Does your generation influence how you like to study?
Your birth year could have a direct impact on how you prefer to learn. Check out what experts are saying about your generation, and see if you agree.
But are any of these things actually true? And, if we look at them from an education point of view, do they impact how you study?
While people aren’t stereotypes, it makes sense that when you were born and how you were raised could influence how you prefer to learn. So let’s put it to the test. Find your generation from the options below and see if you agree with the research on your learning habits.
Generation Z (born 1997-2012)
If you’re an older Gen Zer, then you’re entering uni and the workforce for the very first time. And you’re coming in incredibly motivated, collaborative and eager to change things for the better, because you’ve grown up connected to your peers—and the world’s problems—through social media.
According to Michael Rich, who is the executive director of Harvard’s Centre of Media and Child Health, Gen Z tend to be more visual learners than other generations for this very reason. You’re used to absorbing your content online, which is designed for images and not words. A recent study by Pearson backs this up, finding that 59% of Gen Zers prefer to learn via video.
Are you part of Gen Z? This is how you learn best, according to the experts
- You need to actively engage with class material to take the information in. Your attention tends to wander when you have to passively listen to a lecture. Why? You’ve always had access to everything you need online, and you’re used to doing your own research.
- You trust and rely on other people’s opinions and want to hear what they have to say. Barnes & Noble College recently did a study on Gen Z learning preferences and found that your generation thrives during class discussions and group projects, both online and in person.
- You also get a lot out of studying with other people and forming study groups. However, the ways you meet and collaborate can seem alienating to other generations, because you’re more comfortable throwing video, apps and social media into the mix.
Millennials (born 1981-1996)
As a millennial, you grew up with technology at your fingertips, but you also remember what life was like before the internet. You’re generally happy to crack open a textbook or listen to a lecture when you need to, because you were taught in classrooms where these things were the norm.
In fact, millennials tend to prefer a more hybrid approach to learning than Gen Zers. Pearson found that most people in your generation get equal value out of online readings, videos and books when taking classes.
Are you a millennial? This is how you learn best, according to the experts
- Like Gen Z, you’re comfortable directing your own learning online because you grew up with access to limitless information. Plus, you joined the workforce when hustle culture was just starting to take off—self-improvement is in your DNA.
- If there’s one thing you love above all else, it’s personalised feedback and one-on-one support. Psychologists think this is because millennials were the first generation to be friends with their parents and other authority figures. Whatever the reason, you like to build a rapport with your tutors so you can ask questions outside of lessons.
- In a Gallup study, it was found that your generation needs to know you’re working towards a bigger purpose, or you find it hard to persevere. When studying, this means you crave hands-on tasks and lessons with tangible, real-world examples so you can see exactly where you’re headed.
Generation X (born 1965-1980)
Unlike millennials, who grew up with their parents very involved in their lives, your generation had a different experience. As a member of Gen X, you were raised by working parents who mostly left you alone as a kid, which makes you extremely independent and self-reliant.
This has had an impact on how you prefer to learn (and work). While you don’t mind small group activities, you’re a solo worker at heart, who prefers to solve challenges in your own time.
Are you part of Gen X? This is how you learn best, according to the experts
- You don’t really need much direction from tutors because you like to work things out on your own, but you still value constructive criticism. As Business News Daily puts it, you’ve experienced a lot of change during your time in the workforce, so you’re not easily rattled by honest, straightforward feedback.
- Despite stereotypes, your generation actually values work/life balance more than millennials. Though you’re good at adapting, you can get impatient with surprise activities or ‘fluffy’ group discussions that eat into your personal time.
- That said, you do love making study fun and creative—your generation did establish start-up culture, after all! You just prefer engaging, hands-on activities over theory, because you need to see how things apply in the real world.
Baby boomers (born 1946-1964)
You’ve either already reached, or you’re about to reach, retirement age, which means you’re much more likely to be learning for the sheer pleasure of it, rather than to pursue a new career opportunity.
And though your generation has been defined by its strong work ethic and self-sufficiency, you aren’t just independent studiers. Since you were raised in the post-war period, when loyalty to family, organisations and your country itself was at an all-time high, your generation is full of team players. You thrive during class discussions where you have the chance to participate and work with others.
Are you a baby boomer? This is how you learn best, according to the experts
- Thanks to your life experience and team-oriented nature, you work well during group assignments. You like passing on your knowledge and hearing new perspectives from others.
- Your working life has always involved strong structures and hierarchies, which is why you value these same things when learning. You like having a schedule to follow and deadlines to work towards.
- You’re open to using new technology when learning, as long as you have someone to show you how it works. In fact, your generation gets a lot out of reverse mentorships, which involve partnering up with someone younger and trading knowledge.
