Intersection of Creativity and Technology Key to Success of India’s Gen Z Students, Finds New Adobe Study

Adobe India released the findings of “1Gen Z in the Classroom: Creating the Future”, a study aimed at providing insights into student and teacher perspectives on learning, creativity and future readiness. The Adobe study, which surveyed 500 Gen Z students and 200 teachers in India, 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.

As per the Adobe study’s findings, while Gen Z feel they are more creative than past generations and teachers agree wholeheartedly, 92 percent students and 89 percent teachers expressed a mutual 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.

“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 excited about the prospects, Gen Z – which are characterized as creative, curious and confident by students and teachers alike – express a nervousness about their future careers. As per the study, only 31 percent of Gen Z students in India 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.

“Adobe has always been committed to fostering creativity in the classrooms via technology.” added Kulmeet Bawa. “Technology as a base has enabled transformation in multiple ways and bringing this change in the education sector will make way for the future our students and teachers would like to see.”

Some key findings of the Adobe “Gen Z in the Classroom: Creating the Future” study include:

·         95 percent of students and 91 percent of teachers see creativity as essential to students’ future careers

·         94 percent of students and 90 percent of teachers view technology as key to their career preparedness

·         92 percent of students and 89 percent of teachers wish there was more of a focus on creativity in the classroom

·         95 percent of students believe their future careers will involve creating

·         90 percent of teachers feel their students will have careers that do not exist today

·         19 percent of students feel unprepared for the real world, and 9 percent of teachers agree

·         62 percent of students and 56 percent of teachers believe Gen Z learns best by creating and hands-on experiences