With the omnipresence of social media, it’s understandable why Generation Z doesn’t learn the same way as their parents—or even their older siblings. Gone are the days of dial-up Internet and cell phones that (gasp) only made calls!
Google changed the game when it came to search functionality, but applications like TikTok have transformed the way students engage with and absorb information.
What has this done to educators as we teach a newer generation and compete for their attention?
How can we ensure that our assessments are engaging, comprehensive, and dare I say: entertaining?
As an educator with a daughter on TikTok, I saw the opportunity to serve up learning opportunities where students already are: their phones.
If you’ve been holding out on TikTok and have already dismissed it as a distraction from “real learning,” I encourage you to take a few minutes to download it, explore its functionality, and just consider the opportunities. It can be a powerful tool to convey information in memorable ways that reaches across generations.
Here I outline three project ideas that I used with my students that combine TikTok and Dr. Stephen M. Kosslyn’s five principles of the science of learning: deep processing; chunking; building associations; dual coding; and deliberate practice.
Who knows? Maybe one of your projects will go viral, inspiring and educating millions more students!
Angelita P. Howard, EdD, MBA-PM, MA
Assistant Dean and Professor
Morehouse School of Medicine
