Counting the previous generations—X, Y, and finally Z—we reached the end of the alphabet. With Generation Alpha, we started anew. While much has been said about Generation Z, research on the most recent generation of students remains scarce. The everyday lives of those born after 2010 are defined by constant exposure to content through digital platforms and applications, as well as by extended interactions/discussions with artificial intelligence systems. The aim of this study is to shape a comprehensive view of how youth think about and relate to digital media, highlighting the effects on learning, entertainment/play and social interactions. The research focuses on young users in Greece, born after 2010 (Generation Alpha), who are growing up in both urban centers and rural areas. It employs qualitative methods, specifically focus groups, to capture the voices of children themselves and explore how they experience and navigate the algorithmically driven media environment and the effects this environment exerts upon them. Furthermore, it examines the influence of living in smaller versus larger communities on their digital practices and subsequent social behaviors. Importantly, it compares these emerging patterns with those identified among the preceding cohort, Generation Z.

A total of 20 focus groups, each consisting of four Generation Alpha participants, were conducted over a three-month period (April to June 2025). The findings highlight Generation Alpha’s distinctive approaches to learning and play, underscoring the urgent need to reconceptualize both educational practices and media environments in ways that remain insufficiently understood. Equally noteworthy are the differences observed in how generation Alpha engages with digital media when compared to Generation Z, which has already been widely characterized as the first cohort of true digital natives. The findings aim to foster a dialogue that advances our understanding of the new generation of students. The need for media literacy is highlighted for both learners and educators, to address pedagogical challenges with participatory approach and co-use mediation.

Keywords: Generation alpha, media effects, media use, digital media, media literacy, education, generation z.