Share Paper: Generation Z: What are they and what might that mean for education? A pilot study in Belgium and Suriname.

  1. Koen DePryck, Institute of Knowledge Management, Belgium
  2. Ward Aldelhof, van Veldeke, Belgium
  3. Ilse Wambacq, Montclair State University, United States
  4. Freya Konings, van Veldeke, Belgium
  5. Jerry Oldenstam, Ewald P. Meyer Lyceum, Suriname
  6. Nele Adriaenssens, van Veldeke, Belgium

Abstract: Based on marketing research, Generation Z (born roughly between 1995 and 2012) is hyped as different from previous generations (generations Y and before). They are, for example, often labelled ‘digital natives,’ (which scares especially older teachers). Based on 10 years of interviews and trendwatching, Ahlers J. and R. Boenders (2019) draft a profile of Generation Z. Our research focusses on the extent to which GenZ recognizes itself in that profile. Our findings, based on a survey (n=265) which was co-designed with upper secondary school learners (belonging to GenZ) and piloted in Flanders (Belgium) and Suriname suggest that GenZ is not ...