I agree most students want to be a part of the learning discussions rather than just sit and listen to a lecture. It is important to know your students and engage them in the learning process.
Michael,
smart phones can be put to good use if we control them & through this we can help our students to learn appropriateness.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I tend to bend the rules and allow the use of smart phones in class, it allows for discussions to become mini research projects that would not have happened otherwise.
Robert,
these are both great strategies & role plays can be highly effective in applying content.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Thomas,
definitely true! If your school does not have a good LMS, I encourage you to lobby for one & if they do & you aren't using it, learn how to use it, it will help you.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Kristian ,
this is very true. I like to find ways to interject mini breaks during my lecture by giving the students time to discuss key points or ideas with one another. This can help with refocusing too.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I use a lot of group activities and role playing. Part of my course is online, so they like that as well. I try to keep things moving so they don't get bored.
They love to interact with each other and exchange thoughts. If the classroom is very quiet, I feel I've lost them.
Hello Ryan and class participants.
I will be teaching two sections of undergraduate students this coming fall semester and decided to make a change in the textbook so that the students will be working with a new, online courseware from Pearson Publishing. As the course points out, I want to provide new teaching technology that will stimulate the students and encourage real-life decision making scenarios they find relevant and challenging.
I am looking forward to experiencing this new virtual e-textbook format with the students.
Barb
Having a Learning Management System they can use to access grades quickly and one in which they can write feedback and have it addressed quickly has helped.
The breaks are critical. With typically long classes structured at career colleges, anymore than 45 minutes of class time and attention spans quickly break down.
I think the key is to keep the pace moving with them. Otherwise they get bored. I also give their exams and quizzes back right away. Our policy used to be that we had one week to grade them and this used to send them into instant agony. This would almost cause the whole learning experience to come to a screeching halt because they could not concentrate on anything until they had their results. It is better if I grade the tests and answer questions, and then we can move on as a class.
I agree, I have used thesame strategy and it works very well for me.I do not allow them to use it for their inclass text, just their assignments Once they have to google the assignment,they get excited. My only concern is how well they absorbed the information so I quiz them on the assignment in class. The is to avoid shallow quick information that is hardly retained
One thing I find really important for Gen Y learners is having rapport with them. Having a good rapport makes the students more comfortable having class discussions rather than lecture. It helps them learn when they can be included and engaged in the learning rather than just having to sit and listen and take notes.
Strategies for teaching Gen Yer’s
A couple of strategies I have used are multi-tasking, learning in small groups, and instant feedback. I have notice if I set bounders and allow students to multi-task they find more information on the subject being taught than what was available in lecture. Then if you allow them to share their findings it develops into discussion and collaborative learning. This cohort thrives on instant feedback; they want to know how soon grades will be posted. Giving them instant feedback also engages them.
Don Wilson
In a production kitchen class the students are making things. Things that they might be proud of or want to show their friends. I have built a photo booth (lightbox) for taking professional looking pictures of their work. I then forward it to them so they can post on Facebook. I also allow the students to use their smart phones for taking notes photos because the Y generation is not into taking notes. The act of me allowing technology into the classroom engages the student and gets them excited.
Incorporating active learning in homework assignments has helped a lot. Students are given the option to research different web sites and report on findings.
Until taking this course, I never really made a distinction between the generations. I generally start a new class by getting to know each student, and learning what their expectations are of the subject, since these can vary widely. While I stick the the syllabus overall, I try to make allowances for what each student wishes to learn, as long as it is on topic. From what I've read already, it seems as though personalizing the learning is a good strategy for Gen Y, but I think that all of my students appreciate this approach. Demonstrating that I am mindful of their goals can be as simple as the way that I phrase a question to them. For example, "How do you use an electrical multimeter?" versus, "So, Joe, you mentioned that you enjoy restoring old cars, what are some ways that you might use a multimeter to troubleshoot some common automotive electrical problems?"
Teri,
right, it really is the way that they've been "programmed" throughout life, from video games to parents.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
This course answers so many questions that I have had about certain students. There are so many now that want everything instantly. They want answers, feedback, attention, and question so much more than other generations. I would use the reasoning most times that they were just very spoiled children. That is not the case for many of these learners. I will have to watch more keenly when and how I teach these learners.
