The ABCs of the XYZs: Adding a Critical Dimension to Contemporary Teacher Education

Abstract

Currently, the faculty at post-secondary institutions are mostly Baby Boomer and Generation-X (Gen X) faculty teaching Gen-Y and -Z students as undergraduates.  According to numerous social commentators, these generations tend to vary in their worldviews, and the differences can challenge the teaching-learning relationship.   In the following discussion, we would like to share some information from a few current resources that attempt to characterize and analyze the two most dominant generations among post-secondary students today.  Then, we will pose a few ways that teacher educators might seek to update their instruction for Gen-Z students.