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 4