With the gen Y learners, they seem to have a very short attention span for human spoken lecture. they do get bored easily in a standard classroom situation, so I think that the variation on delivery is so important!
I agree -- they demand "A's" but are unwilling to work for them. They say that for what they're paying for school, they should have unlimited equipment, shouldn't have to clean up after themselves, etc.. I have concerns about them failing when they get into the "real" world, not because they lack the technical skills (I'll drill it into them whether they like it or not) BUT because they lack the social skills to work for a Boomer Boss, which frankly, most of them are in this industry.
I've tried this, and it just makes them mad.
They believe I'm supposed to deliver the lecture in such a way that it's unforgettable -- if I don't, I'm not a good instructor. They don't seem to feel they bear any responsibility; it's all on me.
I am working on the "unforgettable" part, but there's just too much information in the course for them to be able to remember everything, no matter how many magic tricks I perform.
Richard,
good question. For me, I try to keep them active, while not rushing the content, if that makes sense? Don't drag the lecture or belabor a point, but make sure we are thorough with the content itself. It's definitely a dance.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Julia,
I wonder if "setting them up for failure" early on & then pointing out that it's because they didn't pay attention? Use this to show them they must be focusing & not on their phones?
Dr. Ryan Meers
I agree. In the classroom, I have to keep changing it up in order to keep everyone's attention. However, I have also found that the more technology advanced Boomers and Gen Xers easily get distracted, too.
I agree about "keeping things moving", but it's difficult (or unwise) to speed things along. The gen-Y'ers may get bored easily and all the rest, but when you're teaching them about something that is technically very involved you can't speed through it. They may tell you they get it, but when it comes time for them to demonstrate what they claim they learned from you, then it's "deer in the headlights" time! Go too fast with the lesson, they don't pick it up. Go too slow and they get bored. What other techniques can be added to find a middle ground in the lessons?
I warn the students Day 1 that they will lose participation points if they have their phones out during demos. I take off points, but the addiction is just too strong for some of them. The problem is that if they are on their phones, they aren't taking notes. If they aren't taking notes, they screw up when they have to do the task. Then they expect me "show them" (do it for them). With 20 students, there just isn't time. And they complain that the course covers too much material, when in reality, it's light compared to what they'll be expected to do when they get out in the industry. They don't take notes, they don't listen, they don't follow directions, and I worry about it. Any suggestions on how to get through to them?
Jill,
I think putting variety into our lessons is a great strategy for keeping attention.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Because of the attention span, I tend to have many activities planned in case I see boredom set in. I have a lot of bells and whistles in my powerpoints and we play games to keep them interested.
I feel like im on stage and I get to perform.
Gilbert,
I agree that planning for these learners does require a little more time & effort on our part.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Gilbert,
I agree that planning for these learners does require a little more time & effort on our part.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Jaime,
yes, they have a great capability, they just are accustomed to fast movement.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Shukmei,
I agree that we need to plan to incorporate technology into our courses.
Dr. Ryan Meers
They require constant entertainment and the class should have some integrated technology.
The instructional planning process takes more thought preparation when you are considering the Generation Y student in your class. A standard lecture and follow thru with material does not cut it. You have to break down the time of the class in increments that will engage the student, as stated before using group interaction, describing real life experiences and trying to communicate relevance to the subject matter in a genuine manner.
I am in the generation X catagory, I have slight simular characteristics of generation Y. The generation Y loses focus very quickly and I do too. I lecture in small increments and demostrate out in lab. I do this often and I have been keeping students interested on the lecture and course. Keeping the students of generation Y mentally busy is the key for learning.
They have no problem searching for the information, they simply find information that is of interest to them! They can tell me all about add-ons for their cars and the price of a set of "30s" but they are unable to perform a brake job. You can give them the procedures, go over them in the classroom prior to lab, and they lose the information in transit.
They rate themselves far higher in knowledge than is factual. They have the inability to structure simple sentences or spell 4th grade level words. They want to perform at a mediocre level and receive 100% for their effort. I for one fear for our future if this is the end result of the educational system.
The generation Y learners changed the instructional planning from lecture-note taking to online homework and quiz style.
Yes it seems that the Y generation has an infinite amount of information at their fingertips but are unwilling to take time the time to find real answers to questions. I find that they are clueless in regards to current trends in our industry which could easily be sought out on the internet. It is depressing thought that access to electronic information is not improving students ability to search for information that will be useful for their chosen career path.
