Prof K S Chandrasekar
Like the Western countries, India too had set of people belonging to different generations. However, India was under the British rule and the old generation which is now almost extinct had given their blood for the independence from the British. From the shackles of the British regime, India has gone forward with periods of uncertainty and later on bringing parity with the world countries. The so called Baby boomers who were born between 1946 to 1964 have seen the difficulties India faced and are told about the British rule by their parents. This generation had seen the rule where importance was given to public sectors and government. They also were willing to wait for benefits and had the patience to accept what was available. This in turn was passed on the Generation X who were born between 1965 and 1980. This generation X were very obedient, loyal and committed to the jobs they were given. Generation X is the bridge between traditional and modern eras, they have embraced technological advancements while maintaining a strong sense of practicality and individualism. Gen X’s unique traits make them a well balanced leaders, out of the box thinking, and as they were loyal, their superiors were in a position to support them, playing a critical role in shaping workplaces, families, and communities. They have seen the change and uncertainty and are in the realm of enduring influence on society. In fact, the learnings from the Gen X’s in terms of how to value profession, close knit family ties, concern for the children etc., have actually shaped the present day India. The Millennial who were born between 1981 to 1996 were the ones who started understanding the relevance of liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation. They were the ones who came out of conventional programmes have made their presence through the advancements in technology.Gen Z who were born after that between 1997 to 2012. Gen Alpha were born between 2013 to 2024.Now we have entered the generation who are born between 2025 and 2039. They are the ones who will get the dividend toiled by the old generations and will constitute a 16% of the total population by 2035. They will be able to survive and be able to see the 22nd century.
Present higher education learners are those who are considered to be in Gen Z.They have grown up in a digital age, making them highly proficient with technology and are good at multitasking due to the constant stimulation provided by technology. Since they are tech savvy, they are more introverts and hence require personal spaces. They also want immediate gratification which normally is not seen by earlier generations. They prefer to have audio and video methods, info graphics and shy away from traditional books. They are also the set of students who would like to experiment, take risks and will not follow the traditional jobs. Hence they are inclined to be more interested in working in shifts, working in new areas, tenure positions than regular positions. One of the limitations of the generation include short attention spans. They are not ardent news readers. They would be better of understanding the snippets of news, short news, and digital new information and are concerned on a global scale. They are heavily influenced by social media platforms. NEP has addressed their issues through dropping out of the first year of graduation and then getting back to normal degree unlike the earlier educational policies. They possess strong critical thinking skills usually due to their exposure to vast amounts of digital information.
As a teacher involved with Gen Z, the faculty need not to be traditional teacher but a facilitator who can guide them, advise them and also mentor them. If a teacher is able to offer new things which the student is not aware, there is a high likelihood of involving with the teacher. They need to incorporate digital resources and interactive platforms into their teaching strategies.Teachers should create a safe space for self-expression and celebrate the diversity of opinions within the classroom.
Due to access to information online, Gen Z students may rely heavily on internet sources without critically evaluating the credibility or accuracy of the information. Teachers should be able to counter that effectively through vast reading. Unlike the traditional learners who do not question the teachers, this generation will have more questioning and hence the teachers need to be competitive as well. The syllabus for this generation needs to be updated and include sustainability and international perspectives. Since they have risk inclination, it would be better to provide projects, real world assignments, critical notes so that their inner entrepreneurial traits are unearthed.
There are many challenges before the teachers as the major traits that these students require are viz.,Traditional and modern knowledge, skills including creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration and above all, character which includes mindfulness, curiosity, courage, leadership, resilience and ethics. Teachers should leverage social media as a tool for learning, encouraging students to evaluate information and engage in meaningful online discussions. Individual and team learning need to be promoted. Allowing them to have transparency and communication is very essential for the same. There is a need to create a supportive and inclusive classroom environment, promoting mental health awareness and providing adequate soft and hard resources for all students. Lifelong learning behaviours need to be promoted preferably through online mode encouraging students to seek knowledge, pursue personal interests, and adapt to a rapidly changing corporate and entrepreneurial world.Generation Z students seek to be adaptable, tech-savvy, empathetic, and inclusive. They require teachers who can guide digital platforms effectively, understand diverse perspectives, and create a supportive learning environment. Decision making and problem solving, assertiveness and empathy are part of the life skills. There is a need for life skills to be started at the early stages in school. Most of the students are now not inclined to support family in their domestic chores. Hence they need to be trained as being done in Japanese schools.
All students need to practice through, “LokahsamastahSukhinobhavantu” which translates to “May all beings everywhere be happy and free”.
(The author is Vice Chancellor, Cluster University of Jammu)
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