Reaching generation Z. attitude toward technology among the newest generation of school students

Abstract

The article presents the results of the research study examining the role and influence of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on the new generation of school learners, specifically Generation Z. The curriculum developed and used in most Russian schools nowadays is based on the traditional sage-on-the-stage approach which fails to be effective in dealing with the current Generation Z cohort. To design teaching methodology properly it is urgent to find out the nature of the entire generation, the defining characteristic being their information-age mindset. The goal of the research was to study the primary, middle and high school students’ attitude toward the use of technology in education, the question if education should go digital forming the foundation for our study. Analysis of the empirical data showed that representatives of all studied age groups immersed in digital technology, are engaged in classroom activities if they include the use of ICT. We see the mission of school in providing high quality education to students, changing the traditional approach to classroom organization, and using teaching methods that would be relevant to the new generation of learners, meeting their new needs, values and goals. The latest technologies used in a balanced way in teaching encourage a person’s positive attitude to intellectual activity, stimulate and sustain the interest, thus boosting the learning performance.