Reimagining learning styles through Gen Z’s lenses

ARTICLE: KRISTEN NICOLE RANARIO | FEBRUARY 8, 2024

Coined as digital natives, Generation Zoomers, most referred to as Gen Zs, are the pioneer witnesses of how technology conquered social communities all the way down to almost every aspect of one's lives.

The keypad phones they used to idly play “Snake” game have gradually evolved and became a necessity to make their academic lives easier. Gen Zs lived through the innovative transition instead of finding it difficult to follow through. They adapted such innovation just as technology sneaked its way into their learning environment, requiring the educators to adjust themselves.

Zoomers as Challenging Learners

Living in a society that seemed to co-exist with a virtual counterpart, Generation Zs gave more value to interconnectedness. A 2017 study by E.J. Cillier shows that Gen Zs expect a classroom environment where interactions are as easy as engaging with people online, and educators must learn to replace communication with interaction to ensure active participation.

As digital natives, this generation tends to rely on technology and multimedia to engage and focus effectively in class. Discussions with little to no visual presentations can be a bit boring and may easily slip away from their memory. They can easily remember facts they randomly watched on TikTok, for instance, rather than those discussed in lengthy school lessons.

Being more socially-aware has also made them notably vocal and fearless to question the status quo, even in the classroom setting. Senior high school teacher Joshua Magno shared that as expressive learners, Gen Z learners are often challenging to guide, especially about things that are “inappropriate” in class or their age.

This shows that Gen Zs require different learning styles to be attentive, rather than following the teacher’s authority alone. In a way, these learners see competence in new, engaging, and creative ways to spice up the class—going beyond the traditional.

Stepping-up plans for lesson plans

Going beyond the teacher-centered method, PHINMA Republican College principal Emmanuel Cacabelos underscored that teaching Gen Z students rely heavily on classroom strategies, especially through discussions that could best highlight their competence and make their attention span longer.

It’s the right time for teachers to cross out the traditional learning style where the most exchanged idea from learners is how to yawn from time to time. With that, Cacabelos makes sure to apply the “differentiated instruction” method, which aims to provide a variety of learning strategies that can enhance the intelligence and skills of learners, especially keeping their differences in interests and preparedness in mind.

He also encourages an active learning classroom where students take a vital part in the discussion. He invites them to engage not through the typical question-and-answer but actually allowing them to become the masters of the lesson rather than just listeners.

Lastly, he promotes collaborative activities where students are given tasks that could help them connect and collaborate more with their peers. He does all of these while providing significant feedback and listing their strengths or what could be improved by the end of the day.

Magno, on the other hand, has his own application of these strategies through five activities that educators can use to have a Gen Z-captivating lesson plan. In his experience, Gen Z learners are more active when applying the following activities: think-pair-share, peer teaching, role-plays, small group discussions, and gamification.

“[These] strategies are essential for Gen Z as they align with their preferences, promote engagement, and develop the skills necessary for success in a dynamic and technology-driven world,” the teacher explained.

Despite the challenges, adapting to Gen Z learners’ learning styles shows how they can motivate the former generations to be more creative and put more thought into their craft—simultaneously improving the type of classroom setting that will welcome the younger generation.

In a way, their perspectives and confidence that amplifies their meaningful thoughts also teach the people around them, something even their educators appreciate in the process.

Together, they create the game-changers of today.