The Secret to Engaging GenZs in Class
The Case for Social Entrepreneurship Education
Global Phenomena Affecting GenZs
I’m sure we all know the year range GenZs are born in, but do we truly grasp how they behave and hence learn?
To learn how they behave, we first need to understand that GenZs were brought up in an age influenced by 3 main global phenomena:
- Technological Integration
- Covid-19 Isolation
- Inflation
From young, GenZs have seen technology integrated into every aspect of their lives. From cameras monitoring them in their baby cots, to watching youtube videos from phones while their parents gobble down their meals, to TikTok dances in their later years. This has not only made them inseparable from technology, but also more aware of global trends, movements, and opportunities. In other words, their world has broadened beyond the geographical borders of their town or country.
Covid isolationism due to safe distancing measures has also made GenZs more individualistic and independent. Virtual classroom sessions and accessing e-learning portals has put much of their learning into their own hands. Yet, no one can live virtually, so they crave for in-person connection too. They demand for authenticity in their daily interactions with brands and people, and value quality time spent with their friends.
Lastly, inflation has become a very real concern in their daily lives. As the cost of living increases, Cryptocurrency market crashes and an abundant of scams reinforce their need for financial security. GenZs are hence very keen to up-skill themselves to make themselves marketable to future employers.
How do GenZs Learn?
Given the above factors, GenZs need lessons to be fun, engaging, and entertaining. Lessons need to be out-of-the-classroom, real (not theoretical or merely an exercise), hands-on, and light-hearted!
Technology needs to be integrated into learning. For example, audio-visual tools like videos or Zoom can replace in-person lectures, tools like kahoot! or Mentimeter can be used to improve engagement rates, and perhaps getting them to use social media like TikTok to accomplish learning goals can be considered. More importantly, GenZs can feel a sense of control and independence regarding their learning.
GenZs’ drive for authenticity and connection also means learning must be collaborative and experiential. More than 60% of GenZs prefer hands-on problem solving, showing just how much they would rather fiddle with the problem themselves. Given their ease with technology, they are also very familiar with collaborating virtually to solve problems.
Lastly, GenZs understand that they live in a volatile and ever-changing world, and hence need to learn cross-disciplinary skills. Subjects should no longer be taught in silos. Instead, GenZs should be brought on journeys with end goals set by themselves. This ensures the skills they learn are personalised and varied.
Social Entrepreneurship Education
Few people know about this innovative, new way of education. Social Entrepreneurship Education is a pedagogy that:
- Exposes students to social issues. When they come face to face with real social problems, the experience sensitizes them, allowing you to insert teachable moments that shape their values.
- Equips them with critical future-ready skills. This includes soft-skills like communication, leadership, and cultural sensitivity; as well as hard-skills like coding, digital and financial literacy, and marketing etc.
- Empowers them to implement real, financially sustainable projects that changes their communities. Projects they embark on are no longer just an “exercise” to reach certain learning goals. Rather, something real and tangible that generates revenue for sustainability.
In my previous article here, I shared more specifically about the kind of values, skills, and mindsets that social entrepreneurship education can create in youth, based on my experience building school-based projects and enterprises in Singapore, Vietnam, and Myanmar.
When compared to Traditional Education, Social Entrepreneurship shines much brighter. Firstly, it is more holistic. It doesn’t just focus on students’ grades, but skills, heart, and exposure. Secondly, it is more engaging, as it leverages collaborative and experiential learning to create powerful intrinsic motivation in students. Thirdly, it is a journey that inculcates cross-disciplinary learning, unlike traditional subjects taught in silos.
In conclusion, Social Entrepreneurship has immense power to Build Change Better. I’ve seen shy apathetic youth become outspoken leaders with purpose and a sparkle in their eye. I’ve seen projects impacting more than 700 people in a go. I’ve seen projects that worked with multiple stakeholders to create systemic change in communities.
If you’re interested to find out more, please visit our website or simply reach out to us to enquire how we may design a program for your school or organisation: hello@bamboobuilders.org.
