Education - here comes ChatGPT ....!

Generation Alpha are children born from 2010 to 2025. They are the first generation entirely born within the 21st century. They are also known as the iGeneration. They are the children of the Millennials.

Generation Alpha" - next generation will be "the most formally educated generation ever, the most technology-supplied generation ever, and globally the wealthiest generation ever.

By 2025, which is the year when the youngest Alphas are born, Generation Alpha will account to 2 billion of the global population. Generation Alpha is the most technological-infused demographic up to date. They use smartphones and tablets naturally. They were born along with iPhones, iPads, and apps.

They don't know or can imagine how life was without them.

They are not afraid of technology or touching buttons to learn what those buttons do. Alphas learn by doing. They are growing up with the voice of Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant in their home. In the world of the Alphas, interacting with Artificial Intelligence and voice assistants is simply natural.?

Generation Alpha is an exciting generation.

The older Alphas at age eight are more tech-savvy than their predecessors.

Artificial Intelligence is expected to be mainstream by the time the first Alphas reach their twenties.

Many of us being Millennial parents of Generation Alpha kids already use health apps to track our health data. Our children thus see AI health-trackers from day one in life.

AI-powered chatbots equipped with disease databases, patient history and symptoms will be able to diagnose sick Generation Alpha children in a matter of seconds with 100 percent accuracy.

"By 2025, Generation Alpha will number 2 billion globally. It will be the wealthiest, most educated, and technologically literate in history." - Robert Hannah , Chief Operating Officer at Grant Thornton U.K.

• Facial recognition and machine learning is being used as we speak, health, immigration, banking.
• Robot surgeons will be operating on Alpha children and doctors will use data from AI to make life or death health decisions.
• AI social robots are now caring for the elderly. Generation Alpha will not suffer from cancer due to AI technology in diagnosing the illness.
• Generation Alpha and will have a better quality of life thanks to improved overall health.
• The older Alphas at age eight today are already more tech-savvy than we are.
• Gen Alphas are super direct and confident about expressing their opinion.
• Alphas have a great influence on Millennials. We download Instagram and Facebook simply because they use it.

Changes in education

The needs of Generation Alpha is changing the educational landscape. We now use latest technology in classrooms. We are beginning to consider different learning experience opportunities for our Alpha children. For our Alpha learners, knowledge is acquired by doing and experiencing. How do we enhance this type of learning?

"These children are the most connected, educated, and sophisticated generation ever, so when educating, a school should provide an environment that enhances learning for these digital integrators." -

Jenny Coetzee, career educator and founding member of the ADvTECH Group 's prestigious Crawford School La Lucia

Generation Alpha requires changes and a new approach to education at all levels.

We need to develop a learning strategies that require deep learning with a curriculum that is flexible enough to be adapted and changed quickly according to the young Alphas' inquisitive minds. We need to develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. We need to ensure that Generation Alpha children are able to see problems from different and global perspectives. We need to involve them in collaboration and allow them to analyze alternative solutions according to different viewpoints, and then make decisions based on their own personal and individual critical thinking.

This is the generation that will co-live with advanced Artificial Intelligence.

Gen Alphas need to be creative. They are quick thinkers.

How generations have changed? Has education kept up with societal needs?

So how has this happened?

The Lost Generation children were born between 1883 and 1900 . This is the generation that came of age during World War 1. They were "Lost" "disoriented, wandering, directionless"—a recognition that there was great confusion and aimlessness among the war's survivors in the early post-war years.

In the "Silent Generation" fit was felt that it was dangerous to speak out -?born between 1925 and 1945.

Baby boomers born from 1946 to 1964 began to become associated with privilege, as many grew up during a period of increasing affluence, they were wealthier, more active and more physically fit than any preceding generation and were the first to grow up genuinely expecting the world to improve with time.

They were also the generation that reached peak levels of income in the workplace and could, therefore, enjoy the benefits of abundant food, clothing, and retirement programmes. The increase in consumerism was seen by some as excessive.?

The Leading-Edge Baby Boomers are individuals born between 1946 and 1955, those who came of age during the Vietnam War era. The other half of the generation was born between 1956 and 1964. Called Late Boomers, or Trailing-Edge Boomers, sometime known a generation Jones.

