Are UK Schools Really Removing Analog Clocks Because Kids Can’t Tell Time?
- The White Hatter
- Mar 22
- 4 min read
This week, we saw this AI generated picture and statement posted in our social feed several times by others who believe that cellphones and technology are destroying our kids and used this picture and statement to support their position:
It’s one of those pictures that spreads quickly, often reinforcing a broader narrative that youth and teens today are losing basic skills because of technology.” But is it actually true?
This clickbait headline dates back to around 2018 and was sparked by comments from Malcolm Trobe (1), a UK education leader, who noted that:
“The current generation aren’t as good at reading the traditional clock face as older generations.”
That comment was then picked up and amplified into a much broader claim, one that suggested schools were removing analog clocks altogether because students could no longer tell time. That is not what happened.
In reality, some schools chose to use digital clocks in exam settings, largely to reduce stress and improve clarity for “some” students working under time pressure. This was a practical adjustment, not a system-wide removal of analog clocks or a collapse in basic skills.
Are there studies that show some students struggle with reading analog clocks, “yes” there are. But when you look deeper, the reasons are far more nuanced:
Analog clock reading involves cognitive complexity
It is closely tied to math and numeracy development
It depends on how the skill is taught
It is influenced by real-world exposure and practice
Put simply, this is not a matter of young people suddenly losing the ability to tell time. What often gets overlooked in these discussions is that difficulty with reading analog clocks has been around for decades (2). Research conducted long before smartphones and digital displays were common shows that this has always been a learning challenge for some youth. The takeaway? This challenge is rooted in how children learn and develop, not in the presence of modern technology.
Even if we assume that fewer students today are as comfortable with analog clocks, there is another important question to ask:
“Is this entirely a problem, or is it part of a broader shift in tools and learning?”
Schools have always evolved alongside the technology of the time. Some of those changes have clearly improved learning by making information more accessible and engaging, while others have raised valid concerns about over-reliance or unintended consequences. The key point is that adaptation is not new. Education has never been static. It continually shifts in response to the tools, expectations, and realities students are growing up with.
Chalkboards gave way to whiteboards and smartboards
Typewriters were replaced by computers
Slide rules were replaced by calculators
We don’t see these changes as a loss of intelligence. We see them as evolution.
As parents and caregivers, it is easy to be influenced by headlines that suggest young people are losing basic skills or that there is something fundamentally wrong with “this generation.” These types of stories can feel convincing, especially when they are repeated often. However, when we step back and look at the evidence, a more balanced and accurate picture begins to emerge.
Some students do find analog clocks more challenging, but this is not a new development. Difficulties with reading time on a traditional clock have been documented for decades, long before the rise of smartphones or digital displays. What we are seeing today is not a sudden decline, but a continuation of a long-standing learning challenge that is closely tied to cognitive development, numeracy skills, and how the concept of time is taught.
It is also important to recognize that schools have always adapted to meet the needs of their students. When educators make adjustments, such as introducing digital clocks in certain settings, it is typically done to support clarity, reduce stress, and create better learning or testing conditions. These decisions are practical, not reactionary.
Instead of focusing on what young people may or may not be losing, it can be more productive to shift the conversation. Today’s youth are developing skills in environments that are different from previous generations. The more meaningful questions to ask are, “What new skills are they gaining?”, “How are modern tools shaping the way they learn and process information?”, and, “Where can we step in to support foundational understanding when it is needed?”
Not every headline reflects a widespread issue. In many cases, a small, context-specific change can be amplified into something that appears far more significant than it actually is. This situation is a good example of how that can happen.
When we take a step back and look at the research, the history, and the context, what we see is not a sudden decline, but a familiar pattern, a long standing learning challenge being reframed as a modern day crisis, and that’s an important distinction for all of us to understand.
Before publishing this article, we decided to do a quick, anecdotal real-world check. We showed a Grade 9 student my analog watch and asked him to tell me the time. He looked at it, answered without hesitation, and moved on like it was no big deal.
Curious, he asked why I was even asking. I explained the premise of this article, that there’s a growing narrative suggesting youth can no longer read analog clocks. He paused for a moment, gave a slight shake of his head, and walked away.
That brief interaction says a lot. Sometimes the gap isn’t in youth or teen’s abilities, it’s in the assumptions being made about them as a group by some adults!
Digital Food For Thought
The White Hatter
Facts Not Fear, Facts Not Emotions, Enlighten Not Frighten, Know Tech Not No Tech
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