Todd,
this is an accurate assessment of many of the problems we are currently facing. The students do know how to find the info, but processing in a meaningful way is another matter.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I believe that technology has changed everything in terms of learning. Answers can now be found with a few mouse clicks. I believe that because of this, students are less apt to take notes and really study, becuase they know that answers can be found easily. I also feel that as instructors it is important to impart out personal experiences becuase this is something that they can't find on the internet.
our students are too dependant on technology, it does hurt them with basic study skills and critical thinking, even though these students grew up on computers, they lack the skill to understand what they are looking at. they can find the information but dont know what to do with it when they find it.
I have found that my Generation Y students are quickly distracted in material conveyed in a more traditional manner(lectures, PowerPoint. Hands on computer assisted learning and video(YouTube)segments keep them more engaged. When the student feels that the traditional approach is explaining exactly how the information relates to the individual: only then do they seem to be engaged.
Julie,
you bring up a very interesting discussion point/question. I agree with you that we need to be more understanding that they are not intending to be disrespectful. And the balance is to help Gen Y students understand how their behavior is perceived.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Julie,
you bring up a very interesting discussion point/question. I agree with you that we need to be more understanding that they are not intending to be disrespectful. And the balance is to help Gen Y students understand how their behavior is perceived.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I found this course very interesting. Being a Gen X member myself, its hard to answer this without being a bit biased. It does seem to us older folks that there is a negative impact on learning for this Gen Y. However, I think part of this perception is that we don't completely understand how they learn because we are comparing to ourselves, and honestly are often frustrated by what we perceive to be disrespect (texting or checking things during a lecture) If they truly are better at multitasking and have the ability to do this and still listen, then we need to understand it's not disrespect...it's them multitasking.
I tottally agree with that , it seems that the less thinking they do the better off they are , lacking common sense is the biggest issue with lots of our students .
They have instant access to information on a much broader range of topics than previous generations. They also expect instant answers to their questions.
Keegan,
you make an excellent point here & I would agree that we need to see the value in the technology. True, as you stated, greater discipline is needed but we can help them learn this as well.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I'm going to be the odd one out (at least according to the first 3 replies i've seen) and say that technology has made it EASIER and better for Gen Yers to learn. Never before has there been access to so many different topics and at so many different levels.
one can find instruction manuals for many mechanical or technological devices, recipes for cooking, instructional videos for all types of arts and loads of forums, JUST like this one to helps them if they're stuck on something.
There does some times seem to be a challenge in encouraging discipline along with all of this info readily available. But I find it encouraging.
As instructors we have countless teaching assistants by simply having access to the internet
Gen Y students always have technolgy at their fingertips. If they need an answer to something, they can immediately look it up online and "google" it. It is a good resource, but they should not only rely on technology alone. They should also know how to use other resources as well. Gen Y students need instant gratification. They may not take the extra steps necessary for learning, and may get frustrated if they cannot figure it out right away.
i am an instructor and half of what i teach is how to repair Mercedes Benz. most everything on theese cars is well planed but in order to work on them you need to look up the directions, read them and then follow to the letter step by step. i have found the Gen Y students have a problem with this. if it takes to much effort to look something up, they call for help. and even after they find the directions they don't read them all they skip over half to get to the end. then they call for help again and once more i try to guide them by asking leading questions. not all of the students like this ..they just want the answer..also i have found they have no critical thinking skills..i think as a country we need to take a hard look at what technology has done to our children.. i do not look forward to Gen Y when they grow up and take over.
Jeff,
this is a great point & a great perspective. We have a great opportunity to reach them by using various technologies in our approach.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Yes, I think technology has impacted my Gen Y students. It seems to be their preferred method of engagement and learning. This proves to be an additional way to reach them through the learning process.
It is interesting to me to see how some of my Gen Y students are very tech savvy and others are not! Also with the rapid changes in technology it is important as an instructor to keep up with what is the newest and most prefered methods of tech communication. For example, most of the Gen Y students rarely if ever check email, they much prefer Facebook or now, even Twitter.
I see a lot of Gen Y students; they do have a good command on the newest technology but in every way it can help them it also hurts them. I find students have a difficult time (and so do I) understanding what's going on when automation does the entire process for you by just touching a few buttons. I try to have students do things manually every chance I get so a process can be broken down to it's simplest parts. It's best to learn to use as many different tools as you can so you can adapt to new situations. I try to help them understand that it is not very wise to be too reliant on anything, including the latest and greatest technology. I use a crutch anology to help them understand. You can use a crutch to support yourself but the harder you lean against it the harder you fall when it's no longer there.
It has both helped and hurt them. On the one hand, they can access and process information very quickly. On the other hand, they do not seem to be able to think critically as well as other students, and they don't seem to be able to write as well (research papers, etc.).
Bruno,
and this is where we can look for ways to help them learn these skills since they are not using them nearly as much.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
From something positive there is always something negative.
Positive: Students are more aware of what happen around them.
Negative: They lose skills like writing, memorizing. For example, the speed dial is killing the skills of memorizing numbers or looking for a word trough a book dictionary.