In 2004, the British baby boomers held 80% of the UK's wealth and bought 80% of all high-end cars, 80% of cruises and 50% of skincare products.

Key characteristics of cohort one were: experimental, individualism, free spirited, social cause oriented. Later Boomers are associated with narcissism and the 'me generation' being "better off" than the one before it.

This is how we planned education and in many schools we still plan it this way with personal social and health education programmes - we teach history, individuals and society. Then came Gen X...

Generation X or Gen X

Gen X is the birth years from the early-to-mid 1960s to the early 1980s. They are the children that were brought up with changes in societal values, increasing divorce rates mothers now going to work - the MTV generation, grunge, hip hop. When they were in their teens, punk rock became a major and highly controversial cultural phenomenon in the United Kingdom.?

By 1977 the influence of punk rock music and subculture became more pervasive, spreading throughout various countries worldwide. In the late 1970s punk experienced its second wave.

Gen Xers were becoming the creators of music as well as the consumers. In addition to lyrical self-glorification, hip hop was also used as a form of social protest. Lyrical content from the era often drew attention to a variety of social issues including afrocentric living, drug use, crime and violence, religion, culture, and the modern man's struggle.?

We planned our curriculum around this - right?

The birth control pill introduced in the early 1960s, there was increased immigration. The Latchkey children especially in middle and upper class children lacked supervision in the day and during mothers working hours. This was a generation of crack, increased violent crime, AIDS.

Gen Xers were the first children to have access to computers in their homes and schools.

They are referred to as 'Génération Bof' because of their tendency to use the word 'bof', which translated into English means 'whatever".

Gen Xers were often portrayed as apathetic, slackers. Stereotypes of Gen X young adults also included that they were "bleak, cynical, and disaffected". Children in the 20s were described as aimless and unfocused.

As the 1990s and 2000s progressed, entrepreneurship emerged. By 2002, Gen Xers ... Aren't Slackers After All, as confidence and optimism, 80% to 90% of Gen Xers were deemed self-confident and optimistic with entrepreneurial tendencies creating the high-tech industry that fueled the 1990s economic recovery.

Gen Xers got used to cohabiting, getting married in increasing numbers following the terrorists attacks, with Gen X survey respondents reporting they no longer wanted to live alone.

They were independent, resourceful, self-managing, adaptable, cynical, pragmatic, skeptical of authority, and see a work life balance.

This is how we taught them in schools. These are the skills that dominated our curricula, our school visions, our professional development courses.

These learners are described as the greatest entrepreneurial generation in history as they became high-tech savvy as well as an increased awareness of globalization.

Then came the Millennials, Generation Y or Gen Y starting birth years were in mid-1990s to early 2000s .. the "echo boomers" due to a major surge in birth rates in the 1980s and 1990s, and because millennials are often the children of the baby boomers.

Psychologist Jean Twenge, the author of the 2006 book Generation Me, considers millennials, along with younger members of Generation X, to be part of what she calls "Generation Me’ - showing increased narcissism among millennials compared to preceding generations when they were teens and in their twenties

Members of Generation Y are digital natives because they have grown up experiencing digital technology and have known it all their lives.

Fewer follow sport than their Generation X counterparts.

Millennials place an emphasis on producing meaningful work, finding a creative outlet, and have a preference for immediate feedback.

Introduction of social media has augmented collaborative skills and created a preference for a team-oriented environment.

Millennials "expect close relationships and frequent feedback from supervisors"

9 out of 10 millennials place an importance on work-life balance, favoring familial over corporate values?- contrasts to the Baby Boomers' work-centric attitude.

Millennials "Trophy Kids", reflects a trend in competitive sports, as well as many other aspects of life, where mere participation is frequently enough for a reward.

Millennials have too great expectations from the workplace -they will switch jobs frequently, holding many more jobs than Gen Xers due to their great expectations - younger millennials being "more practical" and "more attracted to industries with steady work and are more likely to say they are willing to work overtime" which earns them more money

They look for versatility and flexibility in the workplace, innovation and strive for a strong work–life balance in their jobs.

