Generation Alpha

One of the iconic toys I had when I was in primary school was a Rubiks cube. The fastest time I solved the cube was 1 ½ minutes. I was the fastest in my class but this time would be considered slow compared to modern speeds. I listened to music on my ‘walkman’ when I was in secondary school, and when I started my teaching career, one of my favourite things to do on a weekend was to hire a video and watch a movie at home on my VCR.

What generation are our students? A significant portion of our current students align with generation Z (born 2009 or prior) and a rapidly growing number of our students fall into the latest generation know as generation alpha. 

More than 2.5 million people are born globally every week. Generation alpha are defined as those born from 2010-2024. When gen alpha have all been born by 2025, they will number almost 2 billion − the largest generation in the history of the world. 

What iconic things have influenced generation alpha? Perhaps it is the fidget spinner craze in primary school? Maybe it is the bluetooth or smart speaker they use to listen to their music?

Some key characteristics of gen alpha is they are global citizens and have always been surrounded by digital technology. Social media will be an influential platform for how they connect.  Gen alpha is considered to be a highly mobile generation, given their ready access to transport, and much of the content they engage with is highly visual.

Technology has a significant impact on each generation. Recent technology includes airpods, high speed 5G mobile connections, biometric tech like touch ID or face ID, and cars becoming more autonomous. Looking ahead, it appears aerial ridesharing is just around the corner. What I find even more interesting is to look at the outgoing technology, that is, things we are no longer need, like credit cards and wallets.

I find it fascinating to look at the things that have a significant influence on shaping us as people. A part of our mission at Cornerstone College is to promote individual excellence, learning and responsibility for life. I see tremendous opportunity for each and every student, to thrive in their learning at Cornerstone. 

One of our key influences at Cornerstone, is the unconditional love and grace of God. Our College uniform displays our motto − Christ our firm foundation. Love, grace and hope can be a significant influence in our lives, with the potential to transform our connections with each other, and our connections as a community.