I often ask, "Does that make sense" or "Did that help you understand the problem". Some of the class I teach are not the easiest to engage students so I need to force the issue by calling on them to come up to the board and show my how they would approach the problem.
Andrea,
relevance is very important to Gen Y & so we need ot keep this in mind as we work with this generation.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Using lots of dialog, getting the content through to them in creative ways. Gen Yers want to know the relevance of the content. They need to know what is the most important content to focus on since they are exposed to so much information constantly. The instructor needs to form groups and projects that let the students investigate answers to important questions regarding the course content. The Socratic method, which is the use of deductive reasoning through questions and answers, is another good approach. The instructor should be the "guide on the side" rather than the lecturing "sage on the stage."
Andrea Gibb
Linda,
yes the shared experiences are a great way for our students to borrow the knowledge & experience of others.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Also helps learn from others' experiences and what to expect if they should happen to attend the same facility!
Linda,
this is a great way to debrief the experience & help them absorb learning from it.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I have them report on experiences following hands-on activities, especially with future patients/clients
Thomas,
the why is crucial & very important for this generation to understand.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
When we discuss things they need to know in our field of study, I always take extra time to explain WHY those things are relevant and significant. I also give them the opportunity to present topics and I really value interaction. While I think it's important to give them some of your real-life experiences, I always try to relate those experiences to how it might benefit them and their future careers.
Some stratgies I use for engaging Generation Y learners are:
* Relate my experience with their chosen career paths
* Get them to understand that I am here to help them, not hold them back
* Use real life examples so they connect better with the lessons.
lori,
and these methods encourage the students to share their ideas & to be ready to "defend" why they came to these conclusions.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I think the "Socrates" method is good because it makes them think and reason about a subject to come to a conclusion. Also creating small groups and having them create a project, portfolio, etc. that will require each individual to search and contribute something. I liked the idea of debate as well because this generation is very confident in themselves and likes to express their own ideas and opinions.
Lori Barnett
Sandra,
yes, the more hands on we can make the learning, the better this generation seems to be engaged with the material.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
They like to have hands on practice, they like to work in small groups and they want to "see" the subject matter - audiovisual form
To engage the students I assign individual and group projects that include presentations.
Role-playing, socially facilitated learning, differentiated instruction, appropriate use of technology, conversation/dialog, and immediate feedback are all important to Gen Y learners and can be leveraged to give them a learning environment which best addresses their needs.
Brendon ,
this is a great exercise that really requires that critical thinking & the deeper thinking abilities.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Falisia,
I love to have the students share their experiences to help their peers learn & also to provide real life case studies for all of us to examine.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I like using the socratic method with them and if they can't support that side of the argument I suggest they look up supporting info on the internet. If I really feel like making them think I ask them how they know the internet info is factual and not someones opinion
Collaborative group assignments often helps to get these student involved.
Whole group discussions, critical thinking prompts, projects (of their chosen but based on course expectations), and keeping topics interesting enough that they want to learn are all methods that I use within the classroom.
As an instructor, I do not like to be bored. I did not like attending classes where the instructor lectured the entire time or read straight from a book. Learning should be interactive, meaningful, and fun.
