As Gen Z fills college classrooms, professors are observing a growing soft skill crisis. Students rich in digital fluency are hesitant, silent and unsure about sharing their thoughts when it comes to writing
and expressing themselves.
Today’s generation is among the most informed and technologically adept generations to ever enter higher education, but many struggle to articulate ideas or ask questions.
Professors are constantly flagging a shift that is less about ambition or intelligence but more about communication, confidence and the ability to “sell” oneself in real-world settings where clear conversations and connections still matter.
Silence In The Classroom
One of the most striking changes faculty members observe is silence. Discussions that once sparked debate now often stretch into long pauses. Even when students appear academically prepared, participation remains minimal.
Dr Aparna Sharma, Dean of the School of Liberal Arts at Noida International University, describes a clear shift over the past decade. “The digital generation of students is more at ease with self-expression through social networking but has become more reserved about communicating verbally in interpersonal settings,” she explains.
According to Dr Sharma, many students know the answers but hold back due to fear. “Many students know the answers but fear being judged or making mistakes. Silence today often reflects anxiety, not a lack of knowledge,” she says.
The fear of being judged, appearing “dumb,” and sounding unprepared by peers has created that unnecessary layer of caution. This not only outweighs curiosity but also leads students to monitor themselves. Gen Z is choosing silence as the safer option than being the topic of discussion in class.
Dr Sharma notes that while students often have ideas, they struggle to express them clearly. “Yes, ideas are often there, but structure, flow, and precision are weak. Many students struggle to build logical arguments and write complete, well-connected sentences,” she said.
This challenge is largely an outcome of communicating in fragments such as captions, texts, abbreviations and emojis. Language, once practised through essays and long-form case studies, has increasingly been replaced by shorthand expressions designed for speed rather than clarity.
For students entering professional environments, this gap can be costly. The ability to write an email, explain a concern or speak up for oneself are the foundational skills in the workplace, yet many students reach graduation without mastering these basics.
Psychological Safety Through Silence
Mrs Kshama Dwivedi, Director at the Swami Vivekanand Group of Institutes, frames the issue as a shift in communication. “Student communication has undergone a qualitative shift rather than a simple decline,” she explains.
“Today, communication has become more fragmented and mediated. Students are comfortable expressing themselves through text and digital formats, but struggle with extended verbal articulation in spontaneous, face-to-face academic contexts.”
According to her, silence has become a form of psychological safety. In competitive academic environments shaped by comparison, students fear public error. “Gen Z students now prefer psychological safety through silence; they fear public error, judgment, and comparison,” she says.
Mrs Dwivedi emphasises that this silence is largely psychological rather than passive. “It reflects increased communication apprehension, heightened evaluation anxiety, and a preference for low-risk, asynchronous communication.”
The Pandemic Effect And The Virtual World
The COVID-19 pandemic further intensified these trends. Many Gen Z students spent formative academic years in virtual classrooms, missing out on everyday interactions with professors and friends that help build social confidence.
A Canadian survey conducted by Censuswide between January 30 and February 2, 2024, found that more than 50% of Gen Z respondents felt their social skills had declined, while 25% believed their verbal skills had worsened. The survey included 1,518 Canadians who studied or worked remotely.
“These reduced interactions have affected their ability to read social cues, engage in spontaneous conversations, and build interpersonal relationships,” experts note.
The Vanishing Habit Of Reading And Articulation
Dr Prashant Pareek, Associate Professor at Shanti Business School in Ahmedabad, has observed the impact more clearly during group discussions. As GD is considered an essential part of MBA and PGDM evaluations, “Around 70% of students lack articulation skills,” he stated.
According to Dr Pareek, the primary reason is that students are not reading. “Students who have developed the habit of reading newspapers, current affairs magazines, books related to and beyond the curriculum tend to perform well in group discussions,” he says. “They possess articulation skills that differentiate them from others.”
When it comes to today’s scenario, many students now ask for summaries instead of reading full case studies. “Earlier, case studies used to be 10 or 15 pages long, and we read them carefully. Today, students ask straight away for the gist,” he explains.
He also notes that another troubling issue, which is often observed during conversations with Gen Z students, is the normalisation of social media abbreviations. Acronyms and shortcuts have entered everyday vocabulary, weakening formal language skills and raising broader concerns for society.
Communications in Bits And Pieces
Understanding the communication style followed by Gen Z is the key to addressing the crisis. As attention spans have become shorter, this generation prefers visual, concise, and instant communication. Experts note that Gen Z responds best to “five words and a big picture.”
They consume “snack media,” favouring videos, images, and punchy headlines over long text.
Unlike millennials, who adapted to digital tools, Gen Z was born into them. They multitask across multiple screens, communicate through images and often prefer texting over talking.
Are Standards Being Lowered?
As universities introduce courses focused on communication, self-advocacy, and professional skills, critics argue that standards are being diluted. Dr Aparna Sharma disagrees. “It reflects greater realism and support,” she says.
“Academic rigour today includes the ability to communicate, collaborate, and self-advocate. Strengthening these skills raises outcomes; it does not dilute standards.”
Many institutions are incorporating presentations, reflective writing, group discussions, and practical communication modules as a part of the curriculum, rather than treating them as optional extras. The goal is not to change the way Gen Z functions but to meet where they are, while still preparing them for workplaces that demand human interaction.
A Two-Way Transformation
Interestingly, professors note that Gen Z may also be forcing educators and institutions to evolve with changing trends and time. Faculty are becoming more intentional about structure, clearer about relevance, and more flexible in how engagement looks.
Participation may not always mean speaking loudly in class; it could include written reflections, smaller group discussions, or alternative formats that build confidence gradually.
Bridging this gap will require effort from both students and institutions, like more reading, more speaking, more patience with imperfection, and more spaces where students feel safe to try and fail out loud.
