• 1 Talking about generations

    Lesson 1/2

    Dear students

    In this lesson, you are going to learn about generation terminology and generation concepts, focussing in particular on the concept of Generation Z and its characteristics, as well as taking a critical stand on the generalizablility of such terminology and concepts. 

    • 1 Introduction

      • In a first step, have a look at the Advance Organizer above. Then, choose a partner and discuss the different stages of this course. 
      • Describe what you already know about Generation (or Gen) Z and the topic "workplaces of the future". 
      • Explain what you think the neologism "phigital" means and consider possible digital products for a target task and what background information and materials you might need to create one.

      Use the chat to communicate with your partner. Alternatively, you can use your school's video conference system.

      If you want to note down the meaning of an unknown word, use our course glossary. 

    • 2 A survey

      A generation is defined as all the people in a group or country who are of similar age, especially when they are considered as having the same experiences or attitudes. Thus, the work of generational researchers is to find out about and classify those same experiences or attitudes. 

      • Do the survey and try to find out what seems to characterize your generation that researchers have labelled Gen Z. 

    • Your teacher is going to show you the results of the survey

      • With your partner, exchange about the following questions.

      • After having dicussed the survey results, get together in groups and agree on what most of you seem to have in common with Gen Z. 
      • Decide on a definition for Gen Z and note down your results in the course glossary
      • Share your defintions in class.

    • The Hungarian-American (war) photographer Robert Capa (1913-1954) is said to have come up with the term "Generation X" which he used for a series of photos showing people who grew into adults shortly after the end of the Second World War. Their parents are the so-called "Baby Boomers", and after "Gen(eration) X" follow "Gen(eration) Y" who are also called "Millennials". 

      • Go back to the survey and have a look at the questions again. There are five questions that generational researchers normally wouldn't ask Gen Z, but that have actually been taken from characterizations of the other three generations mentioned above. With your partner, find those five odd ones out. 
      • Use the tips if necessary. 
      • Discuss your findings in class.

      • Fast lane: Do some more research on the events that are discussed in the tips for generation concepts.

    • Having written a definition for Gen Z yourselves, you will have noticed that categorizing and defining characteristics for a certain generation is not an easy task. 

      • Go back into your groups and discuss the following questions. 
      • Share your ideas in class.
      • Using your knowledge about generation concepts, go back to the course glossary and revise your definitions of Gen Z.
    • 3 Talking about generations

      Despite difficulties of generational research, sociologists still aim to find out what is important for today's young generations that will make an impact on our future. In Germany, for instance, the Shell Youth Study frequently surveys German teenagers and publishes their results in form of a report. 

      • Have a look at a summary of the 2019 Shell Youth Study. 
      • Mediate the results of the study for an English-speaking addressee, namely US-American generational researcher Jonah Stillman, born in 1999 and thus a Gen Z, such as you are. 

    • Please note: A mediation is not a word-for-word translation of the text. It is the approximate content of the text, regardless of whether some terms are unclear, and not every word and detail of it that should be reproduced. The most important thing is that the reader of the text is told the same story and given the same information in both languages. 
      For more tips, have a look at "Tips for your notes and vocabulary help" below.
      • Before starting off with the mediation, make notes on the most relevant aspects that you need to determine before you start working on the actual mediation task. 
      • Use the tips and vocabulary help if necessary.

      • With the help of the summary of the Shell Youth Study and your notes, write an email to Stillman in which you present the main findings of the study with regard to Gen Z's political involvement, their way of dealing with digital devices and digitalization as well as their ideas on their future workplace. 
      • If you are not quite sure how to structure the email and feel more comfortable working into a structural template, choose level 1. If you are already experienced in writing an email and feel confident in your writing skills, work on Level 2. 
      • Share your texts in class and check if you incorporated all the relevant aspects. 
      • Revise your texts and upload your final emails to the collection.

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