Exploring How Today’s Teenagers Find Effective Ways to Learn
How to Help, Not Hinder
20th January 2025
Introduction
Teenagers today are navigating a rapidly changing educational landscape influenced by technology, social expectations, and evolving teaching and learning approaches. In this blog I will explore how our Gen Z children discover effective methods to learn, contrasting these with methods that may be more familiar to parents and teachers. I’ll also look at some of the conflicts that might arise between parents and children over encouraging your child to work effectively for their exams, and how these touch points can be smoothed over, making the lead up to exams less stressful for everyone.
Teenage Learning Methods
People born in the 21st Century approach learning in a different way to their parents. The world has changed so rapidly in the past generation that it is inevitable that teenagers today will have experiences and outlooks that differ hugely from that of their teachers and parents. They don’t picture themselves as passive, waiting for the all-knowing teacher to fill them with knowledge. They are increasingly exploring personalised approaches to learning that cater to their unique needs, interests, and abilities. Many of these approaches focus on autonomy, technology, and flexibility, which may feel unfamiliar and haphazard to parents:
- Self-Directed Learning – Many teenagers prefer to take control of their own learning journey. They seek resources like online tutorials, YouTube videos, podcasts, and interactive apps, often supplementing or replacing traditional classroom learning.
- Visual Learning – Gen Z learners are highly visual learners and prefer visually stimulating learning methods. 59% of today’s students say that YouTube is their preferred way of learning. Around 75% of teenagers will always have subtitles switched on to whatever they are watching, so that they can read as well as listen.
- Technology Integration – Digital platforms like Khan Academy, Quizlet, and Duolingo allow teenagers to engage in interactive learning that adapts to their pace. Gamified learning platforms also make education more engaging.
- Interactive and Collaborative Learning – Peer-to-peer interaction, including study groups, virtual discussion boards, and shared projects, enables teenagers to learn through dialogue and collective problem-solving.
- Interest-Driven Learning – Teens often focus on topics they are passionate about, such as coding, music production, or graphic design, enhancing engagement and retention through personal relevance. Ensuring relevance and real-world application of learning is crucial to helping students engage in their learning.
- Flexible Learning Environments – Some teenagers find it more effective to study in informal settings, such as coffee shops, libraries, or even at home, as opposed to rigid classroom structures. A quiet space may not work for your teenager.
- Independent Learning – Today’s students are more self-directed in their approach. They appreciate opportunities to take control of their learning journey and set their own goals.
While all these methods may appeal, in principle, to parents, we often find ourselves concerned that our children won’t have the skills to learn effectively if they are ‘left to their own devices’. The way that Gen Z tend to learn may, to their parents, look chaotic and unstructured.
Parental Expectations
Parents often, with the best will in the world, sometimes conflict with their teenagers’ preferences and most effective learning methods. When I discuss studying priorities with parents, these are the main groups of concerns that are raised:
- Discipline and Structure – Many parents emphasise traditional values such as scheduled study and homework times, quiet environments, and minimal distractions.
- Performance Metrics – Parents may prioritise measurable achievements like test scores and grades over creativity or exploration (which is understandable as performance is still measured in very clear-cut grades)
- Minimising Screen Time – Concerned about excessive screen use, parents often resist technology-driven learning, and worry that studying online will either be ineffective, or that their child will be distracted and end up scrolling mindlessly.
- Conventional Study Methods – Parents often advocate for reading textbooks, making notes, and revising through repetition, reflecting methods that worked for them in their youth.
Teacher-Driven Approaches
And it is not only parents who are failing to understand how their children learn best, but many teachers fall into this trap too. Schools still rely on structured and curriculum-based methods of instruction, prioritising:
- Curriculum Based Learning – Teachers focus on meeting exam board requirements, ensuring students acquire the knowledge needed for academic assessments. This can mean that learning can feel very linear and dull for today’s students and fail to engage them.
- Lecture-Based Teaching – Traditional classroom teaching is still the primary method of delivery, focusing on the role of teacher as active rather than student-centred exploration.
- Homework and Assignments – Structured tasks, essays, and problem sets are assigned to reinforce learning outside the classroom.
- Time-Managed Learning – Teachers emphasize deadlines and schedules to instill discipline and time management skills.
While these approaches have proven effective in many contexts, and I certainly would not advocate removing them in their entirety, as these skills are essential in the exam situation, they may not align with the individualised and exploratory learning preferences of today’s teenagers.
From the teacher’s perspective, their priority is for their students to pass their exams. That is their primary measure of success. It would be foolish to say that this is not also a crucial measure of success for the students, however, to help the students achieve their best grades, it is important that teachers are reflective about their teaching methods and reaching their students on an emotional level. Otherwise, the students may well ‘switch off’ and not engage, which then becomes counter-productive for everyone.
