Teachers With 20+ Years In The Classroom, Tell Us The Biggest Difference Between Millennials/Gen Z/Gen Alpha

BuzzFeed
·1-min read

The evolution of classroom dynamics has changed drastically over the past 20 years. The introduction of technology and how it's progressed since the turn of the millennium has undoubtedly changed the playing field for both teachers and students.

Ms. Frizzle, from "The Magic School Bus," drives the bus while holding a chameleon wearing a small lab coat, with one hand raised enthusiastically
PBS / Via netflix.com

As kids return to school this week, teachers must navigate a classroom of new students.

Children in a classroom raising their hands during a lesson
Monkeybusinessimages / Getty Images

But for the teachers with at least two decades under their belt, we want to know: What are the biggest changes you've seen between generations?

Mr. Feeny sits at his desk in a classroom, wearing a blazer over a sweater vest. His nameplate reads "Mr. Feeny." Books and a chalkboard are visible in the background
ABC / Via disneyplus.com

Think back to when millennials were filling your classrooms in the 2000s — what stood out about their learning styles or their interactions with technology? Especially since smartphones and social media hardly existed. Did you start seeing the first signs of digital integration?

A classroom with students working on computers. A teacher is assisting a student. The room has several desktop computers on desks
Bob Rowan / Getty Images

Then, fast forward to Gen Z. Did their arrival significantly shift how students interacted with technology? How have platforms like TikTok and Instagram shaped their communication styles?

Kai Cenat in school in Taiwan
Kai Cenat / Via youtube.com

Between these two generations alone, it's evident that there was a significant gap in how media was consumed and their social interactions with others.

Then came Gen Alpha — a generation that has been practically raised on tablets. Are they more tech-savvy than their predecessors, or do they exhibit different learning preferences? How has their exposure to technology from an early age shaped their expectations of education?

A child wearing a VR headset and a plaid shirt interacts with a virtual environment, while an adult holding a laptop watches and smiles in a classroom setting
Seventyfour / Getty Images

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