Email thread discussions, online web searches relevant to course curriculum, and/or media projects if applicable.
I like to engage them in a topic before starting lab or lectures by asking them questions as to why the topic is important or relevant to them. Then, after activites or breaks, I like to draw them back into discussions about their experiences and observations during the activity and challengin them with a few thought stimulating questions.
I like using the experience strategy in which I have students apply it to their lives. By doing so it helps expand their critical thinking skills.
Richard,
there is an increasing interest in the service learning projects & I agree that they can be a huge benefit to a student's experience, especially is it is a project where they can apply what they are learning.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
It seems to me that in the Y gen with all the connecting through social media much of their time is spent on very superficial connections. So in the learning experience I try to have them do more problem solving with the hope of developing more critical thinking ability.
I have allowed students to use internet and even youtube as references and in presentations along as it's pertinent to the subject.
Service learning projects work well for Gen Y learners because they usually see inherent value both for themselves as well as for others in the community outside of the classroom. I like to have students conduct research of the needs for a project in a particular community. This offers real world value and allows them to think critically about the data and find creative ways to write a proposal.
Jennifer,
yes, by nature we are "conversational learners" & I firmly believe this needs to be brought into the classroom more than it usually is.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I definitley belive group discussion is a great thing. Once you get one person to give an opinion, then everyone else opens up to start talking about how they feel about the topic or how they understood the concept. Sometimes, I think students can learn better from explainations from classmates than the instructor. I think they remember the concept better also when they have discussions about it in the classroom setting.
Joanne,
yes & they can learn to defend their decisions & ideas as well as listen to the ideas & opinions as others through this process.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
It is important to have the students think for themselves and by engaging them in open ended discussions they get to express their thoughts and explain why they think that way.
Michael,
yes, this is a great strategy & it validates the fact that they too have experiences & have learned from them & as you point out it encourages them to become active members of the learning community.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Michael,
yes, this is a great strategy & it validates the fact that they too have experiences & have learned from them & as you point out it encourages them to become active members of the learning community.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Many of the students that I encounter are already working in the automotive field, I ask for their input when discussing with the class what they can expect from the field even though they are young and inexperienced.This is usually first day and it creates engagement before I even get to know them.
Donald,
yes, another approach (tied to this) is to present the "big ideas" of the course. These are the key concepts that the students should be learning throughout the course & can help provide a road map for them.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Michael ,
these are both great questions to ask as it opens the door to encourage them to participate more & discuss.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
OBVIOUSLY TECHNOLOGY IS KEY HERE. EVERYTHING MUST BE KEPT SHORT, BRIEF AND CONCISE. THIS GENERATION DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THE LONG HOURS OF RESEARCH THAT HAS PAVED THE WAY FOR US TODAY, FOR THEM ALL INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE IN SECONDS. THEREFORE PATIENTS UNDERSTANDABLY IS NOT THEIR STRONG VIRTUE
Show relevanse to the subject by keying in on the students that have allready worked or are working in that field.They get to share oppinions and experiances that relate to your course
This section talked about several different methods of engaging Gen Y learners. A couple that stood out to me were developing application and relevancy at the start of class on day 1 by painting the big picture of the class, Socratic Method and Investigative Reporter. I am going to look into applying Socratic Method and Investigative Reporter in my classes. I think they will help develop critical thinking skills, develop teamwork, and provide students with on the job applications that can be taking from the classroom to the job.
I find that strict lecture causes gen "yer's" eyes to gloss over immediately. Open class discussion is always more productive in engaging all students but i find that I am constantly up against the clock and "good discussion" can take away from covering other important topics.
