Charlotte,
yes this can be very frustrating & we need to try & help our students learn the balance between instant gratification & effective research.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I quite agree with this. Quite often I find students are lost without their "smart phones, etc." But as their ability to access information becomes more efficient, unfortunately and quite frequently, they are unable to decipher, discern and assimilate this information. Because of the deluge of info so readily available, it's increasingly difficult for them to focus sufficiently on anything.
This often seems to lead to frustration. Unfortunately some of the learning methods (dismissed as 'old school' and summarily disregarded) like taking concise notes, drawing diagrams/sketches, applying logic or common sense are still quite valid means of education.
Additionally, I've often found the technology to be a serious distraction (pretty, shiny objects)—texting during lectures, checking voice and e-mail on impulse. As they become more savvy, they're not necessarily getting smarter.
Gen Y students are used to instant gratification due to reliance on technology like the internet. If a student had a question to research in the past, they would drive to the library, use a card catalog to find a book, use the index to find the topic, then read the information they needed. This could take 1-2 hours. Now students "google" it and receive information within seconds. This fast-paced lifestyle fosters a generation of students that are easily distracted, impatient, and inquisitive. There is a lot of pressure on instructors to know more, be more innovative/entertaining during lecture and to give instant feedback.
Leigh,
I too struggle with this idea as a Gen Xer. I've tried to accomodate the need for immediate feedback without killing myself in the process.
Dr. Ryan Meers
The impact that I see mostly is connectivity and the immediate response. These learners need to have multiple resources through technology in order to complete assignments and discussions and this can be seen in the classroom and the online classroom. With an online classroom it is expected to have this connectivity because this is the primary way of communication through a classroom portal. However, in a ground classroom setting I have seen a positive response to these learners when I connect a classroom portal for them to receive grades, feedback, assignments, discussions, resources and announcements. This not only connects this generation but it assists the other generations who are not as tech savy to utilize and practice this form of learning and communication.
The immediate response impact is something that I as a Gen Xer am still getting use to. The expectation that learning or feedback or communication may not always be immediate is frustrating to Gen Y and this is hard to grasp sometimes. Should the lesson be to push for immediate response for optimal learning or is the lesson to slow things down. This is something that I go back and forth with.
James,
and the more we can incorporate this technology into our classes the better chance we have of reaching these students.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Shari,
you are so right about this. I have found that mixing lecture with activities/demonstrations seems to help with attention & retention.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Sara,
I too have found this to be true. One of the things I try to do is balance using new technologies & valuing this, while helping Gen Y learners to appreciate the value of paper books & the learning contained in them.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Stephen,
multi-tasking is definitely a "skill" possessed by most Gen Yers. However it is important that we help them realize that multi-tasking is not always the best option as it can interfere with their retention.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Stephanie ,
this is definitely a struggle with info addicted learners. All I can say is keep at it & enforce those rules. Many of your students probably do appreciate it as they find the technology distracting.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Gen Y is used to immediate feed back and the ability to 'google' anything and get information that formerly would have taken many hours of library research to obtain.
In addition this generation is also used to beibng able to communicate instantly 24 hours a day, and access people around the world if they so choose. This results in a generation, that for the first time in history, has been global without travel. They can 'travel' wiothout leaving their house.
Their native technology experience means that instructors have to raise the bar and not only provide an engaging classroom , but be sure of their facts- if they use incorrect information, chances are the students will google it on their phone and dispute it within seconds. Preparation is even more important for teachers.
Technology has made it easier to get facts quickly, but I'm not convinced there is much understanding of the information received. Although the internet, GPS, iphone have made life easier and maybe even more interesting, Gen Y seems to rely more on technology than on their own intelligence to figure things out.
The Y generation is the paperless generational. Their focus is on the ease provided by the newest technology. Current technology in the classroom such SmartBoards appeal to this generation.
For the most part, they are amazing multi-taskers; that being said, many important details area sometimes lost in completing a series of tasks at one time. Many instructors are frustrated because a good portion of the important concepts that they attempt to present to Y generation students can be dilluted by multi-tasking which can impact the quality of the student works.
My Gen Y students tend to seek and rely on information that tends to be be based more on perception than actual information. My theory is that because there are so many channels and sources of information, and there being NO definitive source of verification or "correctness", the Gen Y'rs look at the world as being a place of never ending shades of gray.
I might say "the sky is blue" and they might reply "that's your opinion."
Thoughts?
Technology impacted the learning process in Gen Y students in both positive and negative ways. The pros of learning with technology in Gen Y Learners is information is readily available for students that are Gen Y, immediate access to information presents the opportunity for them to learn as much as they choose. The Cons of technology in Gen Y Learners is technology does not always provide the hands on experience that is necessary for certain subjects. Also many students develope communication issues. They become highly anti-social and do not like nor learn the concept of teamwork... There are pros and cons to everything I guess.
Theory and long lectures seem to not stick in the minds of my Gen-Y students. They seem to need hands on learning with lots of real world examples and stories.
Generation Y learners are quicker to try and find an answer themselves either by using the internet on the computer in front of them or google on their smartphones. They seem to have less patience and a need for the information to relate to the real world in a way that they can make sense of.
Because of the easy and familiarity of technology students find research and knowledge accessable. However, the basis of fact checking and accuracy tends to suffer.
Emphasis is placed on social interaction through phones and other devices, so a strong sense of community is created using technology. This can be a source of strength, but can also lead to a dissconnect with fellow students and instructors within the classroom.
I have found that they have an issue with immediacy. When given an assignment, if they can't Google the info in 10 seconds they complain that they "can't find any information" and get frustrated and disengage. It's hard to get them to be patient! I also have to assign them to use books, actual books made of PAPER, as part of their grade or they won't step foot into the library and just assume everything they find online is a reliable source.
There's definitely a sense of "If I can't find the data right away, it isn't worth knowing"!