Generation Flux?- Societal change has been accelerated by the use of social media, smart phones, mobile computing, and other new technologies. "Generation Flux" have birth-years in the ranges of both generation X and millennials.

Millennials will have a lower marriage rate compared to previous generations, predicting that by age 40, 31% of millennial women will remain single, approximately twice the share of their single Gen X counterparts.

Millennials, "they're the group much more likely to live with their parents." furthering "they're concentrating more on school, careers and work and less focused on forming new families, spouses or partners and children". High student debt is described as one reason for continuing to live with parents, but may not be the dominant factor for this shift as the data shows the trend is stronger for those without a college education.

Over half of millennials polled in the United Kingdom in 2013 said they had "no religion nor attended a place of worship", other than for a wedding or a funeral.

Next Generation X college students, born between 1983–1992, are frequently in touch with their parents and use technology at higher rates than people from other generations. They own computers, mobile phone, MP3 players.

Remember Gen Xers and millennials were the first to grow up with computers in their homes. They use social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter etc..., to create a different sense of belonging, make acquaintances, and to remain connected with friends.

Millennials are the children of Baby Boomers or Generation X, while some older members may have parents from the Silent Generation.

Generation Y was more "open-minded than their parents on controversial topics. Millennials are less likely to strongly identify with the generational term when compared to Generation X or to the Baby Boomers

In addition to millennials being the most ethnically and racially diverse compared to the generations older than they are, they are also on pace to be the most formally educated. Along with being educated, millennials also tend be upbeat.

Generation Z or Gen Z, mid-1990s to mid-2000s.

Most of Generation Z have used the internet since a young age and are comfortable with technology and social media.

Generation Z see their peers as competitive, spontaneous, adventuresome, and curious; all characteristics that they do not see readily in themselves.

In addition, some authors consider that some of their competencies, such as reading competence, are being transformed due to their familiarity with digital devices, platforms and texts.

They are more risk-averse than earlier generations.?

Generation Z youth had lower teen pregnancy rates, less substance abuse, and higher graduation rates compared with Millennials.

Generation Z as a more educated , well-behaved , stressed and depressed generation in comparison to previous ones.

Generation Z was the first generation to have widespread access to the Internet at an early age.

This began to cause a lot of debate in schools as on one hand, technology offers the potential for deeper involvement in learning and more individualized instruction, thereby making this generation potentially better educated and more well-rounded, whereas on other hand, some there is concern that the there is emerging technology dependence which may hinder child development.

This is where we stand at the moment in most schools.

Reality check.

An online newspaper about texting, SMS and MMS writes that teens own cellphones without necessarily needing them.

As children become teenagers, receiving a phone is considered a right of passage so that they can contact their peers and be safe. It is now a social norm to have one at an early age. They are also more likely to "follow" others on social media than "share" and use different types of social media for different purposes

This is important to them. Twitter and Instagram, Snapchat - videos, pictures, and messages being sent instantly. Speed and reliability are critical to

Generation Z - quick communication is presented in popular Generation Z apps like Vine and the use of emojis .

Young people use the Internet more as a way to gain access to information and to interact with others.

Teens spend most of their time online in private communication with people they interact with outside the Internet on a regular basis. It does also increase global connections.

The parents of the Gen Z'ers fear the overuse of the Internet by their children.

Parents dislike the ease of access to inappropriate information and images as well as social networking sites where children can gain access to people worldwide.

Conflict. Children feel annoyed with their parents complaining and controlling what they say, is their lives - when it comes to their Internet usage.

They cant understand as for them its a positive experience as they interact with people who they otherwise would not have met in the real world.

Emotional issues arise. They tend to feel more lonely and left out. They are concerned about how their posting will be perceived by people or their friends.

There is an immediacy to Generation Z's consumption habits. They want things now.

Dangers include incidents of cyberbullying, decreased self-esteem, and emotional instability, girls more than boys.

Girls are more likely to use Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram than boys.

Boys are more likely to utilise online forums, e-chat groups, and Reddit than girls.

Spotify is now ranked first for music listening among Gen Z, terrestrial radio ranked second, while YouTube was reported to be the preferred platform for music discovery.

