As we approach exam season, new research has revealed that kids today have a far wider range of excuses for not handing in homework, than their parents did at the same age.
In fact, the poll of 2,000 teens revealed the top ten modern-day excuses, regularly wheeled out, with “the dog ate it” featuring nowhere on the list.
Tech failures take the majority of the blame, with a fifth (18 percent) choosing to pretend that their Wi-Fi was down, while more than one in ten (12 percent) have claimed their computer kept crashing – and 12 percent say they are unable to hand in work because their printer was on the blink.
Not being able to connect the laptop to the printer (seven percent), phone running out of battery (five percent) and losing the laptop charger (five percent) are also regularly wheeled out.
Two thirds (69 percent) of the secondary school students, polled by leading online tuition provider My Tutor agree that technology is the best excuse for not handing in work.
One in four (25 percent) complain their homework is simply too difficult, while nine in ten (93 percent) admit that they get easily distracted by apps such as Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube when trying to focus on studies, an average of 14 minutes at a time.
As many as 77 percent believe that it would help their concentration if their parents took away their phone when they’re studying, with a further 15 percent already regularly asking them to take their mobile away.
A third of kids (34 percent) think it is a good idea for mobile phone use to be banned in schools.
Maths (68 percent), chemistry (38 percent), physics (36 percent), French (25 percent) and biology (24 percent) were cited as the toughest subjects, according to the poll.
Florence Milner, UK Schools General Manager at MyTutor, said: “Our findings highlight not just the creative excuses today’s teens come up with, but, when we peel back the digital curtain, we see that these excuses often stem from not understanding the homework that’s been set or from battling the magnetic pull of social media.
“Parents are very aware that tailored tutor support can not only boost a student’s confidence and nudge grades upwards but also spark motivation and transform what was once a chore into a subject they truly enjoy.”
TOP TEN TECH-BASED HOMEWORK EXCUSES
- My Wi-Fi wasn’t working – 18%
- I forgot the password to my homework app – 15%
- My computer kept crashing – 12%
- My printer wouldn’t print – 12%
- My laptop broke – 10%
- I finished my homework but deleted it by accident – 7%
- I couldn’t connect my laptop to my printer – 7%
- My phone ran out of battery so I couldn’t look it up – 5%
- I lost my laptop charger – 5%
- I lost my phone – 5%