Get Your Students Hired
PPt's are ok for an outline to make sure you covered everything, but the all day lectures are history for the gen-y students. They need interactive activities, more lab time, and changes in subject matter. I try to keep the information coming in short bursts, frequently interupted by practical appliction stories, that provide the ligitamacy that they crave.
My wife and I had our child later than most of our friends but only by a few years. My daughter is truly a Gen Y baby as she HAS to multi-task. As a parent and an educator, I have keep this in mind or I want to scold her for not listening to my when I am talking to her because she "seems" focused on something else but can tell me word for word what I had just said. I see it as a sign of disrespect but now I am learning that it is just the way she is wired. I take this with me into the classroom and use it to allow more freedoms in the lesson plan for students to multi-task. Information is broken up into smaller segments and fed to them in fast bits instead of long lectures.
I have found that not only showing them the "How" to do things, but tying it to real life situations and showing those in the lab,the "Why", really helps. The scantools, really point them in the right direction, but then it is old fashioned hands on work to find the problem, but showing them how to do it with their own electronic test equipment makes them think it is "new".
I agree with Jeff. I have also raised gen Y children and I find it important to use different methods to keep them engaged in the home and the classroom.
Miriam,
I would agree that this generation seems even more focused on the practical application.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I have also raised two gen. "why" kids, and I feel that this experience really helped me learn to deal with this generation of learners. I have found that while teaching them, you also have to enternain them. When they start drifting out, change the subject to something you think they will find interesting for a moment and when all are back and engaged, switch back and teach some more. You generally can't keep them on track for more than a few minutes without some of them drifting off.
I'm rasing two Gen Y kids now. I think this is a huge help in me being able to comunicate and understand our new students...
I make sure and make my lessons relevant. It seems that my Gen Y students enjoy and appreciate when I provide examples of how what they are learning will be relevant in their professional lives.
I find myself doing the same thing, although not necessarily on purpose. It just seems to happen with the gen Y students, you kind of fall into what's familiar, and having two gen Y daughters makes it easy for me to deal with/relate to these kids.
I agree with Scott, I’ve raised three Gen Y children and at times it was very difficult but they taught me how to communicate with their generation.
Scott,
it is interesting to note that most Gen Y students rate their parents as their heroes in life. So you are right, they like those adult role models that are close rather than far.
Dr. Ryan Meers
David,
that's a great idea to try & anticipate those "why" questions & as you said, have the answers in print as well as verbally.
Dr. Ryan Meers
My strategy is that I use my parenting skills. I have 2 gen y children and it seems like the younger students like to have adult role models. Basically I treat them like my kids. it works.
Having them give personal experiences that relate to the topic. Gen yers really like discussion. Also hands-on activities, make them come to life.
I have let them know they have something to teach me about their generation. This tends open a discussion and make them sense that i value their experience and input.
I have found that learning to speak their "language" has been one key to success.
Also, having the answers to their why questions readily availble not just in my mind but in print is big.
Shelly,
you demonstrate a great variety in your methods & you are right that this fast pace helps to keep them focused & on task.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I incorporate various techniques to keep the Gen Y student engaged in their learning process.
1. Small group discussions of content taught in class using case scenarios about things they may encounter in the work place.
2. Small group teaching presentations. Students work in groups of 4 or 5 and research topics. They then present the topics to their peers in class.
3. A field trip to a hospital (nursing students) where they can actually see what I am teaching in theory class as well as interact with certain equipment.
4. I have multiple ways to assess their learning. I have 4 exams per term, an application paper, and a teaching presentation. I post their grades on all of these as soon as possible along with their cummulative grades. Yes, feedback ASAP is very important to this generation of students.
5. I use the internet in the classroom and they seem to really like the You Tube videos I show as well.
6. Variety in teaching methods during a class has helped me to keep most of these students off their smart phones and texting.
I teach environmental science and I show them interesting educational videos on You Tube. They seem to enjoy the ones that incorporate humor into the overall explanation of the various subjects presented in the videos.
Overall, I always find ways to incorporate humor into the classroom. It keps them interested and they enjoy the class more. This adds to their overall learning.