Gen Z Dominance: What Does It Mean for Our Education?
Unique traits, preferences, and technological fluency, Gen Z presents both challenges and opportunities for educators
The dominance of Generation Z has significant implications for our education system. As the largest demographic group in many educational institutions, understanding the characteristics and needs of Gen Z students becomes paramount. This article explores the implications of Gen Z’s dominance in education and examines how it shapes teaching and learning approaches. With their unique traits, preferences, and technological fluency, Gen Z presents both challenges and opportunities for educators. By understanding and adapting to the needs of this generation, we can create an educational environment that effectively engages and prepares Gen Z students for the future.
The results of the 2020 Population Census were released by the Central Statistics Agency at the end of January, providing an overview of demographics, which have undergone significant changes compared to the previous census in 2010. As predicted and analyzed by various experts, is currently in a period known as the Demographic Bonus. Interestingly, the 2020 census results show that the majority of ’s population comes from Generation Z (27.94%), which refers to the generation born between 1997 and 2012. The Millennial generation considered the driving force of current societal movements, represents slightly less than Gen Z, accounting for 25.87% of the total population. This means that Gen Z plays a crucial role and influences current and future development.
Who are Generation Z?
In many analyses, experts state that Gen Z has distinct characteristics and traits compared to previous generations. They are labelled as the boundary-less generation. For example, Ryan Jenkins (2017), in his article titled “Four Reasons Generation Z will be the Most Different Generation”, states that Gen Z has different expectations, preferences, and work perspectives, which pose challenges for organizations. The character of Gen Z is diverse, global in nature, and influences the culture and attitudes of society as a whole. One notable aspect is that Gen Z is adept at utilizing technological advancements in various aspects of their lives. They naturally incorporate technology into their daily routines.
An article by Bruce Tulgan and RainmakerThinking, Inc. titled “Meet Generation Z: The Second Generation within The Giant Millennial Cohort,” based on longitudinal research conducted from 2003 to 2013, identifies five key characteristics differentiating Gen Z from previous generations. Firstly, social media is a glimpse into the future of this generation. Gen Z is a generation that has never known a world completely disconnected from others. Social media bridges the isolation gap, as anyone can connect, communicate, and interact with others anytime and anywhere. This is related to the second characteristic, which is that connectivity with others is of utmost importance to Gen Z. Thirdly, there is a potential skills gap within this generation. Efforts to transfer skills from previous generations, such as interpersonal communication, work culture, technical skills, and critical thinking, need to be intensified. Fourthly, Gen Z’s ease of exploring and connecting with people from different places virtually through the internet limits their geographical experiences. However, their ability to communicate with diverse individuals worldwide gives them a global mindset. Lastly, their openness to accepting various perspectives and mindsets makes them more accepting of diversity and different views. However, as a consequence, Gen Z finds it challenging to define their identity. Their self-identity often changes based on various influences shaping their thoughts and attitudes.
