Internet Learning Volume 4, Number 2, Fall 2015 | Page 5
Internet Learning Volume 3 Number 2 - Fall 2014
What makes this short piece so fascinating is that we (collectively as academics and
researchers) have this information at our fingertips, yet the ways in which online teaching
and learning is currently being delivered at most educational institutions is a far cry from
what this up-and-coming demographic will expect in terms of content delivery. Many of
us have missed the mark by only focusing on what current tech gadgets or apps they are
using, but have not stopped to consider Gen Zs’ other diverse characteristics, nor are we
asking probing questions as to why they use Snapchat and Instagram over Facebook, for
example. Believe it or not, they view failure as a badge of honor; an opportunity to grow
and improve--and to be quite blunt, we should be doing the same. Are we ready for this
pragmatism? Some of us will be ready, but the reality is that many of us will not.
Well, I have to say that much of our inspiration for heading down this unpaved road with
the Internet Learning Journal comes from the Generation Z-ers. Although I was born a
few generations before Gen Z, I admire many of their intriguing attributes and downright
“take no prisoners” attitude, hence my fervor behind changing the journal into something
interactive and engaging for our readers. We have been determined to “talk the talk” and
“walk the walk” by refusing to publish scholarly work using age-old processes only to
produce something that is dense, and boring to read. We want to our readers to have an
experience after engaging with the rich “stories” that our scholars have worked so diligently
to publish. On that note, I’m very excited to present the work of our authors in this issue
who share the same passion for curiosity and creativity. If you haven’t already perused our
interactive versions of the journal, I encourage you to do so by going to the App Store on
Apple tablets and phones, or Google Play on Android tablets and phones, search for the
free app Internet Learning Journal, and download.
On behalf of all of us at Internet Learning Journal, we would like to thank you, our readers,
for your continued support.
Happy Holidays!
Dr. Melissa Layne
Editor-in-Chief for Internet Learning Journal
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