During this week’s tech class, we discussed the views of Generation Alpha, and how quickly their world is shifting, mostly due to the technological advancements they are growing up with. When we think about the age of children we will be teaching in the near future, the youngest will have been born in 2018. 

They will have known a childhood during a global pandemic, which in ways unknown to us yet, will greatly affect their development in some way. This generation will also have been raised with technology in their hands, which is something we as future teachers have to consider when thinking of their life experiences, and how it relates to our lessons. Their minds will be wired in ways that mine may not be. They will have grown up in a world where an algorithm has monitored them, and therefore affected their thoughts, including in the classroom. 

Something to consider when I begin my teaching to this generation, is the fact that they have grown up in an instantaneous world. With every click, swipe, and double tap, they have been rewarded right away. So what does that mean for me as a future teacher? 

My initial instinct is that I should slow them down, and create a ‘safe space’ from technology. Though, I know their future may completely rely on their understanding of tech. 

One issue that may need to be addressed before jumping into HOW we can shape this new generation of students, is the fact that the 20th century school system was developed in the 1880’s and is no longer supporting the jobs that it was once developed for. This is a great concern, as what we may be teaching our students, no longer guarantees a job, since the world has changed, and therefore the jobs and the requirements have changed as well.

We have inherited a system that is very flawed, but since it has stood the same for so long, it has been solidified as the ‘right’ way since everyone knows it as the way we were ‘all’ taught. It’s important to ask ourselves why we are teaching the way we are. Is it out of the fear of ambiguity? 

We must ask ourselves, is what we are teaching preparing our students for the life they will encounter outside of class, and later in life? 

Active learning is one way to keep this new generation engaged in the classroom, and develop skills that are predicted to be keystones to getting jobs in the future, such as problem solving, collaborating, and creative thinking. Providing the necessary resources for them to explore tech and become responsible in their usage is a way one can incorporate tech into lessons. Technology can be used in a multitude of ways that are beneficial for both the environment and the further development of the students that will ultimately help with the unforeseen future that lies ahead.

There are many online resources that allow students to explore technology while learning classroom material. Using Kahoot in later years, or playing with “Puppet Pals”, which is a great resource for students to create a story digitally. 

https://www.educationalappstore.com/app/puppet-pals-hd

https://kahoot.it/

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/games/quizzes