Generation z's attitude towards literary studies in Algerian higher education

Abstract EN

Student engagement solidified itself as a major precursor for academic growth and success across the past few decades.

A learner who is behaviorally, cognitively, and emotionally engaged will indisputably prosper academically.

Still, the extent to which a learner is engaged is subject to multiple internal and external factors, including his or her perception of the subject matter being taught and the manner in which it is performed.

In higher education for instance, a gradual deterioration of interest and enthusiasm towards classic text-based learning and literary studies has been globally observed among the latest generations of students.

This study assesses the tremors of this phenomenon among generation Z literature learners at Chlef University's department of English through a mixed methods design built upon survey and direct classroom observation.

The results indicate that a majority of the participants manifests little to no signs of interest towards the matter in question.

The same results also point towards the existence of a causal relationship between students' exposure to technology, their perception of literature as a discipline, and their resulting disengagement and negative attitude towards it.