The most memorable point in this chapter was that older generations view constant texting and cell phone use as disrespectful or shows the student is not paying attention. It then says that Gen Ys are skilled at multitasking.
What about all those recent studies that show that humans are in fact not good at all at multitasking?
Different generations of learners also contribute to the different learning styles. Since Gen-Y students are typically more adept of the latest technologies and the earlier generations may not be as adept, it's important for us to have a blended teaching style as well. Also, knowing the characteristics can help us to adapt better to the students that we are dealing with. We would expect certain behaviors from older generations and be aware of the issues that may be presented by the younger generations. Flexibility is key when dealing with different generations of learners.
Andrea,
yes, & the more styles you try to reach & incorporate the better chance you will have of reaching all of your learners.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
All of my students are of varying ages but most are older than me. I feel it's important for me to recognize all of their different learning styles to try and incorporate as many as I can into my teaching methods. I also feel it's important for them to try and learn new learning styles that might benefit them.
Carrie,
yes and beyond the different generations we have an increasing amount of cultural & ethnic diversity in our classes & we should seek to understand these differences as well.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
By knowing the characteristics of Gen Y learners we can better understand their needs and learning styles and be more effective with this generation of students.
Today classrooms are comprised of individuals with different backgrounds. I find it valuable to understand my students to the fullest to aid in learning. The information received about the different generations is helpful to better understand their unique learning process.
Educational training is definitely involved with matching investment with outcomes. No student wants to feel like they did not receive the instruction they invested time and/or money in receiving. Understanding learning styles keeps instructors on point for contributing to the overall success of the training facility's brand image and end results.
Yingwei,
this is so true & also knowing the different types of learners that are present in our classes will help us to diversify our teaching strategies.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
The value of knowing the characteristics strategizes your teaching approach. If a Silent Generation student is identified, then presenting more lectures and assigning more reading assignments can be incorporated into the class.
If you know the characteristics of the generation you are teaching, then you can understand them better. If you understand them better then you can find ways to teach them and help them understand the material.
The value is getting to know how to work with the various learners and adressing their learning curves accordingly.
I believe it is extremely valuable to know how to effectively teach the different generations. I teach students of every generation and this class is helping me to get a better understanding of how to communicate with all of my students. It is helping me to tailor my daily lessons to the different generations so they I can be a more affective educator.
Caren,
yes & also understanding the different ways that individuals learn in general helps to reach all learners appropriately.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Knowing the characteristics of each generations may help you how to communicate/understand the different approaches and styles for an effective learning environment. Different learning styles for each student can help them learn the best way they can.
Often you have students from multiple generations in your classroom. If you understand the differences between them (and between your generation and theirs) it will help you teach to ALL of your students.
Especially in culinary arts, our students seem to come from a wide variety of backgrounds. I seem to have two to three generations being represented in each class I teach, and they all address situations differently.
It's interesting to think back on how I learned and the generation my own teachers were from, in relation to how I manage my classroom today.
Curiously, there are similarities among these generations, and a skillful educator could play on the strengths of each to impact each student on their own level.
Christina ,
this is a good idea & I think even having the students to "TED" talks which helps them learn to clearly articulate ideas in a limited amount of time.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I try to incorporate as many different activities as possible through TED talks, power-points, self reflection papers and group discussions. Then conclude with classroom discussions that allows for all perspectives to be heard. Sometimes we even talk about differences in generational views and I try to challenge younger students to reflect on their parents or grandparents values as differing from theirs. It seems to help create a comfortably and openness to seeing that others have differing experiences and views.
Thomas,
yes, the more we know the better prepared we can be to reach all of the learners in our classrooms.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
