Gen Y students really get into technology imbedded in the classroom. At my last school we had Smart Boards with full internet access. The entire world of information is only a click away. The problem with Gen Y students is that they sometime have a hard time separating facts and fiction on the web.

I have students with all types of disabilities. I find just learning a little about each one and what they need by taking them aside from the rest of the class and out of the view of the class and discussing it helps. Sometimes they are too embarrassed to talk about what they need and would fail before asking. If I see a student struggling, I usually talk to them on a break during class with no one around or after class and ask them if there is anything that we can do together to make their learning experience a more positive and successful one. Not all students are willing to share their disabilities, so paying attention to your students and looking for signs is a huge part of teaching and being a successful teacher.

Being a ADA instructor I realize the problems handicap people have. This program widened my prospecive to other forms of handicap situations. I have dealt with hearing impaired, using signing, wheelchair users. Those that I worked with did not believe they were handicapped. Yes some accomadation were need, but their drive and determination made the teaching easy.

I have two daughters 11 and 15, I am amazed at thier level of knowledge about technology and how to use it.

At our school, all syllabi specify no cell phone use during class. Now, as we are a culinary school-this makes sense. Even though I don't teach in a culinary lab, but in an academic class I follow the policy carefully. I tell students I expect (and enforce) them NOT to be on their cell phones (no texting, game playing, etc). They can use them during the break, etc. Yes, they like to be connected. I would like to wear my pajamas to school....but being an adult requires you to adjust. I get this generation is "connected" through their technology, but as teachers we need to impose expectations on students so they learn to become professional.

I was surprised that this course didn't spend more time addressing technology and plagiarism. Anyone who has been in a school in the last 10 years knows this is a very serious problem for all instructors, at all levels. I was wondering how other instructors have addressed this issue as I am always looking for new strategies. Two things I depend on to reduce plagiarism are homework assignments that are open-ended questions that demand critical thinking by applying knowledge and constantly changing quizzes, tests. It's more work. I feel a lot of teachers don't call students on plagiarism, though they might suspect or even know they have cheated, due to laziness. That makes it more difficult for teachers who do. Thoughts?

Last week I chalanged my class to leave all there hand help devices with me for the enter day. This was for 6.5 hours. They took me up on the challange. After 4 hours some were haveing a very hard time not being able to look at there phone. With 20 min left it was even harder for them. But they made it all 6.5 hours. From this I can see from this they love to use there hand held devices and this can help in there learning experance.

To what degree do you think Gen Y students see less of a need to "know" things given the almost immediate access to information they have grown up with and expect? Many older cohorts would need to access a library or encyclopedia to get information about something they don't know. There was more of a necessity to have the facts in our heads. Has this declined with Gen Y?

I often have students from three generational cohorts in the same class. The Gen Y's and Boomers often clash in learning styles and even avoid each other in group activities. What are the best ways for an instructor to bridge these tensions?

Good to see the discussion of diversity among parents (such as, a child being born to an unwed mother or a middle-aged woman who delayed having a child in favor of building a career).

The material presented is not only excellent for educators but can also be a great resource for international students. They would gain a better understanding of generational differences in the United States which could be quite different from those in their country of origin. Additionally, although many factors pertaining to the four generations have been presented there doesn't seem to be any discussion of the shift in the United States to single parent households.

This process, assessment by contract will drive the desire to be inclusive in the training for the grade and general knowledge/practical application. Tools of this nature create a competitive envirionment. Competative learning... what a great idea.

It is incrediable, the use of technology today and I do beleive that there are practical uses in today's classroom. Some of the cautions should be carefully considered as if not, these devices can cause major overlap from professinal to social communication.

In consideration of the different learning styles I feel that it is extremely important to use training delivered with each learning style so you reach out to all students.

It's amazing to connect these individuals to the ir surroundings. Their manerisms are distintively connected to their upbringing and deviation from this seams rare.

Since I was born in 1980, I'd be considered a Gen X-er, though I feel I could easily fit into Gen Y. Are there sub groups of generations that don't have such a broad date range?

A year ago I went on a road trip with my Daughter. She comes on the forefront of generation Y. I hadn't seen her for a while and was annoyed that the iPhone was "demading" her time. By the end of the trip my attitude had adjusted. My "navigator" found the cheapest gas, where the pizza was, the weather, etc... And the dohicky has an altimeter, and lat/long plotter. I adjusted.

I find it challenging to help others even in an educational environment understand these concepts. In addition it can be difficult for instructors/teachers to be discreet or not feel put off or as if they are giving unfair assistance to students who qualify for certain reasonable accommodations.

One of the obstacles for a student in a wheelchair, that has been encountered at my school, was the height of computer desks. The student had a motorized wheelchair, which sat higher up than a normal chair. The school bought desks to accommodate her, in each computer class that she would be taking. This helped her through her program. Another obstacle is the amount of space between desks and/or tables, to move around in a wheelchair. Most of our classrooms have tables, so they can be moved for the wheelchair students; the other students will still have enough room, and can be close enough to hear and see the instructor. The instructor will also still have room to move around,while lecturing or at the board. Students accept change like these pretty quickly, and things seem to go smoothly.

This question made me think of a remark a co-worker said. She had brought a young man to my area, to start an ASVAB practice test Internet program. As he entered the room ahead of her, she whispered to me,"He's slow." She turned and left the room. That remark did not make me treat him any different, as I was leading him through the sign-in and starting of the practice. I do not know if he heard what she had said, but he did not come back anymore. If we label students from the start, by their disabilities or what we think they might be, we will not see what is underneath that. Focusing on what the students can do, will help us help them with what they cannot do or have a hard time doing.