Booksmart vs. Practical.I keep hearing how this generation is the most intelligent ever. In some ways yes but in most ways no. Yes, because they are doing entry level college algebra in grade school but can't do simple math. Neither can they read or write.
In most ways they are lost, dependant on computers, internet and soon AI for all their answers and problem solving. They have the skills to use programs that actually give the answers.
Over the last 12 years, I helped kids going to college write their first papers. Most kids, even those in advanced studies in HS, have never written a paper and have no clue on how to use APA or MLA writing styles for college.
Since AI started, I began playing with it to see how kids will use it to cheat. The first version was simple to catch. When I helped a kid with a paper I let them know I wasn't going to help them write an A paper when they were a C student. I'd help them get to an A student paper if they learn from me.
I started with a normal first year student paper on Psy.. 1,500 words with 5 citations on social interactions. Added no additional info. AI printed the entire document, with citations, in the time it took for my screen to scroll. Way too perfect with language no teen would use or know. The second version of AI I gave the same assignment. It was perfect. I played around with quality of paper, ect and could even tweak it to a lower grade.
It was amazing. Now colleges are trying to develop software to catch AI produced research and papers. It can't. So are the kids today more intelligent? No. Not even close.
A simple sun flare that would wipe out the electrical grid and all electronics on earth would put these "most intelligent" kids in the stone age not knowing how to use math by hand to build or maintain. They couldn't even write.
So asking a college kid a question about how many Suns we have in our Milky Way, they'd just ask google or Siri. Past that, no bueno