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Educators battle for students’ attention in the age of TikTok

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5 months ago

May 10, 2025

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By Dena Al-Fadhli

KUWAIT: In a generation where students wake up to 30 unread text messages, endless 20-second TikTok videos, and a constant stream of Instagram stories, it has become increasingly challenging for educators to keep pace with their shifting cognitive habits. Although educators are working hard to meet students where they are, many of the strategies being used may not truly foster the deep, critical thinking skills they hope they will develop for the future.

Maha Saleh, a former high school history teacher at a public school in Kuwait, expresses deep concern over what she describes as a troubling decline in student engagement.

“The level of apathy I’ve seen in recent years is unlike anything I’ve experienced before. Students don’t seem to care about their grades or school at all,” she said. “When I’m teaching, it often feels like they’re physically present—but mentally, they’re somewhere else entirely because they are just waiting for that next hit of dopamine.”

This “hit of dopamine” is more than a figure of speech. “Digital dopamine” is a term that emerged in the mid-2010s as researchers and wellness experts began exploring the link between digital technology use and brain chemistry. Many apps and platforms are intentionally designed to trigger dopamine releases through unpredictable reward patterns, reinforcing compulsive scrolling and screen time.

Educators and schools are now grappling with how to provide meaningful learning experiences despite these challenges.

One school in Kuwait enforced a school-wide phone ban as a solution. Rania Khudairi, a middle school English teacher with over a decade of experience in Kuwait’s private education sector, shared the outcomes with Kuwait Times. While Khudairi and her team anticipated some resistance, they were blindsided by just how deeply the ban disrupted students.

“We observed students reacting like addicts going through withdrawal,” Khudairi explains. “It was nearly impossible to engage or teach a child who was preoccupied—mentally checking out because they were craving that next TikTok video or waiting for a message from a friend.”

This classroom response, Khudairi suggests, is more than just behavioral—it reflects underlying changes in brain chemistry. Dr Haitham Al-Khayat, a neurosurgeon in Kuwait with over twenty years of experience, explains the neurological impact of prolonged social media and smartphone use among young people:

“They stimulate the part of the brain responsible for short-term gratification, known as the dopaminergic mesolimbic system. Repeated stimulation of this system triggers changes in the brain similar to those observed in individuals struggling with substance addiction.”

Dr Al-Khayat urges educators and individuals to take proactive steps in addressing this ‘dopamine addiction’ by fostering a healthier balance rather than enforcing total deprivation. A common approach teachers are adopting is integrating learning strategies that reflect students’ digital habits, in hopes of enhancing engagement.

One example comes from Danna Alenezi, a public-school chemistry teacher who has adapted her teaching methods to better engage students. She explains that even during a 40-minute class, maintaining students’ attention throughout is nearly impossible. To address this, she delivers her lessons in “short, packaged units” and incorporates brief videos between key points to sustain focus—mirroring the fast-paced, bite-sized content students are accustomed to consuming online.

Yet, what they’re noticing is that this approach may be jeopardizing learning in other ways—potentially worsening students’ already shortened attention spans. Khudairi reflects on how this trade-off plays out in the classroom: “While some students appreciate deeper exploration of concepts, I can’t really give that to them since it often comes at the cost of losing the attention of the majority.”

As educators adjust their methods to accommodate these brief, stimulus-driven lessons, they are also witnessing unexpected shifts in teacher-student dynamics.

Alenezi vividly recalls one such moment: a student raised her hand to ask a question, and as Alenezi paused—eye contact locked—the pupil abruptly turned to a friend and began chatting about something entirely unrelated. “I’ll never forget it,” Alenezi reflects, “because it laid bare exactly how much digital habits can interrupt even our most basic, face-to-face exchanges.”

These classroom observations often point to deeper cognitive shifts. Dr Al-Khayat explains that many teachers are now reporting signs of impaired executive function in their students. In his neurosurgical practice, he notes increasingly impulsive behavior among younger patients. Deprived of the ability to pause and engage in longer-term reasoning, they frequently make hasty decisions—and then find themselves caught in a repetitive cycle of “oh, I apologize.”

Alenezi admits that while she doesn’t really know what the solution is, she believes that recognizing the problem is the first step. “If educators and administrators work together to acknowledge the problem rather than fighting it, we might have a chance to revive the state of education.”

Related Topics:age attention battle Educators students TikTok

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KPC highlights sector strengths; Q8 wins awards at IDCE 2025

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3 hours ago

October 2, 2025

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MANAMA: Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) and its subsidiaries are showcasing the country’s oil sector achievements and global reach at the International Downstream Conference and Exhibition 2025 (IDCE 2025) in Bahrain. The three-day event, running through October 2, draws over 9,500 industry leaders from 53 countries.