YouTube contains music from all musical genres and time periods, allowing Gen Z access to a wide variety of music which would not have easily been available to teens who came of age in the era of Top of the Pops, MTV and CDs.

Additionally, Soundcloud and Bandcamp allow Gen Z access to music from artists who are not yet even signed to a music label.

Most Generation Z believe that obtaining a college degree is necessary in achieving their career goals but they are worried about the debt they will accumulate.

This aspiration helps us a educational leaders. It was not always the same in previous generations - but this comes at a price if we don't change our teaching strategies.

Educating Gen Z

There is a real popularity in entrepreneurship and owning their own business.

They now have access to social media platforms, bring your own device, website builders, 3D printers, and on line shipping platforms providing them with so many opportunities to start a business at a young age.

They can market globally without ever leaving their house.

They are becoming much more conservative, money-oriented, and pragmatic about money compared with Millennials".

Generation Z's valuable characteristics in education are their acceptance of new ideas - they prefer person-to-person contact as opposed to online interaction so are well prepared for a global business environment.

They no longer just want a job: they want a feeling of fulfillment and excitement in their job all the time.

They are eager to be involved in their community and their futures, and because of the global opportunities they are already out in their world searching how to take advantage of relevant opportunities that will give them new experiences for the future.

These are the children that populate our schools at the moment - and then came the Alpha Kids, who can already live and work and be educated anywhere in the world, travel as often as they like, for as long as they like, change what they’re working on to make it fun, visualise and actualise uncapped earning potential, work with peers all over the world, choose their own hours and office ...

Sir Ken Robinson ‘Out of Our Minds’, observes that ‘The more complex the world becomes, the more creative we need to be to meet its challenges’.

In his book ‘Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Dragon?’, educational thought leader Yong Zhao warns, “National standards and national curriculum, enforced by high-stakes testing, can at best teach students what is prescribed…

As a result, students talented in other areas never have the opportunity to discover those talents.

Students with broader interests are discouraged, not rewarded. The system results in a population with similar skills in a narrow spectrum of talents. But especially in today’s society, innovation and creativity are needed in many areas, some as yet undiscovered.”

Unfortunately in schools we continue to teach to a standardised curriculum much through memorisation, at a one-size-fits-all pace.

In reality learners can stay at home and learn the same by watching a YouTube video and now ChatGPT

Remember ...

• Generation Z – born between 1995 and 2009 – do not remember life without the internet.
• Generation Alpha – born since 2010 – they are younger than smartphones, the iPad, 3D television, Instagram, and music streaming apps like Spotify. This is the first generation likely to see in the 22nd century in large numbers.

The Alpha kids have never been more than a few seconds away from the answers to their questions, with everything just a quick search away.

The current students we have in schools come from Generation Z and Generation Alpha.

They are the most globally connected students in history and can make friends on the other side of the planet they travel more.

They are intelligent, independent and extremely capable and are comfortable with global and intercultural communication.

The coalition P21 (Partnership for 21st Century Learning) has identified four ‘Skills for Today’ :

• Creativity
• Critical thinking
• Communication
• Collaboration

Creativity is about thinking through information in new ways, making new connections and coming up with innovative solutions to problems.

Critical thinking is about analysing information and critiquing claims.

Communication is understanding things well enough to share them clearly with other people.

Collaboration is about teamwork and the collective genius of a group that is more than the sum of its parts.

Entrepreneurship, Inquiry and problem solving, empathy, relationships.

McCrindle predicts by the time the youngest are born in 2025, this generation could reach 2 billion people worldwide.

We need to empower our students with transferable skills - as the future is uncertain, curriculum review and relevance....

Teaching and learning

Schools need to be forward-thinking, curious and flexible.

They must also be learners: learning new ways of teaching, and learning alongside their students.

Reviewing their vision statements, their guiding principles.

What will our students need twenty or fifty years from now?

Are we reviewing our mindsets?

Baby Boomers?

Gen X -yes it was different then right?

What will jobs be like in 20 years when our alpha kids graduate?

The ability to think critically and creatively, to collaborate with others, and to communicate clearly empowers our learners to lead happier, healthier lives as well as become prepared for the inevitable ... are we ready to challenge motivate and inspire?

Tassos Anastasiades