world. The challenge is high: it involves transforming passive users of technology into competent and critical actors in the digital world.
Mastery of IT tools is proving crucial for the professional and civic future of younger generations, calling for an urgent overhaul of our approach to digital education.
