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The characteristics, behaviors and learning styles of Gen Z and Alpha Gen Learners

Gen Z and Gen Alpha in the Classroom: The Importance of Digital Learning

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Learning Tools for Gens Z and Alpha

Help both Gen Z and Gen Alpha students meet the challenges of their time with SEL.

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As a modern-day educator, you probably have experience working with both Millennials and Generation
Z students—where Millennials are defined as those born between 1981 and 1996 and Generation Z are
those born in the years after. But there’s a new generation in town: Generation Alpha. The succeeding
generation after Gen Z, these youngsters are the first generation born entirely within the 21st century.
And as Gen Alpha students begin to enter school, educators are spending more and more time putting
their heads together to determine the best ways to teach these digital natives. In this article, we’re
outlining key distinctions between Gen Z and Gen Alpha—including their different learning preferences
—so you can tailor your curricula and support systems to prioritize your students’ mental health,
emotional wellbeing, and physical safety district-wide.

Who is Gen Z?

Gen Z students were born between 1996 and 2010, making them middle-school and high-school aged
with the tail end of the generation turning 18 in 2028.

Gen Z Characteristics

Gen Z is our first true generation of digital natives. Born into a technological world, information has been
placed at their fingertips and social media use has become the norm.

In fact, many members of Gen Z hardly go a day without sustaining relationships through social media
apps. A 2018 study found that 45% of adolescents surveyed reported that they were online “almost
constantly.” Research is still ongoing on the link between social media and mental health, but a general
negative correlation has already been established. Therefore, it makes sense that Gen Z is marked by an
uptick in anxiety and depression and has a stronger likelihood of reporting mental health concerns. And
unfortunately, less than a third of students believe that their schools—where they spend the majority of
their time—are prepared to handle student mental health issues that could lead to self-harm or suicide.
This generation is also incredibly diverse. They’ll likely be the last generation in America that’s
predominantly white, with 48% of their population being comprised of Hispanic, Black, and Asian
individuals. Their early years also saw the federal legalization of gay marriage and our first Black
president. These demographics are essential for school administrators to consider, as a recent poll
found that about half of teens (49%) and parents (51%) are aware of a classmate or student who was
bullied because of their race, sexual orientation, or income level.

Gen Z students have a lot to contend with, but you can tailor your district-wide curricula to help support
them in these areas. For example, you can implement social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum that
focuses on developing self-awareness skills that help students cope with the fallout of daily social media
use. SEL curriculum can also teach students social awareness and empathy, allowing them to embrace
the diversity around them instead of seeing these differences in a negative light.

How Does Gen Z Learn Best?

When it comes to Gen Z in the classroom, digital savviness is the name of the game. As an educator, this
knowledge can make a huge difference in the way you and your faculty communicate with and teach
Gen Z students.

For instance, knowing that Gen Z students are used to having information at their fingertips can help
educators craft engaging lesson plans that meet them in their comfort zone. Curricula should include
lessons that support critical thinking skills by teaching students how to sort through masses of
information and determine what’s valuable. Consider using apps, web-based platforms, and other digital
resources to engage students on their level and allow them to truly connect to their lessons.

Who is Gen Alpha?

Gen Alpha, born between 2010 and 2025, are the first generation born completely within the 21st
century. And while Gen Z were our first true digital natives, Gen Alpha will mark a new digital age, given
how quickly and exponentially technology advances. The oldest of these students are just beginning
middle school after growing up with housemates like Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri, along with other
ubiquitous technologies.

Gen Alpha Characteristics

Gen Alpha is slated to be the most racially diverse generation in American history, and they’re also more
likely to grow up in non-traditional households. Given their vast diversity, these students will need
social-emotional learning support more than ever. Honing social awareness skills can help make
students more empathetic toward others, leading to greater tolerance and even a celebration of
diversity. And students’ abilities to connect with others positively have long-term benefits, include
better college and career readiness.

A unique digital savviness will also be a defining characteristic of their generation. Gen Alpha will be
unimpressed by technological advances in “smart” devices like digital assistants, considering them
commonplace. Along with this direct impact of rapidly advancing technology, the pervasiveness of tech
will also have secondary effects. Consider that many parents are regularly immersed in their
smartphones and that tech-wielding kids aren’t spending as much in-person time playing in their
neighborhoods as prior generations did. This could lead to a reduction in social-emotional learning
support at home and in their communities, making schools’ roles in providing SEL support even more
important.

The COVID-19 pandemic will likely have lasting effects on Gen Alpha as well, although it’s still too early
to tell the extent. Spending the better part of a year attending primary school virtually, as many Gen
Alpha students did, is bound to have an effect on development, especially when paired with reduced in-
person extracurricular activities.

How Does Gen Alpha Learn Best?

Like Gen Z, Gen Alpha will be incredibly comfortable with technology and used to being able to access
information at a moment’s notice. Rapid technological advancements, however, could have lasting
effects on the attention spans of Gen Alpha students, something that educators will need to keep in
mind when choosing curriculum.

A focus on cultivating critical thinking skills will also be essential for Gen Alpha students. Like Gen Z, they
will be inundated with information, and their task will be to sort out what’s valuable from the rest
during their academic careers and beyond. Given Gen Alpha’s distinct need for social-emotional learning
support and their comfort with digital tools, it makes sense to provide SEL curriculum that’s delivered
digitally, like Navigate360 Social-Emotional Learning.

