Jessica,
Love the quote. And, it could have been written this decade and not so long ago. Thanks for your input.
Carla,
Good point. I had a student post just this week on the FAQ Discussion Board, "Are my assignments submitting? I'm afraid that they are not submitting and then I won't know!" So, I explained how he could look to see where/when his assignments submitted. Thanks for bringing this up.
Dr. Crews & Colleagues:
Because different generations have different learning styles and expectations of learning the instructor needs to be aware of these differences and adapt their content delivery and communication to try and reach the broadest spectrum as possible among the diverse generational groups that may be in their online class. As such, being aware of the differences helps to ensure a more successful learning scenario for student and faculty like.
Don Olsen
We all learn and are shaped by our parents. The trials and tribulations of one generation will change how the upcoming generation will act and respond to certain situations. The up and coming generation will see what worked or what didn't work for their parents and those around them and will go in the direction that either mimics or is the opposite depending on their experiences.
I've always loved this quote by Socrates, "Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise; they no longer rise when elders enter the room; they contradict their parents, chatter before company; gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers.â€
There are distinct differences between every generation and yet plenty of similarities still exist as well.
Fear plays a large role in certain generations faced with using technology. It is important to be sensitive to the needs of these students.
Paulette,
Thanks for sharing your experience and relating it to the generations. The more we work with a variety of students, the more we'll see a deepening of our understanding. Thanks!
Laura,
The more we understand people, in general, the better we can communicate and work together. Our students are no different. Thanks!
Dr. Crews,
It is important to understand the role generations play in communication in the online community because online students are from all generations. In order to engage each student in an online class, we need to know what drives him or her.
Baby boomers are usually in an online class to start a new career or add formal recognition to their already wide range of skills and knowledge. They set a timetable for graduating and are great time managers. I found them to be very eager to get started with course material and discussion forums.
They recognize the need to learn new technology to accomplish their objectives. They excel at using guides and manuals to get the job done.
The GEN X and GEN Y students excel at the new technology but are not as focused on their target graduation date. They need to be reminded that the objective is to graduate and move on with their lives. They are not as diligent with class participation and live chats.
Paulette
Why is it important to understand the role generations play in communication in the online community?
It is important to understand the role generations play in communication in the online community because this will help instructors and students to better understand the communication styles of the individual learners. This understanding will help to foster better online communication within the course. In addition, if students are aware of the factors their generation takes in their communication style, then they will be better equipped to further improve their communication style in the future.
Samuel,
We're all different, right - no matter which generation. We have to understand that, appreciate that and learn from each other. Thanks!
Understanding the role generations play in communication is very important because it determines how you can reach out and help them better. You will tend to have a better understanding of their learning style by understanding their generations. For example, a Baby Boomer might experience technical challenges within an online course.
Samuel Bufkin
Daniel,
You are right there, but there can also be some generic things that can be helpful. Nice job.
Generational roles can be a bit stereotypical. Many older students are very savvy, and sometimes the reverse is true with younger students. Rather than make those judgements, it's better to pick up clues in the communication with a student to understand what difficulties they are having - and then helping them. Whether they are 21 or 51 really doesn't matter much to me. It can have influence on their perspectives - but their communication tools and abilities need to be successful at ant age.
Cathy,
I like that you note that generational differences do not have to cause conflict, but help work toward collaborative learning and understanding. Thanks!
I think it's important to understand the role generations play in communication in the online community because differences in attitudes toward and perceptions of styles of communication in the online community can lead to misunderstandings. It's important to know as much as possible about each student and certainly their generation is an important characteristic to know. Generational differences don't have to be a source of misunderstanding or conflict, however, Good instructors will find ways where each generation can draw on their strengths and where each generation can learn from the others.
Mark,
Thanks for bringing up how this would help the instructor develop strategies to get all students engaged. What would be better than that? Thanks again.
It is important for instructors to understand the role generations play in communication in the online community because the instructor must: 1) communicate well with every generation, and 2) foster good communication between students of different generations. Therefore, understanding common generational differences can help instructors engage students more effectively. Since the distinguishing factors include differing generational approaches to technology, an online instructor should pay careful attention to the type of strengths and weaknesses he/she may encounter because of generational differences. Being prepared and having strategies for clarifying processes and engaging students will help the instructor create a more effective system of communication in his/her online classroom.
- Mark W.
Kelly,
Great! Glad you enjoyed the content and are continuing to learn through your own personal professional development. Thanks for your feedback.
Michael,
Yes, the more we understand our students, the more we can more effectively communicate with them and give them meaningful feedback. Thanks!
I absolutely loved this bit of information about the strengths and weaknesses of each generation and the insights it gives us into a more student-tailored approach to instruction. Of course we know and have researched how age is a siginificant factor in determining how to motivate and communicate with certain students; however, I have not quite seen it put this simply and effectively. I think this information can really be helpful in creating an overall roadmap of the "big picture" which is the overall communication process and approach in our classrooms.