The KPC pavilion highlights the accomplishments of its subsidiaries — Kuwait Oil International (Q8), Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC), and Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company (KIPIC) — in refining, marketing and integrating oil with petrochemicals. Interactive displays and advanced screens showcase how Kuwait’s energy sector is driving economic growth and strengthening its role on the global energy stage.

Q8 CEO Shafi Al-Ajmi described IDCE 2025 as “an important milestone in the journey of the refining industry.” Speaking to KUNA, he said the conference offered Kuwait an opportunity to enhance its presence regionally and internationally, forge strategic partnerships, and meet the evolving demands of global energy markets while supporting sustainable economic development.

Officials honor Kuwait Oil International (Q8), which won first place in the sustainability projects category, in addition to another award recognizing its excellence in project execution.

Al-Ajmi noted that the conference attracted more than 50 countries, around 70 global companies, and over 200 speakers, reflecting its evolution from a regional to a global platform. “This large and diverse participation highlights the success of the conference in bringing together top experts from around the world,” he said.

The Q8 delegation, led by Al-Ajmi, presented the company’s future projects and best practices aligned with KPC’s 2040 vision. The company also won two of seven awards at the official conference dinner, including first place in the sustainability projects category for an initiative focused on environmental cleanup and promoting positive social behavior. Another award recognized Q8’s project execution, marking the successful completion of a reliability test within eight months of start-up, demonstrating operational efficiency and adherence to global standards.

IDCE 2025, hosted by Aramco and led by the Gulf Downstream Association, features more than 290 expert speakers across 130 sessions covering innovation, decarbonization and the downstream value chain. IDCE 2025 represents the collective support of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and the UAE, and provides a premier platform to advance industry development and enable participation in over $100 billion of investment opportunities in refining, petrochemicals, and sustainability. — Agencies

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Kuwaiti Ambassador presents credentials to Saudi Crown Prince

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4 hours ago

October 2, 2025

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RIYADH: Kuwait’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Sheikh Sabah Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, presented his credentials to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, who received him on behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz.

The ceremony took place at the Royal Court in Riyadh’s Al-Yamamah Palace, where the Crown Prince received a number of ambassadors from brotherly and friendly countries, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). During the reception, Crown Prince Mohammed welcomed the ambassadors, conveying the greetings of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and his own regards to the leaders of their respective countries.

He expressed his best wishes for their efforts to strengthen and develop bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia. The ambassadors, in turn, extended the greetings of their heads of state to the King and the Crown Prince, expressing gratitude for the warm and generous reception they received. — KUNA

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Deputy PM stresses cooperation amid Gaza crisis at summit

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5 hours ago

October 2, 2025

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AL-ULA, Saudi Arabia: Kuwait’s representative to the Munich Leaders Meeting, First Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Saud Al-Sabah, underlined the country’s commitment to regional dialogue and international cooperation during the high-level gathering in Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia.

The three-day meeting, held at the Maraya Theater and running through Thursday, brought together senior decision-makers and global experts to discuss pressing issues including international trade, regional crises, energy transition, maritime security and nuclear safety. The conference comes days after US President Donald Trump unveiled a 20-point peace proposal for Gaza, aimed at ending the Zionist entity’s war on the Palestinian territory — a plan that enjoys wide international backing, including from Kuwait.

Speaking to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on the sidelines of the conference, Sheikh Fahad said Kuwait’s participation “confirms our keenness to support regional dialogue and strengthen international cooperation.” He highlighted discussions on urgent humanitarian issues in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories, noting that “participants agreed that sustainable regional security cannot be achieved amid ongoing (Zionist entity) aggression.” He also warned of the consequences of escalating military conflicts, describing the attacks on Qatar and Gaza as “a blatant violation of international law and a direct threat to collective Gulf and regional security.”

Sheikh Fahad added that sessions addressed maritime security, energy safety, the elimination of weapons of mass destruction, as well as food and water security, economic challenges and shared security threats. He reaffirmed Kuwait’s commitment, as the current chair of the Gulf Cooperation Council, to collective security, unifying Gulf positions, and enhancing regional and international partnerships.

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Al-Budaiwi praised Saudi Arabia for hosting the meeting, describing it as “an indication of the Kingdom’s pivotal role in promoting international security and supporting multilateral dialogue to address regional and global challenges.” He also thanked Saudi leadership and Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan for their “distinguished preparation and organization” of the event, which drew senior officials from across the globe.

The meeting aimed to provide a platform for exchanging perspectives on current regional and international security challenges, emphasizing the importance of dialogue and peaceful solutions in achieving just peace and sustainable development. Sheikh Fahad and the accompanying Kuwaiti delegation, including Ambassador Najeeb Al-Bader, Assistant Foreign Minister for GCC Affairs, departed Al-Ula on Wednesday after concluding their participation in the conference. — Agencies