I would promote a multi-pronged approach to teaching, where curriculum content and knowledge can be delivered through methods that tie in with the ways that our teenagers prefer to learn. Students will then take more ownership of their learning, make connections and contextualise information. Learning to pass exams is a different prospect and could be taught quite separately from the content itself. I see too many students who think schoolwork is ‘boring’ and ‘pointless’ and then they fail to engage in any way. Acquisition of knowledge and understanding should not be a hoop to jump through, although exams may be! Education should inspire, excite and stimulate minds. If we can draw our children into a world of learning, we will stand a much better chance of helping them to put in the work required in order to pass the exams at the end.
Areas of Conflict
Given these varying perspectives, several areas of conflict may arise between students and teachers, students and parents, and sometimes between teachers and parents:
- Autonomy vs. Control – Teenagers seeking independence in their learning may clash with parents and teachers who favour structured guidance and supervision.
- Technology Use – Parents’ concerns about distractions or inappropriate content may lead to disagreements about the use of digital tools, which many teens view as essential for effective learning.
- Outcome vs. Process – Teachers and parents often focus on exam outcomes, whereas students may value the process of learning more than the final results.
- Learning Styles – Teens’ preference for visual or interactive learning may conflict with the more text-heavy or auditory methods favoured by parents and teachers.
- Study Environments – Differences may emerge regarding the preferred study environment, such as whether studying in groups or listening to music while working is productive or distracting.
I hope that one area we can all agree on is that conflict and arguments at home or at school are detrimental to children’s learning, so how do we, as parents, give our teenager the freedoms they say they need, while having a longer-term perspective on what work is required to get the grades needed for the next step in our child’s life journey?
Finding Common Ground
To address these conflicts, it is essential to foster mutual understanding and collaboration among teenagers, parents, and teachers. Easier said than done, I know! Do you remember what it was like having a toddler and trying to get them to put their shoes on before leaving the house? If you demanded they put them on, you may well have ended up with a full-blown tantrum on your hands. Yet if you had said to them, ‘Do you want to wear the red shoes or the blue shoes?’ you could often avoid an issue. Ensuring that teenagers feel part of the decision-making process and are in control of their own lives is crucial.
so here are some strategies to help achieve this:
- Open Communication – Parents, teachers, and teenagers should regularly discuss learning preferences, challenges, and goals to find compromises that work for all parties. Have you ever asked your child how they feel they learn best? What works for them? Can they prove their point?
- Flexibility in Methods – Allowing teenagers to experiment with different approaches while setting some boundaries can create a balance between independence and structure.
- Guided Autonomy – Teachers and parents can provide guidance and resources while encouraging students to take responsibility for their learning. Offer to discuss what your teenager is learning, do they want to be tested on material, do they simply want you to be their timekeeper?
- Incorporating Technology Responsibly – Instead of banning technology, parents and teachers can work with students to identify educational tools and monitor their appropriate use.
- Focus on Skills, Not Just Outcomes – Emphasising skills like critical thinking, research, and collaboration rather than solely focusing on grades can bridge the gap between different approaches. I know that, leading up to the summer exams, there is more pressure to simply absorb and regurgitate facts and figures, but developing sound skills will help provide a context for the facts and figures to rest within.
- Setting Realistic Expectations – Both parents and teachers need to acknowledge that learning styles have evolved and accommodate changes without completely abandoning traditional practices.
- Support Networks – Schools can facilitate workshops and discussions involving parents and students to align expectations and encourage collaboration.
The golden thread running through all these strategies is communication and compromise. You may feel that your child should be studying every night for two solid hours; your teenager may insist that an hour or so, with YouTube running in the background is sufficient. If both sides dig their heels in then nobody will be happy, and nothing will get done. Most teenagers, when in a receptive mood (not when they are tired, hungry or stressed about an upcoming test or big piece of homework) will value parents who ask how they can help, suggest supporting with planning revision schedules, facilitating working collaboratively with friends where appropriate, and most of all, valuing and appreciating the work that their teenager is doing. I talk in more details about teenage anxiety and its impact on learning in a previous blog post.
Conclusion
Teenagers are discovering diverse and effective ways to learn, often leveraging technology and autonomy. However, these methods may clash with traditional practices promoted by teachers and the structured approaches valued by parents. Understanding these differences and resolving conflicts through dialogue, flexibility, and mutual respect is crucial to supporting teenagers’ educational journeys. By embracing change while maintaining core values, all stakeholders can create a productive learning environment that meets the needs of modern students without compromising foundational principles.
When it comes to specific revision techniques, have a look at my previous blog posts on Revision Top Tips #1 #2 #3 #4
Lucy Wayman