New Academic Year Begins: “Education 5.0” is a Must for Children of the Digital Age

As we say “hello” to another new academic year, the opportunities and expectations offered by universities to students have once again come to the fore. Altınbaş University Faculty Member and Senior Instructor Prof. Dr. Neşe Buket Aksu made important observations on the learning processes of new generation students and their expectations from universities. According to Aksu's evaluations, today's students, children of the digital age, demand more interactive and experiential learning environments beyond traditional education methods. This makes it imperative for universities to reconsider their education models and adopt innovative approaches that appeal to students' different learning styles.

The 2024-2025 academic year brings with it a new excitement at universities, and especially for students who will experience this experience for the first time, the most unforgettable period of their lives begins. The opportunities that university life offers to students in terms of not only academic knowledge but also personal development and social skills are becoming increasingly important. Altınbaş University Faculty Member Prof. Dr. Neşe Buket Aksu made important statements about the learning habits of the new generation and the opportunities that universities should offer to students while evaluating the expectations of students in this new period. Aksu emphasized that especially the new generation's approach to learning has changed and that universities should develop strategies in line with these dynamics.

“They should not live in a dream world when they start university”

First of all, Prof. Dr. Buket Aksu gave advice and warnings to students who are new to university and said, “The expectations of the new generation should not be as if they will witness a miracle when they step into university. University is just a continuation of their education and training life and the main difference is that they need to practice as well as learn in this process. Students who come to university with the aim of acquiring a profession should be aware of this awareness. Students should not live in a dream world when they start university and should not be under the impression that 'I am grown up now, I am at university; I do not have to attend classes'. Such false expectations lead to demoralization and anxiety about finishing the course in the following years. Therefore, it is important to proceed in a disciplined manner from the beginning of the lessons.”

Weakness and directionlessness in life expectations are observed in young people

Underlining that universities are not only educational institutions but also an important environment for young people to improve themselves, Prof. Dr. Aksu underlined that setting goals is a very important criterion in this sense. Emphasizing that where there is no goal, students falter in the following years, Aksu said, “A university is not only a place of education, but also an environment where students can improve themselves. Learning to set goals is of great importance here. For example, as a university, we are trying to teach our students how to set goals with our peer coaches. Because we observe weakness and lack of direction in young people's life expectations. We need to show them that they need to draw their own life routes by understanding the difference between mission and vision in their lives. However, success in this process depends on the students themselves.”

Universities need to adapt to the new generation, they should be reorganized under the name of “Education 5.0”

Emphasizing that universities should update themselves in order to keep up with today's young people and prepare them for the future, Aksu continued his words as follows:

“Instead of negative comments about young people, we should try to understand them. Instead of judgments such as 'these young people are nothing', we should try to understand the social media used by young people and speak their language. Criticism will get us nowhere. I think we need to reorganize our education system under the name of 'Education 5.0'. Education should now be student-oriented; it should be a model that includes interactive, argumentative and rule-making processes together with the student. Students like to learn by having fun and they want to use technology actively. However, it is important that they learn to use technology consciously and with evidence-based knowledge. In this period when robots have entered our lives, students need to develop their social skills; otherwise, we may be enslaved by robots.”

“No matter what profession, it should be done in the best way”

Aksu advised students who are also concerned about the professions of the future with artificial intelligence and developing technology: “Many traditional professions will change in the future, but new professions will also emerge. Students should strive to do their best in whatever profession they choose. There is no obligation to be a pharmacist or an engineer in the old terms. The important thing is to create a world for oneself in one's own field of interest.”

“The new generation does not want university very much”

Finally, Prof. Dr. Buket Aksu from Altınbaş University stated that especially the new generation is no longer as eager to study at university as they used to be and listed the reasons for this situation and said, “The new generation does not want university very much. The main reasons for this include their inability to see their future, difficulty in setting goals and the expectation to achieve everything quickly. Young people are impatient and expect quick results. When these expectations are not met, they despair. If universities do not meet these expectations, students get bored and move away from education.” Aksu reminded that another reason is the desire of young people to earn money in an easy way and said, “Seeing fast and easy ways of earning money on platforms such as social media causes young people to question the importance of university education. However, if we, as universities, can make young people feel that we really touch their lives and if we value their ideas and create a mutual sharing environment, it is possible to unlock the potential of young people. It should not be forgotten that this generation is doing a lot and we need to learn to breathe in the same environment to understand them.”