Being in the exact same job for 29 years, teaching the exact same maritime rules of the road, to the same age group (18-24), using the same tools (full mission, wrap around ship simulators), I have a unique perspective.
I started teaching in 1991, before anyone had portable electronics. Now everyone, of course, has portable electronics.
The trainees have become too “uninspired” to rely on their memories, their previous training and education, then process their current problem.
I’m telling you... it’s this generation being native to portable electronics. It’s an unintended consequence of all things at your fingertips.
Video game natives, that they are, also establish psycho- bizarre expectations, making simulation training nearly impossible.
These kids wouldn’t have lasted five minutes in 1980.
Similar “don’t think” phenomenon resulted from widespread radio and teevee programming. Passive intake of information, “trust” based on mythical obligations (”press has a duty to report objective reality”), and human nature being what it is - lazy unless something you really want hangs in the balance - and much of what the grown-up cohort believes just isn’t so.
I totally agree with you on the modern version of this - internet, phones, the software - these have a profound effect.