[Blue Jays]

"...technologies..."

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Except the kids are being done a disservice.
The brain perceives information better from analog sources based on how the markers are relative to others.
It helps for clocks, speedometers, tachometers, and similar.

[Blue Jays]

"...I would still be picturing the clockface in my mind..."

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You are correct and it is how we learn the “passage” of time. Alluded to this in the thread, too.