We are living in a time of incredible technology changes and technology is bringing all spatial elements closer together. In this sense, the increasing technological changes are impacting on our approach to society, to planning and to breaking new ground in terms of research and education. There is a rise of a new generation that is "location-aware" (based on virtual environments) and speaks a "technological-language" (via social media and networks). This also impacts on the teaching-learning environment within the current university structures, as students (the generation Y learners) are more equipped with technology, and even "talk a different language" than generation X (tutors, lecturers and study-leaders). This study aims to investigate the preferences of the new generation Y, in terms of technology usage, based on the surveys conducted among the Urban Planning students on the Potchefstroom campus of the North-West University, South Africa, in two year intervals (2011, 2013 and 2015). It furthermore aims to link the current technology hype with teaching-learning strategies, addressing new Urban Planning initiatives and mobile application assisting the planning of virtual spaces for a new generation and urban social life.