Generation Alpha
Generation Alpha is the generational cohort succeeding Generation Z. Children born between 2010-2025 belong to this generation. With a maximum age of around 13, the majority of this generational cohort are children. Generation Alpha, has already established themselves in the world of consumerism and technological advancement. The eldest Generation Alpha members, who were born from the year 2010, are still in school but have already influenced the marketing, technology, and priorities of their millennial peers (Jha, 2020). The genesis of the term Generation Alpha has been very recent. It was coined by an Australian social researcher, Mark McCrindle, in 2008. Alphas were born during a time of unprecedented birth rates. By the time this generation is through, in December 2024, there will have been approximately two billion Generation Alpha births worldwide, making them the most significant generation in human history. The first generation to fully develop and be born in the twenty-first century is known as Generation Alpha. Majority of them will live to see the twenty-second century. Their childhood has been influenced by technology and personalization. While Generation Z saw growth in customization, Generation Alpha has experienced personalization, where anything from Nutella jars and Coke cans to children's books can be ordered with their names on them (McCrindle & Fell, 2021).
The children of today are exposed to the unending gamut of digitization and technology from a very young age. This cohort's exposure to different academic and non-academic facets has the potential to significantly alter their future learning curve. Children are exposed to a wide range of technologies in today's quick-paced society. This augmented exposure makes them smarter, equipped and socially aware than their antecedents. The learning ecosystem shapes the knowledge enhancement in a child. It needs to be solid, multi-dimensional, significant, challenging and above all contemporary. Generation Alpha blatantly questions the teaching environment they are put in as they are highly updated with the dynamics of the changing educational setup. This is the young generation that will soon occupy the classrooms and institutions, demanding distinctive methods of teaching and learning that are tailored to their particular needs and skill sets. While academic institutions and universities are currently investigating delivery options, better student engagement, and ways to enhance the student experience, it is clear that technology is heavily infused in the culture and environment of Generation Alpha and that it will be equally heavily incorporated into their education moving forward. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the debate on online teaching and related methodologies. (Ziatdinov & Cilliers, 2021). If moulded well, Generation Alpha can harness growth opportunities and mature into prudent, productive contributors to the society. It is thus imperative to explore and delve into a paradigm shift from the conventional educational atmosphere to a thought-provoking, unconventional ecosystem for this generational cohort to grow, evolve and generously contribute in the future. Providing an egalitarian learning environment to children who can fundamentally shape their learning curve by aiding in skill acquisition is undoubtedly the need of the hour. Jean Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development is the theory selected as the basis of the study. Piaget postulated that children go through four main phases of thinking as their brains develop and they learn about the world through doing. Every step is distinct in quality and better suited to comprehending the outside world. The following are the four cognitive stages:
-Sensorimotor: birth – 2 years
-Preoperational: 2 – 7 years
-Concrete Operational: 7 – 11 years
-Formal Operational: from 11 years.
Children learn and comprehend in different ways depending on their developmental stage. To accurately assess the children's learning curve, the appropriate kind of learning aid should be given to them at the appropriate time.