Though they take more standardized tests than any other previous generation, Gen Z's learning style is anything but standard. As the most diverse and technologically connected generation to date, they're used to being bombarded with information geared just for them, in the ways that suit them best.
On the other hand, Gen Z students are digital natives who prefer an independent learning style with less passive but more visual and kinaesthetic learning. They also desire convenience and are open to honest feedback (Issacs et al., 2020).
Gen Z students are true digital natives
Generation Z expects to be connected to the world and able to access information at any time. This translates to education as well. Gen Z students want immediate feedback on assignments just as they do on social media. They also crave autonomy in their education.
Many Generation Z students believe that higher education is important. However, they place a lot of their attention on value, especially because they are overwhelmed by the cost of college.
Gen Z is very concerned about their ability to communicate and forge strong interpersonal relationships. This may be due to the fact that technology has negatively impacted their cognitive skill development, and they recognize that their social skills, like critical thinking and communication, are weak.
Gen Zers are addicted to technology and can't handle face-to-face interactions. Gen Z is infamous for being the first generation that can't clearly recall a time before the Internet.
Gen Z's economic concerns stem from the fear of accruing debt, limited job opportunities and the difficulty of finding affordable housing. These concerns have been exacerbated by the financial insecurity many young people and their families have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Millennials are the most educated generation ever. This trend is likely due to higher income returns from a college education, as well as many young people choosing to wait out the recession and lack of jobs by staying in or returning to school.
Gen Zers want in-person interaction.
But members of this generation also value face-to-face interaction and collaboration. Extend that into the classroom, and you'll find that 57 percent of Gen Zers prefer in-person learning activities with classmates.
But Gen Zers are different from older generations, because they are the first consumers to have grown up wholly in the digital era. They're tech-savvy and mobile-first—and they have high standards for how they spend their time online.
Their embrace of unorthodox learning methods partly stems from the vast adjustments they've made during the pandemic, as remote learning and new ways of gaining an education became standard. Not only is Gen Z more likely to go to college, but its members are on track to become the most educated generation yet.
A highly connected world, climate change, a global pandemic that's impacting job security, and financial debt are some main causes of increased anxiety, stress, and depression among Gen Zers.
Gen Z is the first generation to grow up with smartphones glued to their hands. That's how they communicate, consume information, connect to opportunities and, more importantly, learn new things. They are active, fast, and independent learners who want to connect everything they hear, see and read to the real world.
Zoomers Believe in On-demand Learning
This is not the case when it comes to learning. In terms of education, Gen Zs believe in a collaborative approach where everyone's learning speed matters. On the other hand, millennials believe in a setting that everyone should learn at the same pace.
The youngest generation in the workforce is also more likely to play conservative with their paychecks right now, with Gen Z most likely to put in longer hours or work harder. Nearly a third are also considering taking a second job or a more stable gig in the face of potential recession layoffs.
Generation Z is known for Being resourceful
With Google, YouTube, and TikTok, they have the world at their fingertips and can figure things out for themselves without adult supervision. They're the first generation that doesn't need you (or any adult) for knowledge – they can get it online.
A CM Group consumer research effort that polled 1,000 consumers found Gen Z consumers are better educated, more practical, more ambitious and more skeptical than Millennials.
Gen Z is also the smartest and best educated generation. Having an unlimited wealth of information at our disposal has not gone to waste. In America, 57 percent of Gen Z is reported to have enrolled in a two-year or four-year college, compared to 52 percent of Millenials and 43 percent of Gen X.
One-third (32%) of Gen Z respondents say they are the hardest-working generation ever, with Millennials ranked as the second-hardest working generation at 25%. More than half (56%) say the Silent Generation is the least hardworking generation of all time.
As a result, more millennials than ever report being happy. That's especially true compared to the Baby Boomers, which the Pew Research Center labeled the “gloomy” generation. Baby Boomers tended to rate their overall quality of life much lower than non-boomers.
Gen Z may be the most misunderstood generation
Just like every generation, Gen Z has its own unique set of values and priorities. But unlike the millennials before them, they lack the same opportunities to establish their place in the world. They're also facing more challenges than any other generation before them.
Happiness levels average lower today for most adults under age 35 than they did in 2017. However, the data show that Gen Zers report the lowest levels of happiness on record in the past five-year timespan.
This book also reveals that as a result of “social media and texting replacing other activities, [Gen Z] spends less time with their friends in person,” resulting in “unprecedented levels of anxiety, depression, and loneliness.” Twenge looks into the reason why Gen Z is seeming to age more slowly than its predecessors ...