WASHINGTON (TNND) — Gen Alpha, which is America’s youngest generation, is growing up surrounded by screens, failing schools, and a new era of artificial intelligence.
As technology advances at a rapid pace, their future grows increasingly uncertain without prompt and meaningful change.
Can real books rescue Gen Alpha from a tech-dominated future? This doctor thinks so (Video: The National News Desk){ }
Dr. Zachary Marschall, who is the editor-in-chief of Campus Reform, said reading real books, not screens, might be the key to keeping Gen Alpha ahead of the AI curve.
“It’s the same technology craze that we’ve seen with Gen Z,” he said during an interview with The National News Desk’s Jan Jeffcoat on Wednesday. “People are putting screens in front of their children. They are giving them TV shows (and) games instead of books and that is leading to not only a lack of literacy, but a lack of confidence and a great deal of anxiety.”
The difference, he said, is that Gen Z was taught during the coronavirus pandemic and the years of “learning loss,” while Gen Alpha are still children, which gives them hope.
“Now that we’re more aware of the problem and we’re seeing some progress, let’s apply those lessons to Gen Alpha, who still have time to be course-corrected, as opposed to Gen Z,” he said. “So, let’s pay more attention to Gen Alpha right now and help put more books in front of them and help them with their reading and writing comprehension, which will help everyone later in life no matter what field they go into.”
Marschall said the real fix isn’t at school, but at home. He urged parents to encourage their children to read at home more.
“I think we all know that the education system in this country is broken and it’s really up to the parents. If you haven’t been putting books in front of your children before, you should really start doing it now. And I think the biggest misconception is that you have to put classics and very hefty or famous titles in front of your children. That is not true,” Marschall said.
“The best way to do it – to decrease screen time and start them on better habits – is to figure out what kind of games, what kind of shows they are actually look at on screens and finding books on those topics. If you have a kid who’s a sports fan, find books about sports or find books about famous people who did professions that your kids idolize. That only starts decreasing [screen time]. You’re never going to go cold turkey, but you at least start the gradual process of rectifying that balance,” he added.
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For more, watch the video player above or visit The National News Desk’s YouTube channel for Jeffcoat’s full interview with Marschall.