SEMO - Who Is Generation Z?

Who is Generation Z
- Born between 1995 - 2012
- Entered college between 2013-14 and today
- Beloit College's Annual List of Incoming Freshmen (Class of 2020)Characteristics

Gen Z: The Phigital Student
Universities don't meet the expectations of Gen Z Students
- One-third of students feel student administration systems do not meet their expectations.
- Study found that 7 in 10 students would recommend that their universities review and change its digital strategy.
- 49% of students reported taking fewer courses per semester and 45% reported not registering for a course because of the high cost of textbooks.
- 64% of students opted out of buying textbooks for the first day of class
- Students are choosing not to study business and computer science because of the cost of textbooks.

Gen Z students tend to thrive when they are given the opportunity to have a fully immersive educational experience and they even enjoy the challenges of being a part of it.

51% of surveyed students said they learn best by doing while only 12% said they learn through listening.

"Kids today have grown up with technology. They're looking for experiences that use tech purposefully, not frivolously," Julie Evans, CEO of Project Tomorrow (emphasis added - https://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2018/08/generation_z_prefers_learning_from_youtube.html)

Undergraduate Gen Z students & digital technology

Available at: http://info.unit4.com/rs/900-SZD-631/images/U4-EDU-GEN-Education-research-infographic.pdf

Teaching Strategies for Gen Z?

Think Digital in all assignments, assessments, activities
Break content into short segments
Make information graphical and bite size
Rethink how you communicate
Be relevant. Respect the time of the Gen Z student
Provide individualized instruction - think adaptive learning
Use Social Media approaches to learning
Set up students for a career
Provide access to resources to help eliminate student loan debt
Acknowledge that this generation sees themselves as Smart, Creative, and Hardworking

Most Helpful Online Classroom Tools for Gen-Z Student Learning:

Barnes & Noble Report

(https://next.bncollege.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Gen-Z-Research-Report-Final.pdf)

Gen Z in the Classroom: Creating the Future http://time.com/3764545/future-of-education/

Unlike Millennials, who pursue personal fulfillment more widely than financial goals or job titles, Gen Z values college most as a means to secure a good job. (Malat, 2016)

(End at 2:02)

Teaching 21st Century Teaching Skills Needed to Help Students Build a Career…

Become a Learning Guide
Embrace Technology
Encourage Educational Freedom
Teach Risk-Taking
Understand Speed of Access Matters

What skills do students need to learn as we teach discipline specific content?

Technical skills
Conceptual skills
Interpersonal skills
Entrepreneurial and Innovation skills
Information Literacy
Humanistic Literacy

Producing a Generation of Problem Solvers

...education needs to become a dynamic activity, providing a combination of four ingredients:

- - - - Knowledge, starting with the basic skills of literacy and numeracy, moving onto knowledge of core content and then to higher order concepts and thinking skills, to challenge, question, adapt and apply knowledge in new ways.
        Personal strengths and character development, including helping students find a sense of purpose and ambition, and building their resilience and persistence (knowing how to stick with it and overcome setbacks and obstacles).
        Social experiences so they deepen their relationships with others, learn and think through dialogue and collaboration, and take action together to make and do things for and with other people.
        Activities that give students a strong sense of agency, so that they learn how to turn knowledge and ideas into action to see that they can make a difference to the world so they can serve and contribute. (Ledbetter, 2016)

35% of Millenials

More than 1/3 of Gen Z students own or plan to own their own business.

(Fong, 2018)

Gen Z Students need:
- The ability to prepare for multiple career fields at one time and "slash" careers through development of transferable skills
  - I am a teacher/freelance writer
  - I am a business associate/waiter
  - I am an administrative assistant/photographer
  - I am a middle manager/adjunct faculty member

Learning Preferences

Generation Z: craves regular and technology-enhanced training opportunities. Looks for professional development that uses visually enhanced methods of training.

Attitudes toward Authority

Generation Z: is high maintenance and wants high intensity in relationships with those in authority, as well as their peers.

Special Interests

Generation Z: thrives on opportunity. Excel when they receive guidance in how to achieve their goals.

Cultivating Culture for Successful Learning Environments with Multiple Generations

Promote understanding, acceptance, and respect
- Each student is valued for individual contribution
- Each student is respected for their strengths
Communication is open.
Learning environment promotes project-based assignments that utilize the strengths of each member.
- Specific individualized guidance is provided.
- Function-based work projects are reduced or eliminated.
Technology is used to create interest and enhance content.

Additional Readings

Generation Z (Phigital Generation)

Contact information:

Dr. Vickie Cook

vcook02s@uis.edu

@DrVickieCook

Executive Director of the Center for Online Learning, Research and Service

University of Illinois Springfield

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https://sites.google.com/a/uis.edu/colrs_cook/

http://www.uis.edu/colrs

217-206-7317

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