I don't believe that having access to more technology guarantees greater knowledge. There's an enormous amount of fragmented information, opinions, misleading information, ill-informed fantasies, and hyperreality on the internet. On the other hand, access to good information does equal power. You just have to know how, where, and when to find it. Any thoughts?

There appears to be no limit to the number of technological tools you can purchase these days. However, I believe there is a limit to the number of technical tools you can master. If you don't set limits, I say "The more you own, the more you're owned." When you're spending most of your time learning how to format, configure, operate, backup, update, protect, and maintain the technological gadgets and software programs you own, the only thing your prepared for is the "Help Desk." True wisdom requires the application of differentiation, integration and generalization via contemplation. For example, Rene Descartes didn't use a desktop computer, laptop computer, iPad, tablet, or software program to create a bridge between algebra and geometry. He used two flies on the wall, the Pythagorean Theorem, and contemplation. At least, that what I choose to believe. Any thoughts?

I believe that engaging Gen Y learners in something that intrest them is paramount in getting them to learn subject material otherwise they will not give their best.

By using social networking does that open the door to be disconnected from civilization? Will we be so used to sending an email to get something done that we forget how to talk to people?

If your a teacher from the Gen Y era and have older students in your class. How do you get them to take you seriously?

I am from generation X and I would like to know more of the difference between my generation and the Generation Y.

The Gen Y students appear that they do not want to use any manuals. Jumping into a project then wanting to rely on the instructor to walk them through is ok 1 time, but they have to learn where to get the information when no instructor is at their place of employment. Others at work will tire of doing thier work for them.

Being a Digital immirgrant I'm trying to include modern ways to help the younger students, but find a lot of the older ones do not really wanting to jump on board. I have tried several ways to make it interesting for all generations to learn modern technologies, but find this the most difficult task so far.

It is hard for me to let students multi task during class as it did not fit my history and formate of education. What I have learned it is almost always better for the newst generation to do multi task assignments. I find more work is done, less time spent being bored, and better cooperation from the class as a whole. Surprised me very much.

To know about all generation will help in being deverse with our students. Just because they may be in 1 generation doesn't meant that techniques from another generation won't work. Each studnet has differant morals, values, and ethics depending on how they were raise and by whom.I personally was influeanced alot by my grandparents ideas and values.So as a teacher we must embrace any and all ideas to get our students to learn.

That was just to get your attention. Being a Boomer and trying to teach automotive to Gen Y has got to be one of the most challenging and exasperating things I’ve done recently. Although these days, automobiles and trucks incorporate advanced technology these vehicles are still based on a basic mechanical motor and drivetrain. Most students develop their interest in this industry on the mechanical side of it. Although the students are quite prolific in using their cell phones, laptops, I-pads etc. they have no concept of how the technology (electronics) work. Most of them don’t want to take the time to try to learn it. Instant gratification (another problem with these young whipper snappers) is how they have grown up. Like I've read in some of these courses here, they jump in and will read the directions if they have to. That's fine unless you short out and burn up fifteen feet of wire on a new car. They feel that being able to work the laptop; I-pad etc. are enough. They don’t have the patients to sit through a learning session on ohms law, watts law or even wiring diagrams. Although this is how their knowledge will be judged in the industry. One thing we do at the beginning of every 3 week course is inform the student of our requirement to participate in a group presentation on the last day of class. This does give them some class time where they can use the internet to gather information on their topic (auto/diesel/electric related) for their presentation. Aside from that it’s hard to try to incorporate today’s technology into our classes, aside from the typical lab scope or automotive scan tool. OK now for your joke… A Boomer and a Y’er walk into a bar… “OWW”! Ha ha ha ha ha ha… I kill me!

I agree that when engaging Gen Y learners the information must be relevant and Gen Y learners must understand why it's important before they decide that it's something they should learn.

One thing that is hard, for me as a boomer, to understand is why students so quickly embrace the "me now" mentallity. As a boomer I was promptly reprimanded by my parents for being disrespectful and self-centered if I acted in the fashion our students do today. I can really see this in the students' urgency to get their test results.

What I especially like about Gen Y learners is their eagerness to learn and their ability to do that in multiple forums.

Hello! How does someone go about trying to get a student to speak freely regarding an assignment when they do not want to express themselves in front of the classroom?

Frequently we see the workplace and educational environments catering to Generation Y. Is there a point where we stop? Where we simply create a pass fail rubric that pushes Generation Y into the requirements to build bridges, perform open heart surgery, and move into the future? What the consequences of being too flexible with Generation Y?

This is a fun and exciting group, They need more hands on and comupter involvements. In order for Veterans or Boomers to teach this group, they have to be will to try activities that are not familiar to them in order to succeed as a generation Y instructor.

I just wanted to share that after reading the lesson on "Y'ers" needing more feedback I completely revamped a lesson : gave the students 2 different exercises where they could check themselves to see if they where right. It really worked well, I could see the frustration removed from the previous lab where they had to wait for me to grade their results.

Today it is easier to teach the generation Y's because everythig uses some kind of technology and I'm was born with the generation x"s so I'm quite comfortable using technology.

I found the course information very interesting and useful. The challenge for the instructor is finding the correct balance between content and technology. I agree that technology can be incorpotated into the classroom so that it enhances the subject matter as long as it is not presented as a substitue for using the on-ground library.