Smart phones—and the social media apps they contain—are 

Smart phones—and the social media apps they contain—are undeniably convenient and fun. They also make communication with people in other countries and great distances away possible, where previously only an expensive phone call or a letter or postcard could do the trick.

Smart phones—and the social media apps they contain—are

Smart phones—and the social media apps they contain—are undeniably convenient and fun. They also make communication with people in other countries and great distances away possible, where previously only an expensive phone call or a letter or postcard could do the trick. Smart phones also allow us to share photos, videos, memes, and a thousand other things.

However, it is becoming increasingly clear that they have shattered people’s attention spans. This is especially true of younger people who grew up with phones. Or who got their first phone when they were in Middle School or High School (many, of course, get them in elementary school).

The result is—and this is apparent in virtually any college classroom at this school. Also, on any other campus—that attention spans have been shredded. It is becoming nearly impossible for many millennial to pay attention to any topic whatsoever for more than 15-20 minutes in class without checking their phones. Additionally, 30-45 minutes is a sheer impossibility. They know how to read. Further, they could read a 25-page chapter or essay. But they most likely will only skim it because they can’t focus that long on a text. As one teacher at another campus said: the only way to get them to read a 25-page article would be at gunpoint, or a large cash reward!

More details;

This shattering of the attention span is the most serious drawback to smart phone use. It is a more serious problem in the younger generation. It is due to their early exposure to smart phones and social media. Considering this, the world should adapt to the new reality. Long texts should be thrown out, even long movies done away with (especially older ones), and colleges and high schools should move toward a more visual-oriented education.

College should be more like social media, more like Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat, and Twitter and whatever else is out there. If reading books and long articles is dead, then let it be dead. Furthermore, the “new writing” could be using Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Flash, and other visual art programs so that students can “compose” and “author” in this way. Do you agree or disagree with this?

Length: 6 pages—not counting the Works Cited page.
Requirements: 2 academic journals, 3 other sources (can be more of both)