US Gen Z Students Go to University but Struggle to Understand What They Read
As debates over the quality of university education intensify in the United States, some academics argue that Generation Z students are experiencing serious deficiencies in basic reading skills, forcing universities to lower academic standards. Statements from professors at Pepperdine University and the University of Notre Dame are being discussed alongside concerns about growing dependence on artificial intelligence and shrinking attention spans in higher education.
Jessica Hooten Wilson, a professor at Pepperdine University, said that a large proportion of her students are no longer able to read and comprehend assigned texts. She emphasized that the issue goes beyond a lack of critical thinking and has reached the point of “an inability to read sentences.” Wilson noted that she is now compelled to read texts aloud in class and experiment with alternative teaching methods. She added that the problem is more prevalent among students outside honors programs, particularly those who did not receive adequate reading instruction in public education.
Timothy O’Malley, a theology professor at the University of Notre Dame, similarly stated that he can no longer assign readings of 25 to 40 pages because students “do not know what to do” with such material. According to O’Malley, students have developed a scanning-based approach to reading and increasingly rely on artificial intelligence tools to interpret texts.
These observations are supported by a recent survey conducted by Elon University. The survey found that 95% of faculty believe generative artificial intelligence increases students’ overreliance on such tools, while 83% say it reduces students’ attention spans. Additionally, 74% of respondents reported that the use of generative AI is negatively affecting the integrity and value of academic degrees.