McCrindle and associates are social researchers who track and research emerging issues and trends. Their research provides significant insights for future considerations. I was recently inspired by the McCrindle team as they shared their insights and recommendations with Heads of Junior Schools across NSW.  An opportunity to learn more about the context in which this generation has been shaped allows us to know who they are and to consider the implications for their education, and the future.

According to McCrindle (2021) ‘Generation Alpha’, are the children of Generation Y and often the siblings of Generation Z. More than 2.5 million are born globally every week.  When they have all been born by 2025, they will number almost 2 billion – the largest generation in the history of the world. These are our young people, who are set to contribute to our world in ways that are hard to imagine, yet they provide us confidence that the future is in good hands. Their defining characteristics are digital, social, global, mobile and visual.  

They are the first generation of children to be shaped in an era of portable devices, and are more aware of what is going on in the world than ever before, presenting both positive and negative consequences. They are also the first generation to be truly global, with instant connection to the rest of the world. The mobile nature of this generation sees movement in many areas of their life including where, how and when they will work, and how they will study, travel and life. The visual nature of this generation is as a result of their access to technology and the visual apps, videos and content that they regularly engage with.

Whilst Generation Alpha is growing up in a time of uncertainty, with greater societal anxiety and economic and social volatility, there are many aspects of their world, their era and their opportunities that are unprecedented in all human history. There’s no doubt that Generation Alpha will come up against challenges and uncertainty, but what we do know is, they will find the tools they need to thrive in it. The future is exciting – full of creativity and opportunities to lean into the learning of their predecessors and to be empowered to take action, stand up for what they believe in and pave a new way forward.

As their teachers, our focus will continue to be on the individual. The emphasis will continue to be on developing the skills and characteristics required to thrive in the world and not only about the content they are learning. As the world of work changes, it is the qualities of adaptability, initiative and personal resolve that help to futureproof the students of today. 

‘The future is not an inevitable destination but something they are shaping, and which Generation Alpha will inherit and themselves shape anew’ (McCrindle, et al., 2021)