The expectation of Gen Y students is to be "entertained". When they are not, they become super - bored! Incorporating different media has helped me eliminate a lot of this. The first time I head the phrase "death by powerpoint" I learnt that it comes down to how I deliver content.
The Gen Y students pass on a lot of information when class is over. It seems to be another world that happens between students. I guess it keeps them talking about a subject even after class has been dismissed. I also think there is a lot of good feed back and encouragment that happens as students share pictures of their school work on social networks.
Social Networks can influence the learning of Generation Y students by providing them with another means of communication. It connects them with a wider circle to interact with. Students can communicate with other students who are from different countries. This can help to broaden the student's network opportunities.
Jeremy,
I appreciate your comment. I personally don't feel the need to allow for social time, but rather encourage a "social atmosphere" by encouraging the students to interact with one another in ways related to the learning.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I think it is unfortunate that you feel you must allow for social time during your class. Class is by definition, a time for working and learning. I tailor my delivery in a manner that keeps my students busy interacting with eachother and myself while never losing focus on the learning objective of the day. I do alot of question asking and small group discussions.
I really allows them to use the tools and technology that they have grown up with and come to rely on. This also will help them commuicate with the instructor either through e-mail, or texting with the instructor. I have been using both of these methods for quite some time now and the Gen Y students love it. Too much sometimes.
Shane,
this is an excellent application of social media for academic purposes. True, not all areas will need this, but this demonstrates how we must evaluate the technology for ourselves & in light of what we teach & not make blanket decisions.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Because Social Networks are not going away, and in fact, continue to present themselves in new and different ways, I try to embrace them in my classroom. But I think it's crucial to alert students to their dangers as well. In my Journalism class, I show the students how quickly they can learn vital information as a reporter, by employing sites like Facebook, Google Earth and Zaba. But I also point out that because these sites can so readily be used by anybody, they need to educate themselves on privacy settings and be prudent about what they share.
Since I am working with students that are going to work in radio and training them to be personalities, we are teaching students to utilize their social network sites (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) to drive people to their work. This could be a live show on the internet radio station or a LinkedIn project pointing to a demo of their work. This may be a different approach, but this will be a professional need during the job search or to drive people to their on-air show.
Edward,
and really this is one of our roles as instructors to help our students learn appropriateness & discernment in regard to the variety of information that is out there.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
In my observation the use of social networking and digital media can both help and hinder the learning process.
Students are able to locate information very quickly with a spectrum of viewpoints, but I do notice a tendency that they can't really evaluate the information for relevancy or accuracy. Also answers provided many times will be in the digital shorthand form.
The problems have provided some excellent opportunities to coach them for overall improvement.
It boils down to a time and place for everything. Encourage use when appropriate discourage use when not and help them understand the difference.
It is very easy to "like" businesses and organizations within my students' area of study that may keep them connected with the latest developments in that area. Through this they are also introduced to others who like these businesses.
lori,
this can be true of many sites & depending upon the use. I would say that LinkedIn is a great resource for our students for networking & seeking employment. FB can be used for group projects & provides a great platform in that area.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I personally think that many of these social networks, especially Facebook, do nothing to positively influence learning. I think it is merely a distraction for most users and many are quite addicted to it. Because the Gen Y'ers are constantly connected to something all day long (smart phones, laptops, Facebook, etc) I think often they turn to the social networks whenever they have a free moment because they don't know what else to do. I;m not sure how to curb this addiction but I don't think it serves any purpose in the classroom.
Lori Barnett
Social networks reinforce their need to stay connected at all times. There are times when I question whether or not Generation Y-ers realize the importance of personal communication such as letter-writing, handwritten thank-you notes, the importance of a phone call etc. They have become so comfortable with social media that I think they need to be reminded of business etiquette, especially when preparing to enter the work force. Social media is great, but our expressions, vocabulary, and conversational habits seem to be blurred between casual and business-appropriate.
They can use the networks to communicate assignments and progress on labs and create a class culture involving everyone.
I think a good question would be to ask some business networking groups such as Chambers of Commerce what they think of social networking. After all, many of the people there are at the decision-making level for their organizations. If they are using FaceBook of LinkedIn, it might be a good place in which a Gen Yer might feel comfortable working. To reserach this information might be a good class project.
Unfortunately, they believe almost, if not everything posted on these sites. Also, they seem preoccupied with these instead of learning and particpating.
Social networks influence the learning of Generation Y students by making the world a smaller place. Through social networks, it is easily possible to have friends around the world. This influences learning because Generation Y students think globally rather than locally. They are curious about what happens in other parts of the world. This is a good thing because they are more receptive to learning about events and people in remote regions, along with unfamiliar cultures.
I have noticed my students are very comfortable getting to know other students and are very courteous to each other. However they are more interested in socializing than in learning.
