- Video Tip - Why is Gen Alpha So Important?
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Announcements - FLVC ID OER Learning Circle, Library Accessibility Alliance Committee Meeting
- Top Tips - Gen Alpha is Coming! Is Your Curriculum Ready?
- From the Community - Planning for Gen Alpha Learners
- Top Community Topics
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CBC Kids News contributor Arjun Ram discusses important facts about the largest population in history, Gen Alphas. Guest appearances by a demographer, an education specialist, and a Gen-Alpha social media influencer.
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FLVC ID OER Learning Circle
Wednesday, July 17, 2024, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
This Learning Circle is currently discussing OER basics and then will move into these three topics (and other hot topics as suggested by members):
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Faculty training and support, including how to find, evaluate, adopt, adapt, and author OER;
- OER accessibility and inclusion; and
- Emerging Technologies and OER: AI, VR, multimedia
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Gen Alpha is Coming! Is Your Curriculum Ready? |
Insights into this Generation's Digital Learning Expectations
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Generation Alpha, the cohort born from 2010 to the present, is the current student population in our elementary and middle schools. Unlike any previous generation, these students are true digital natives as they were born into a time when iPads, Instagram, Siri, and Alexa were integral parts of their formative years. In less than four years’ time, these Alphas will be our incoming collegiate freshman class. Are we ready?
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Click the image to enlarge.
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Comfort with Technology: As we’ve established, Gen Alpha students are born into a digital landscape where technology is omnipresent. They grow up with smartphones, tablets, and smart devices as essential parts of their lives. As such, we must assist faculty in incorporating technologies (e.g., AR/VR, gamification) within their teaching methods to promote an engaging learning experience.
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Individual Needs and Decision-Making: Gen Alphas value making personal decisions and will expect their professors to consider their individual needs. They play, interact, and learn in diverse ways, emphasizing personalized approaches to education. Adopting the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Open Pedagogy would grant students increased agency, and adaptive platforms would foster individualized learning.
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Collaboration and Connectivity: Gen Alphas thrives on collaboration and connectivity. They are accustomed to sharing ideas, projects, and experiences online. Course design should encourage collaborative learning, leveraging digital tools and platforms to facilitate group work and global connections. An Open Pedagogy assignment may be one approach to effectively tie broad collaboration with personalization, while also addressing a societal need.
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Attention Span and Curriculum: Rapid technological advancements could have lasting effects on the attention spans of Gen Alpha students. The average TikTok video is 3 minutes or less. Educators should keep this in mind when choosing a curriculum and designing learning experiences. Multi-modal approaches, such as explainer videos, infographics, simulations, and game-based learning, can help sustain engagement.
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Digital Literacy and Critical Thinking: As digital natives, Gen Alphas possess an innate understanding of technology. However, we must guide them in developing critical thinking skills to evaluate information, navigate digital spaces, and discern credible sources. We must establish digital and media literacy competencies as well as AI literacy and fluency within our institutional contexts.
- Ethical Digital Citizenship: Teachers and faculty development professionals play a crucial role in teaching Gen Alphas about responsible digital behavior. Topics like online accessibility, safety, privacy, cyberbullying, and digital ethics (including AI usage) should be integrated into the curriculum.
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Gen Alpha is the most assimilable, educated, and prosperous generation in history. Their learning experiences, shaped by technology, will significantly impact their future development and subsequent employment. There are over 2 billion Alphas globally who will be college-ready in less than four years. We recommend using the TOPkit Faculty Development Decision Guide, to review your faculty development plan while keeping Gen Alpha students in mind. With these efforts, your faculty can be ready.
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Planning for Gen Alpha Learners |
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Using TOPkit Resources to Plan Gen Alpha Conscious Curriculum |
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When developing a professional development course, planning before development is recommended. TOPkit has several resources to make sure you are thorough and thoughtful during this stage. Keeping the generational learner in mind during this curriculum development will assist faculty in their success in teaching online.
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Generative AI may have been used to retrieve relevant research, generate suggested language, and enhance original content.
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Bren Bedford, MNM, SFC®, Web Project Analyst II, Center for Distributed Learning, University of Central Florida
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Florence Williams, Ph.D., Associate Instructional Designer, Center for Distributed Learning, University of Central Florida
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