The Learning Strategies of Gen Z College Students and Their Academic Performance in the English Classroom

Abstract

Generation Z students are currently defining higher education since they are always technologically active and tend to collaborate with their colleagues, unlike other generations of learners. This paper has discussed the relationship between demographic factors, learning strategies and academic performance among Gen Z college students in English Grammar. It is guided by the Sociocultural Theory formulated by Vygotsky. A cross-sectional survey, which is quantitative, is implemented on 115 students who are selected purposely out of 166 students in a private college in Cavite, Philippines. A structured questionnaire with demographics, strategies, and performance is used to collect the data. Findings indicate that learners tend to use online devices, collaboration with peers, and engage in independent learning. It is observed that socioeconomic status, access to technology and study habits have a strong impact on performance, but gender does not have a significant impact. The results indicate that the methods of teaching need to be more flexible and interactive, with the use of technology, to align with Gen Z learning styles and to enhance performance in specific English language learning.