Smartphone vs. Computer: TikTok Generation Can't Perform Basic Tasks on PC

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Teachers discovered this brutally during the lockdown. Behind their computer screens, students were lost. It was impossible to send an assignment as an attachment or to participate in a shared document. A striking paradox for this generation born with a smartphone in their hands. Anne Cordier, a researcher in information science, draws a clear conclusion: in a class of 35 students, only 2 or 3 show real ease with the computer tool.

The smartphone has revolutionized the digital habits of young people

The digital revolution has been accompanied by a radical change in our habits. Today's children are growing up with intuitive touch screens designed for consuming content. From a very young age, they browse YouTube, create TikTok accounts and use it as a search engine. This recreational use of digital technology masks a more complex reality: the total lack of mastery of essential office tools.

Yasmine Buono, a digital education specialist, explains this phenomenon by the evolution of family practices. “Parents give their children a screen to keep them busy, then let them create their profiles on social networks. Later, some discover video games on PC. But when do they learn to use a word processor or manage their files?? » This question remains unanswered, creating a growing gap between perceived and actual digital skills.

Social inequalities that are increasing in the face of digital technology

The problem is taking on a particularly worrying social dimension. In working-class environments, the smartphone is becoming the only digital terminal. Less expensive than a computer and seen as essential for social integration, it is becoming a priority for families. The consequences are dramatic: some students discover how to use a mouse in high school, having never had access to a computer at home.

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Schools are struggling to compensate for these shortcomings. In priority education areas, equipment is often insufficient: ten tablets for an entire school do not allow for effective learning. Even private high schools, although well-equipped, face this problem. Cécile Cathelin, a literature teacher and digital trainer, observes the same difficulties among students from privileged backgrounds. ” Parents, even when they work in the digital sector, rarely share their professional skills with their children.”

The urgency of an adapted educational response

The situation becomes critical when these young people have to communicate in a professional setting. Social media codes contaminate their email exchanges. The absence of polite phrases, the terse messages, the inability to attach a document… These blunders reveal a flagrant lack of training in the professional uses of digital technology.

The abandonment of traditional computer science courses is making the problem worse. Anne Cordier regrets the disappearance of these fundamental lessons: creating slideshows, file management, basic computer use. These skills, once taught in technology classes, are now considered acquired. A mistake that penalizes an entire generation.

Experts are calling for urgent awareness. Integrating computer science into daily classroom life is becoming a necessity. Cécile Cathelin advocates for the intervention of digital professionals in schools. These training courses would allow students to acquire the skills essential for their future professional life.

• The smartphone generation struggles to use basic office tools on a computer
• Social inequalities are widening the digital divide, with some students never having access to a PC
• The lack of specific computer training in schools is making the situation worse

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