Books vs. Tech: One doctor’s plan to help Gen Alpha

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.

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,” he said. “If you haven’t been putting books in front of your children before, you should really start doing it now."

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