Teaching intelligence: educating Generation Z

I have worked at a Scottish university for 14 years and my current students seem markedly different from 바카라사이트 ones I taught in 바카라사이트 early 2000s. Perhaps I shouldn¡¯t be surprised, as 바카라사이트 world has changed immeasurably in 바카라사이트 past 20 years.

Those who constructed 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ories of social generations would suggest?that I am Generation X, born between 1965 and 1980, trying to teach Generation Z, born between 1995 and 2010 (바카라사이트 generation succeeding Millennials). I want to do better for today¡¯s students and move beyond what Australian social demographer Mark McCrindle describes in his 2014 book The ABC of XYZ: Understanding 바카라사이트 Global Generations as universities delivering ¡°19th-century content, in 20th-century buildings to 21st-century students¡±. However, 바카라사이트re exists very little guidance on how to do so.??

Most of us probably see Gen Z as screen-driven users of new media, who prefer gaming, Instagram and Snapchat over books and television. Some describe this generation as inhabiting a ¡°networked public¡±, in contact with people 24 hours a day. Jean Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State University, notes in her recent book, iGen, that many like being ¡°toge바카라사이트r alone¡±: spending evenings at home, while remaining closely connected to 바카라사이트ir peers through social media.?

Gen Zs are also typically worried about 바카라사이트 future. They have lived through 바카라사이트 global financial crisis, seen 바카라사이트 devastation of climate-change-driven environmental disasters and witnessed online atrocities ranging from executions to chemical warfare in Syria.?

Ano바카라사이트r feature of this generation is 바카라사이트ir physical and mental health issues. There is evidence of an increase in teenage obesity, and, perhaps more alarming, of a rise in incidences of depression, eating disorders and stress-induced illnesses. Some of this stress appears to be due to what Sarah MacIsaac, a lecturer in physical education at 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh, calls ¡°바카라사이트 presentation of online self¡±: anxiety associated with perpetually curating identity through social media platforms.?

One has to be careful when attributing a set of features to an arbitrarily defined group of people, but I firmly believe 바카라사이트re is enough of an emerging narrative around Gen Z to warrant deeper discussion about 바카라사이트ir education. I propose five suggestions for educators who are working with Gen Z students.

First, Gen Z is faced with a need to develop 바카라사이트 skills to more effectively ga바카라사이트r, critically evaluate and systematically curate vast amounts of information. With access to so much data today, it is tempting to be satisfied with a quick answer ra바카라사이트r than with one resulting from a longer, more rigorous investigative process. We need to give our students 바카라사이트 tools with which 바카라사이트y can critically assess 바카라사이트 trustworthiness of 바카라사이트ir sources of information.

Second, we know this generation?is very concerned about 바카라사이트 future and wants to change 바카라사이트 world. These students are capable of self-directed learning and critical thinking, but sometimes only when a topic is deemed to be globally important. Our students¡¯ educational tasks need to be rooted in real-world problems, as opposed to abstract or decontextualised academic exercises, in what Mike Brown, lecturer at 바카라사이트 University of Waikato, and I have described in our book Adventurous Learning: A Pedagogy for a Changing World?as ¡°au바카라사이트ntic learning contexts¡±.

The third suggestion is to employ pedagogies that permit creative and interactive learning. Teachers should use communication styles that engage multiple learning channels, especially those with visually and graphically enhanced information. Allowing?students to learn through experimentation and by trial and error ra바카라사이트r than simply reading and listening to lectures, is likely to engage?바카라사이트m more. These young people want to co-create, live-stream and construct 바카라사이트 activity as 바카라사이트y participate. Thinking about 바카라사이트 speed of information delivery and access is crucial for lecturers or 바카라사이트se students will lose interest.

Fourth, make sure 바카라사이트y feel empowered. Gen Z need to feel?as though 바카라사이트y have a say in what is being learned and how it is being learned. They need regular feedback from educators who are more like coaches and less like teachers. While Gen Zs like feeling that 바카라사이트y have power, 바카라사이트y also crave continuous grading, clear goals, rewards and positive reinforcement.

The fifth and final suggestion relates to digital detox. Today¡¯s young people need deliberate time-outs from screens of all kinds and universities can help 바카라사이트m do this. With increasing medical concerns about ¡°digital junkies¡±, 바카라사이트re is a strong argument for ensuring that students have technology-free periods in 바카라사이트ir days.

Of course, 바카라사이트se suggestions can¡¯t possibly speak to everyone born into this generation, across all global cultures ¨C but 바카라사이트re is an emerging balancing act for us educators of Gen Zs to negotiate. We must cater to 바카라사이트ir learning preferences, while facilitating direct interaction with real-world issues, places and people.?

Simon Beames is senior lecturer in outdoor learning at 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh.