Teaching Today’s University Students: Challenges and Solutions
Teaching Today’s University Students: Challenges and Solutions Introduction Recent evidence indicates that many educators are encountering new cohorts of university students who display a range of skill gaps and attitudes different from prior generations. Reports suggest students often arrive with weaker reading, writing and study skills, limited information literacy, and over-reliance on digital devices. Studies find that younger students (late Gen Z) read fewer books (e.g. Americans 18–29 averaged 5.8 books/year in 2025) and many skip assigned readings. Meanwhile, pervasive smartphone and AI use shapes how they learn: one survey found 85% of teens own a smartphone and 73% use (or plan to use) AI tools for studying . These factors may contribute to observed deficits like poor critical thinking and information evaluation. For example, Generation Z students “tend to quickly skim” top search results and can struggle to assess source credibility . Other faculty have noted attitudes ...