What's Seen and Unseen

Using the authors' varied experiences in the classroom with Gen Z and the next generation on its way, this chapter investigates an urgent and often unseen issue for students in higher education. With increased pressure to perform, a tension between time and technology, and lasting impacts from the Great Recession, Gen Z students suffer from a growing number of mental health issues. College coursework should challenge students; however, Gen Z often becomes impaired by what is a real and prevalent anxiety. The authors explore the ways Gen Z operates in the classroom, potential causes for this crisis, and solutions to improve Gen Z experiences in our institutions.

Social Media and Student With Disabilities

In the past decade, social media has become an increasingly prevalent, being the daily form of communication and entertainment for a majority of individuals. Social media and networking sites are not designed to appeal to a specific type of personality and are designed to benefit many. The students of Generation Z respond positively to teaching styles that incorporate technology-based learning, and frequent communication or feedback. Gen Z students with disabilities are entitled to the same opportunities and experiences as their peers without disabilities. This includes being exposed to various forms of social media to discover alternative ways to communicate, interact with the community, find information and access entertainment. While other members of Generation Z possess the capability to pick up a smart phone or computer, create a social media account and figure out the functions independently, students with disabilities may require explicit instruction, strategies and practice with social media usage.

The Use of Cloud-Computing to Promote Collaborative Learning in Higher Education

Generation Z students are inherently different than previous generations. These students may need adapted forms of instruction in order to match their learning styles. Collaborative learning can be adapted using cloud-computing, which helps students work together online and manage their interactions. These students may benefit from a technological twist to a common instructional strategy and are inclined to use online means of communication to complete coursework. Technology has dominated the educational experiences of these students and they are no strangers to collaborative work through e-learning platforms. Higher education institutions and instructors must develop the format of courses in order to meet the technological learning preferences of Generation Z.

Connecting With Generation Z Through Social Media

When it comes to Generation Z's participation in higher education, few topics receive as much attention as their use of social media. However, much of the focus rests on marketing to Generation Z through social media. The connectedness of Generation Z is accompanied with assumptions about their technological abilities. Although they are generally comfortable with technology, their tech acumen is likely limited. Members of Generation Z are often labeled as “digital natives,” a term that suggests that because of the omnipresence of technology in their lives from birth, that they are naturally skilled and competent with many, if not all, forms of technology. The purpose of this chapter is to offer strategies for higher education professionals in connecting with members of Generation Z through social media.

Using Social Media in the Classroom

This chapter focuses on the unique problem of preparing faculty to meet students by crossing the divide of the digital media native generation. Members of Gen Z, the first of whom are just matriculating to college, hold certain expectations about the availability of information in digital forms, among other things. There is a growing realization, in the higher learning space, that traditional classroom practices are unlikely to meet the needs of Gen Z. Student learning preferences and styles have evolved. It is essential for faculty to investigate ways in which their teaching practices can develop to meet the needs of this generation. This chapter discusses the use of social media to engage students in a topic in the communication sciences and disorders that are seen as difficult and unengaging, augmentative and alternative communication systems. Students were encouraged to challenge their pre-conceptions around ability, and utilizing a digital medium, which in turn incentivized every student to become comfortable with digital technology and familiar with the principles of universal design.

Texting With Students

Text messaging has become a standard form of communication between students. However, how texting can be used in higher education as a pedagogical practice has not been fully explored or articulated. This chapter provides critical insight into the value of text messaging as formal and informal communication both between faculty and students and also messaging led by students. Juxtaposing literature on the use of texting in educational environments with practical examples of university teaching in the United States and post-Soviet Kazakhstan, the chapter outlines challenges, benefits, and suggested methods of texting with students in higher education. Framed within concepts of 21st-century learning, multilingualism, and multiliteracies, the author suggests clear benefits for utilizing technology that students commonly use, while also creating an environment valuing students' changing modes of communication which puts less pressure on the traditional academic discussion, and gives a voice to the individual.

Are We Part of the Problem?

Do a quick search in Google Scholar and you will find overwhelming evidence that teachers both are and are not using technology in meaningful ways to enhance student learning. Actually, just do a simple Google search and you will find many news and magazine articles revealing the exact same confusing information. Yet despite all of the Internet traffic, are teachers any better at using technology to enhance student learning now than they were when educational technologies first arrived in schools? And are teacher preparation programs hindering or helping pre-service teachers in this endeavor? As Gen Z enters college and becomes practicing teachers, with their own particular characteristics and digital abilities and needs, it is important that we re-examine these questions and find out how to best serve the newest generation of teachers.

Expert Commentary on New Opportunities and Challenges for Women Within Saudi Distance Education Institutions

Access to post-secondary education is an essential condition for advancing women's leadership opportunities. This chapter provides an expert commentary on how distance education in Saudi Arabia contributes to the advancement of female leadership opportunities by providing women greater access to education and new opportunities for leadership roles. However, despite the new opportunities that distance education offers to Saudi women, there are pervasive challenges that hinder them from acquiring leadership roles in education. The expert commentary draws on professional experience and research to provide insight into the advantages and disadvantages of distance education to prepare Saudi women to be leaders in higher education. It also offers recommendations on how to better leverage distance education experience for female students and instructors by applying the rules of netiquette in Saudi online learning environments.

Finding Balance

Social media use is a complex topic. The type and use of social media presents a variety of formats and creates a multitude of directions for research. Pearson provides research on personal, professional, and teaching social media use in higher education that shows the use of social media in higher education is growing. While this research provides a foundation, it raises many questions. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of common Learning Management Systems or platforms and social media networks that are often used in college courses. This chapter also provides common ways that social media is used outside of the classroom. The chapter concludes with concerns that are raised regardless of the type of social media use, platform, or network.