Ready or Not, Here They Come

Even as institutions in the education sector navigate a raft of challenges, a new generation of learners will emerge, poised to reshape the landscape further: Generation Beta. Born from now (January 2025) onward, this generation, distinct from the preceding Generation Alpha (born 2010-2024), will be the first to grow up in a world where artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are fully integrated into everyday life. This presents unprecedented challenges and exciting opportunities for educators at every level, from prekindergarten through graduate and professional degree programs (see our longer piece on this topic in Medium).    

We will explore the implications of Generation Beta in occasional posts to this blog over the next few months, but as a starting point, one of the most significant implications will be an intense demand for personalized learning experiences. Growing up surrounded by AI, from personalized learning apps to AI tutors, Beta Generation students will have an ultra-high technological fluency and expect education to be tailored to their individual needs and interests. Imagine a classroom where AI-powered platforms assess students' strengths and weaknesses, provide personalized feedback, and generate customized learning pathways. This "diagnosis" will tee educators up to become facilitators, mentors, and guides who use AI tools to support students in discovering how to apply the vast amount of information available to them. 

As with every epic change to teaching and learning, the "sticky wicket" will be the teacher's readiness to adapt. This means the time has come to rethink professional development for an AI-driven pedagogical future.