I had to look up lacing wheels, and I found a whole new world! Thanks for broadening my world view, Jeffery!
I feel sorry for the Generation Y learners. I don’t think it’s that they are not willing to learn they just don’t know how to learn in many cases. I believe they have so many distractions, which includes the internet, cell phones, video games, or technology. In general, in this busy world, I feel it does impede their learning to a certain extent. As an educator, I know how these distractions can affect the learning process and I try and make every possible effort to help them avoid those distractions and help them understand the importance education has for their future.
most gen y students tend to rely on there internet and cannot think on there own they seem to want instant gratification. it some times is helpful to have them work in grope with other gens
So as an educator, how do you reach them to show them that they need to break the habit of relying on others and start thinking and problem solving for themselves?
Bob,
I had an interesting conversation with some Gen Y students about this very thing. Their own perceptions was that they have lost something with their over reliance on pulling up information rather than memorizing.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
You must integrate technology into the learning environment to hold their interest and create value.
I tend to agree with this observation. I found a correlation between Gen Y learners, the instant gratification and their reliance on technology to solve their problems instead of formulating their own hypothesis and theories. Couple that with the propensity to work in team and their reliance on sources outside themselves becomes a limiting factor in their own development. There is a disconnect between self reliance and success in the future workplace for them.
Tammy,
yes, I've noticed this myself. You are very right about taking the missed questions personally & I have to consistently remind my students that this is not necessarily a commentary on them personally.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I find when I am grading test, Gen Y students want to know what their grades are before anyone else, and take it personal when they miss 1 question. They also have a strong need to be constantly attached to their electronic devices, and gaming is their social interaction with others. Some of my Gen Y students are more into fictional character challenges that reality.
Gen Y are tech savvy, multitasking.
I find the Gen Y students tend to want the instant gratification without puting thought or effort into their work which can be conflicting among students in na smaller class setting when the students gap multiple generations and the older students put tremendous effort into learning and work
Jon ,
this is a great observation & echoes my experience as well. Gen Y planning requires a little more time & energy for sure.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I am a Boomer teaching adult learners, some of which are Gen X and some are Gen y. It seems that both respond well to use of any technology in the classroom. Gen Y students, from my point of view, are much more impatient and lose attention easily so lesson planning for them needs to be faster pace and more entertaining than for the Gen Xers. Gen X students are less demanding on the methods of presentation of information and don't tend to question the knowledge or qualifications of the instructor as much as Gen Y.
Being more technologically integrated than previous generations, the Gen Y's also may share a rather novel approach to "my dog ate my homework". Gen Y's can hide behind technology. If a particular piece of instructional information arrives on a paper handout rather than an Email or social media application, the Y may choose to ignore it or to seek a verbal cut-to-the-chase synopsis rather than actually reading the piece. Surprisingly, if such a meal is not served on the right plate, Gen Y will not touch his/her "food".
Robert,
this is a great point, it also allows me to be more "in the moment" with the students. Depending on the topic I want their input & so the whiteboard is a great way to do this.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Robert,
I've found this as well. One challenge I run into is that they also want me to offer them a constantly updated grade total for the class. I take time at the beginning of each course to show them how to do this themselves & I make it very easy. This way they can always know where they stand.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
This speaks to a form of multi-modal teaching which I employ daily. Youtube is a wonderful assistant and helps shed light on a topic in a different way. That is, it provides another perspective for the student.
Depending on the class I think the use of a white board is still very effective. Speaking about a slide is common, whereas writing an exercise down, or having the students contribute, or explaining an accounting or math question by additionally writing it on the board can be helpful to show them how exactly the answer was derived.
I can agree with that, and submit that it is most commonly visible in the use of LMS to post grades. Students expect to have their tests graded ASAP and for it to appear on the LMS just as fast.
Shelley,
yes & this is a great focus. There is room for some "rigidity" however we must be considering individual learners.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
