It’s undeniable that Gen Z people are the most educated generation, but they bring new changes in the educational system, facing some challenges. Those challenges vary from mental health to technology and are expressed in diverse forms in their daily life.
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Who are Gen Z people?
The generation that follows Millennials and comes before Generation Alpha is known as Generation Z (or Gen Z for short), also referred to as zoomers. Researchers use people born in the early 2010s as ending birth years, whereas the mid to late 1990s are used as starting birth years. Most Generation Zers are descendants of Generation X. Members of Generation Z have been labeled “digital natives” even though they are not necessarily technologically competent because they are the first social generation to have grown up with access to the Internet and portable digital technology from a young age. In addition, compared to younger children, teens are more affected negatively by screen time.
Members of Generation Z often live longer than people in prior generations did when they were their age, are less likely to drink alcohol, and have a lower incidence of teen pregnancies (but not necessarily other psychoactive drugs). Teenagers in Generation Z are more concerned about their academic achievement and employment prospects than prior generations are, which creates some challenges for them.
Prices of getting high-level education
Regarding their educational aspirations, Generation Z has a variety of priorities. Considering that they have unique characteristics, there are many innovative ways that they are transforming higher education, including their perspectives on social, technological, and financial challenges and stress. This generation was raised using the internet, mobile devices, and social media sites like Instagram, which means they can get an education for free without paying tens of dollars to traditional universities. As a result, Gen Z higher education will need online options regarding the price of educational opportunities. Traditional educational opportunities have their role in Gen Z people’s career development, but they tend to apply for online programs, which don’t specifically have degree options. Although generally, traditional systems offer official documents to prove their knowledge, fake GED diplomas have the opportunity to show the academic history, enabling them to prioritize mainly skills and knowledge, not just a paper they might get from the degree. Thus, this generation is more concerned with practical knowledge, anticipating that academics will be closely related to their professional objectives.
Classroom atmosphere changes
The most varied generation in modern history have very different attitudes toward money and technology preferences than other generations, which creates substantial classroom atmosphere changes regarding the discussion topics. In light of this, this generation is especially sensitive to concerns about inclusiveness, such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Also, Gen Z anticipates a wide range of support services on their campus, such as academic tutoring, physical and mental health care, and tools for job development. As they’re not aligning with traditional education methods, they expect to see more innovative, in-formal, and creative educational methods. Thus, higher education will need to change to meet the demands and standards of this incredibly distinct generation. It will be necessary to develop programs and services that respect and support these significant differences in addition to having a thorough understanding of what makes this generation unique. The classroom atmosphere is expected to be both accessible and inexpensive, providing students a competitive edge in this rapidly changing world while also preparing them for careers.
Mental Health Issues
Although Generation Z has been dubbed the most melancholy generation, its members are more likely than their older contemporaries to seek health therapy or counseling. Research shows that More Gen Zers say they’ve worked with a mental health professional than any other generation. Numerous factors, such as school shootings, student debt, unemployment, and even politics, contribute to the chronic stress that Gen Z experiences. Technology also has an impact. Some young people experience intense feelings of isolation and loneliness due to growing up in a hyperconnected world. It can also encourage a constant stream of negative news stories, a fear of missing out, and shame over not living up to a standard worthy of social media. Thus, Suicide rates vary across genders, races, and ethnicities, according to data.
Addiction to Technology
The way that Gen Zers learn, communicate, and gather information is fundamentally influenced by technology. Based on their desire for in-person or virtual interactions, higher education will need to adapt to their expectations to receive numerous services. As the first generation to truly grow up in the digital age, Gen Z has grown up with constant access to streaming media, on-demand knowledge, and instantaneous communication. Thus, they’re a technologically savvy generation, but the growing usage of the internet distracts them from daily chores of technology.