Meeting Gen Z and Gen Alpha Students Where They Are

Regardless of their differences, there’s one thing that Gen Z and Gen Alpha have in common: growing up
in a digital world. Technology certainly has its benefits; it will be essential to include technological
delivery and research methods in curriculum for both generations. But it’s also important to consider
the effects that digital environments can have on social and emotional wellbeing.

And that’s why SEL curriculum should be an essential program in every school district. Both Gen Z and
Gen Alpha students need schools to step into their role of providing social-emotional learning support to
help them navigate life in the 21st century. SEL curriculum has a proven track record for improving
student outcomes, especially when it’s delivered in engaging, digital formats students are comfortable
with, such as Navigate360’s digital SEL curriculum.

Learn more about Navigate360 SEL and the many ways it can help both Gen Z and Gen Alpha students
meet the challenges of their time. And don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions.

Navigate360

3 Generation Z traits that impact the classroom 

Find out how good teachers can approach teaching Gen Z students, who tend to be
digitally immersed, incredibly diverse and prone to anxiety and depression. 

1. Gen Z students are true digital natives

You may have heard the term “digital natives” used when speaking about Millennials,
but Gen Z is really the first generation that doesn’t know life without technology. To this
population, Google, Instagram and smartphones are not just convenient tools — they’re
necessary parts of life. 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. Students want to make decisions
about what they learn and how they demonstrate their knowledge. 

How can teachers adapt?

Rather than trying to draw students away from technology, consider how you can use it
to provide information and engage with them. Here are five tips for teaching digital
natives: 

 Use educational software — There are a lot of tech tools that can both make
your job easier and keep Gen Z students engaged. In addition to full-service
learning management systems, you can leverage software to create everything
from interactive presentations to educational games.  
 Begin a dialogue — Long lectures aren’t the best technique for Gen Z students.
They’re used to multitasking and skimming for the most valuable information. Try
a variety of teaching methods to keep the class moving. 
 Use visuals to your advantage — Like lectures, large blocks of text can result
in students losing engagement. Using charts, graphics and multimedia can make
the material more memorable.  
  Hold online office hours — For students who are used to immediately reaching
people online, sending an instant message is likely going to be more effective.
It’s also more efficient for parents of younger children to reach out directly than
setting up a formal appointment. 
 Provide rationale — Gen Z students are used to constantly updated newsfeeds
and have come to expect only the most relevant information. For that reason,
explain upfront why a lesson is important and how it’s applicable in the real
world.  

2. Gen Z students are diverse 

Generation Z is the most diverse generation yet. Nearly half are racial or ethnic
minorities, and they’re pursuing college at rates higher than previous generations. The
majority of this generation also believes that diversity is good for society and is willing
more willing to side with those who speak out against inequality. 

How can teachers adapt?

Interacting with individuals who are different helps people anticipate alternative
viewpoints and recognize that reaching a consensus will take effort. That’s clearly
relevant to teachers. But educators need to take extra measures to support a diverse
student population. Here are four tips from Imagine Learning: 

 Explore your own culture — By understanding the social interests, goals and
thought-patterns that influence your culture, you can better identify personal
biases and recognize the value of cultural background. 
 Make an effort to understand other cultures — Go beyond the surface and
aim to understand how the diversity of your students affects how they see
themselves and the world around them.
 Think carefully about language — Language and dialect are key parts of
culture. By examining how words are used, you can learn to communicate with
students in a more meaningful way.  
 Use diverse books and materials — Incorporating multicultural literature can
help students identify more with the material and foster cross-cultural
understanding. 

3. Gen Z students experience high rates of depression and

anxiety 
It can be easy to dismiss moody or withdrawn behavior as typical teenage angst. But
according to the Pew Research Center, a growing number of this generation is
experiencing something more serious. The total number of teenagers experiencing
depression increased 59 percent from 2007 to 2017. Potential contributing factors
include academic pressure, high rates of perfectionism, and a lack of adequate sleep.
All this is to say there’s a high likelihood that you will encounter a student with a mental
illness. 

How can teachers adapt?

Teachers can do a lot to support students struggling with mental health issues. The
International Board of Credentialing and Continued Education Standards (IBCCES)
offers six great techniques that can help educators teach Generation Z students who
may be facing depression:

 Work with students — Rather than using an authoritative teaching style, try
engaging Gen Z students one on one. Be sensitive that their emotions may
impact their learning. 
 Use techniques that focus on positivity — This isn’t to say you should let bad
behavior go unaddressed, but you can use strategies that focus on empowering
students. Try rewarding engagement with verbal praise and regularly reviewing
ways that students demonstrate growth. 
 Make accommodations — Educators can give assignment extensions, break
tasks into smaller pieces, and offer to help students create study plans. They
may also encourage students to help one another. 
 Set the stage for success — Recognizing success can give students much-
needed confidence. Even though you must follow state standards, you can break
up your curriculum into frequent milestones for students to celebrate.  
 Consult the experts — School-employed mental health personnel can provide
counseling, connect students to further services and collaborate with family
members. 
 Take a class — Learning from experienced educators can help you apply
evidence-based research to your teaching. Some courses can even demonstrate
how to create a safe place in which to talk about mental health. 

Succeed in teaching Generation Z

Each new generation of students will bring changes to teaching and learning. You’ll
continually find yourself adapting your instructional style to account for their interests,
struggles and goals. But one thing that won’t change is the trend toward a more digital
world.  
As you begin to adapt to Generation Z traits, you’ll want to give extra consideration to
making sure students are ready to navigate a technology fueled work environment.
Learn more about how to prepare your students for success both during and after
school by reading our article, “What is 21st century learning? Preparing today’s
students for tomorrow’s workforce.”