Yes, the challenge is there, Michelle, for instructors to recognize the expectations of continuous connection and flexibility of networking,and it most often means re-thinking how we design and deliver our classes and course content. Indeed the idea that content should be preset rather than discovered is obsolete and creates an irrelevant and stale environment for students.
The dynamic characteristics of immediate and wireless technology provides a context within which learning can stay fresh and relevant for every student. My how teacher preparation must change!! :)
Immediate access to information is more recently so often expected and assumed. Let’s consider how this changes the outlook and philosophy for social (and other) interactions. Modern-day humans expect to be able to check the weather forecast whenever they want (do you remember needing to stay up for the eleven o’clock news for that!?!?). Carry that concept toward education and the idea of a specific class (group of people), meeting in a specific place, at a specific time, to discuss a specific topic might, at least, seem limiting (or, perhaps, a little weird! ).
The ‘nomadic’ label indicates expansion and continuation of this concept – not only would I expect to get the information I need when I need it… I could add that I’d expect to be able to get it wherever I happen to be! With mobile devices and wireless connections offering web capabilities at nearly any time or location, nomadic learners might well expect that, in the case they would be unable to attend a face-to-face class, there should be a way for them to obtain the information they need – when they need it and from wherever they are.
Using this as an ‘advantage’ for enhancing learning in our courses might mean loosening up the reins a little bit – when a student brings up a question or seeks to expand a topic, see if you can let that ‘flow’… have the student look it up (online or otherwise), have other students get involved in the discussion of the idea, advise them to think about it on their way home or to work, and, maybe, see if there are ways you and your students could continue adding to the ‘discussion’ or collection of information you’re building through an online interaction area, such as a blog, discussion forum, or ‘cloud computing’ environment. (There are many free tools for these, and, trust me, your students want to incorporate these capabilities SO much, they’d likely be happy to work with you to set them up for your course!)
Students are nomadic because their technology travels with them. I would argue, however, that students are not the only nomads: as cell phone and tablet technology continues to spread, the human race is increasingly "wired" and instant to the good and bad of everyone.
Yes, good points, Kristin. There are obvious differences in connectivity that would really challenge some teachers. I know myself that I am connected to various groups of students and colleagues all day and night. There are ways of still managing that, however, so that you can still "have a life"!! I do think, though, that the idea of "office hours" whether actual or virtual seem unnecessary and it is more a question of personal management than anything else. What ideas do you have for managing student access for yourself?
Today's learners are connected digitally to everything they need at all times. Because they have those connections accessible via mobile devices, they can work from anywhere, anytime. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it does create challenges for faculty that are not used to being asked to be that available to students. These nomadic learners are demanding that faculty be just as available as their learning content and that is a change for most faculty that are used to only having to be available during class time and posted office hours.
Indeed, Marilu. Information is all around and easily available to most students. It also means that we become (as teachers) only one resource in the mix. That resource is, however, vital to the learning process - to move information to knowledge requires guidance, experience, and application. Teachers who realize this can prepare assignments and work that moves students towards knowledge, rather than simply keep them surrounded by information. This also requires innovative methods of evaluation, as we also discuss in this course. The actual learning process becomes front and center of the evaluation. Good discussion...
I think our students are Nomadic learners because they can access any type of information that they require simply by conducting searches online. Our role as instructors is to help guide them to find the right search engines for a given search. The reality is that not all information on the web is "good" information and they need to learn how to discriminate the "good" from the "bad". This will enable them to use the information gathered to then synthesize it and internalize it in a way that best makes sense to them. Our role therefore is to guide this process of individualized learning. Years ago, in a linear model, before the internet, we were very limited in how we accessed information, it was dated and sometimes even obsolete today anything you want to know is available simply by searching online. It has opened new doors for knowledge acquisition but it is only with experience (and this is where instructors come in) that you can determine relevancy or validity.
Yes, Virginia, there are positives and negatives with technology and the agreed-upon social norms and interpersonal rules still apply. It is important to still remain polite but I do think technology does change how we do what we do. Just today I was conducting a workshop for faculty and during one segment I was texting an IT person to find out answers to questions being raised in the session - immediate and effective!
Rather than responding exactly to the question
verbatim, I would prefer to share some observations.
I did a quick poll of wrists in my workplace and found very few watches on younger wrists. Yet, at a meeting the other day, I saw people in their later 50s and even older, two handed texting during a presentation. During the ENTIRE presentation. I still think it a bit rude although I doodle to focus.
When someone picks up their cell phone in my mid-sentence I want to whack it across the room.
When I worked as a guidance counselor, I actually had to tell parents to turn off their phones during meetings. I finally put up a sign.
I have to upgrade my phone and I am agonizing over how smart I want it to be (or not.) Android?
Blackberry? Keyboard?
If the lights went out, we would be in some shape.
There was a terrific NCIS episode in which that very thing happened- a power outage. Gibbs was the only one who could function.
Just rambling. And having said that, I love technology and have a ball with it. Hows that for mixed messages?
Indeed, Cindy, however your role as an instructor still remains vital in guiding the organization and application of that information. Have you found ways to do that?
The current generation of learners has never known a time without the internet, or access to such instant information. They cannot comprehend the hours spent doing research in a Library. They have been brought up in the "information age" and want the variety of media that can provide them with instant information and answers.
This is a huge challenge, Jeremy, however, even before digital and Internet technology, students had to learn how to think critically and deeply about their subject area. The challeng is now more obvious but it is still the same challenge for teachers.
The problem I have had in the past with "Nomadic Learners" is they rarely get very deep in subject matter. They produce items that are very shallow.
Click and paste work. Half the time they turn in Google results.
Nomadic learners use technology which is flexible for their way of life on the go constantly active and involved.
Great, Jackie. I would suggest that the learner autonomy you mention is the most important ongoing skill we can develop in students. The more students learn how to learn for themselves, the more long term learning will be for them.
Our new curriculum allows the student to interact and get more involved with the everyday class environment.The student has more responsibility and assignment's with the web based training ,I think the student will have a since of accomplishment and motivated than in the past.I am really looking foward to the changes for the student as well as for the instructor's.
Very true, Claudia. The challenge, however, for instructors is to provide the guidance needed for students. That is, the connections and information accessibility are great but students sill may not know how to learn and use those resources to support their learning process. Teachers must have strategies in place to provide this kind of guidance.
So much information is available to students outside the classroom. No longer do students have towait to learn. They can be connected anywhere and at any time
So if connection goes way beyond the classroom, Angel, learning becomes more process-based and inclusive of life experience and prior knowledge. Each of these have long since been recognized as vital to the learning process and now are so possible. How, then, should teachers adapt their teaching approach to accomodate this?
This generation is referred to as "nomadic learners" because of the growth of mobile devices, public wi-fi spots, and technology use in schools. We as a society are constantly on the go, so learning has now adapted to fit this growing trend. Nomad learning shows us that learning must be beyond the traditional ways of thought and as instructors we must be willing to embrace that learning can occur and be effective beyond a traditional classroom setting. Students and instructors have these devices that constantly keep us connected, so it's nice to start teaching students (learners)to learn with them. One of my goals as a instructor is to inspire life-long learning. I think that job is now easier with the help of mobile devices and widespread wi-fi access.
