Z how they learn
What’s the best way to educate techie and always connected kids? Find out from a child expert
We all know that today’s youngsters—collectively known as Generation Zeat, sleep, and breathe technology. Born in the mid-1990s to 2010, they are also called Founders, Post-Millennials, and The iGeneration. They multi-task across five screens on average and have been described as digital, inquisitive, innovative, self-reliant, globally aware, entrepreneurial, and unafraid.
But do you know how to make teaching and learning most effective and engaging for them?
According to developmental and behavioral pediatrician Dr. Francis Xavier Dimalanta of St. Luke’s Medical Center in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, and in Quezon City, Generation Z students prefer a collaborative learning environment.
“They refuse to be passive learners and expect to be fully engaged and part of the learning process themselves. They tend to enjoy class discussions and interactive classroom environments over the traditional dissemination teaching method.” These and more he revealed during his talk “Educating Generation Z” at the Escaler Hall of Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City.
Gen Z-ers, he added, are completely comfortable with learning alongside other students, even outside of their own school, using digital tools such as Skype and online forums. They believe they should be able to seamlessly connect academic experiences to personal experiences through these same tools. Learning isn’t limited to just the classroom. it’s something that can take place anytime, anywhere.
This generation is visually oriented. “In an era of information overload, messages have increasingly become image-based and signs, logos, and brands communicate across the language barriers with color and picture rather than with words and phrases. Our analysis of learning styles has shown the dominance in visual and hands on learning styles, above auditory delivery form, which has traditionally dominated the classroom,” Dr. Dimalanta explained.
No wonder videos are a hit among the young. I remember how as a tween, my daughter Andrea raved about the instructional Loom Band videos on YouTube, how she watched them over and over again, and how she patiently and painstakingly recreated even the most complicated bracelet designs all by herself. Now 16 and in senior high school, she still relishes watching videos. In
fact, they’re her preferred reviewer for exams and she has told me twice how teacherproduced videos and PowerPoint presentations are a lot more enjoyable and easy to study than the typically plain and colorless material in textbooks.
Explainer videos in particular, or those short animated recordings that show how something is done, said Dr. Dimalanta, are ideal for teaching Gen Z-ers because: • 92 percent of these kids are online on a daily basis • Their eight-second attention span needs a quick and simple message • They consume two to four hours of video content a day • Their tech use totals more than 10 hours a day and • 70 percent of Gen Z students agree that technology helps them learn.
While videos definitely liven up lectures, reinforce lessons, and complement discussions, they are not the only option. Dr. Dimalanta recommends these smart steps as well to parents, teachers, and employers to keep Gen Z-ers interested and involved in all educational endeavors:
Be faster at feedback. This generation values a quicker pace of classroom, practice, rehearsal, and career advancement that provides frequent
feedback for meeting certain benchmarks. Gen Z-ers want to “gamify” their careers, just like online games and applications that reward players for completing specific tasks. Do it more fluid and flexible since the Gen Z majority prefer a dynamic and speedy working environment, are “building a personal brand,” and are mobile in terms of the jobs they will have and the homes they will live in. Offer more frequent rewards such as points for finishing a project on time, affirmation for reaching a goal, or small gifts for meeting a deadline to incentivize them to stay and keep working. Once they build a habit (within 21 days), it’s okay to reduce the volume and watch the internal motivation kick in. Break up the activities or tasks into smaller segments. Divide your time with students into smaller bites and segments of content to enable them to stay engaged more hours in the long run. Find a way to do it digitally. Support learning with technology because a Gen Z-er’s life revolves around the internet and digital devices, and today’s students need both literacy and digital skills to thrive in this ever changing world. Empower them to create and curate. Rather than be discovered, Gen Z-ers want to work for their success. Let them. Encourage them to explore, think, find solutions, write their own stories, and share their ideas, passions, and opinions. Correspondingly, Dr. Dimalanta reminded parents and guardians to be good role models in the use of technology, to know its pros and cons, and to help their children have balanced “tech” lives. “There is no point in taking children’s gadgets away from them—the truth is they need them and they are helpful. The challenge is to help them create a harmony and use the ‘good’ of technology and keep away from the ‘bad.’”
‘There is no point in taking children’s gadgets away from them—the truth is they need them and they are helpful.’