Creativity and technology will together define the future of India's Gen Z students

Creative thinking and technology based learning will together play a crucial role in how India's Gen Z students fare in the future workspace, according to an Adobe study- “Gen Z in the Classroom: Creating the Future”.

The Adobe study aimed at providing insights into student and teacher perspectives on learning, creativity and future readiness surveyed 500 Gen Z students and 200 teachers in India and concluded that a staggering 95 percent of students and 91 percent of teachers see creativity as essential to Gen Z students’ future careers.

The study also found that 94 percent of students and 90 percent of teachers view technology tools playing a key role in Gen Z’s long-term career preparedness – thereby underscoring that synergies in creative thinking and technology based learning are crucial towards helping Gen Z students stand apart in the future workforce.

“With its rapid digital transformation story and world’s youngest millennial population, India is uniquely positioned as a country where its Gen Z students’ population has grown up in a tech-enabled and information-driven world. The Adobe “Gen Z in the Classroom: Creating the Future” study reiterates the need for creativity and technology in learning environments to thrive in tandem, and is symbolic of how India’s education curriculum needs to evolve, to help students, gear up for a fast changing world,” said Kulmeet Bawa, Managing Director, Adobe South Asia.

While both teachers and students mutually wish to see an increased focus on creativity in the classroom, when asked if they thought their future careers would involve creating, 62 percent of students agreed, and 90 percent of teachers felt their Gen Z students will have careers that do not exist today.

While excited about the prospects, Gen Z – which are characterized as creative, curious and confident by students and teachers alike – expressed a nervousness about their future careers. As per the study, only 31 percent of students felt very prepared for the future. Also, although Gen Z students see themselves as more creative than past generations, teachers and students agree that the best method for learning and teaching is through a doing/creating approach. This perspective directly correlates with the 60 percent of educators who look for more opportunities for hands-on learning in their classrooms.