To avoid the trap of thinking what worked for you will work of everyone. I sometimes fall into that trap myself. One can also adjust their teaching style so that the students can connect with the teacher better and hopefully learn something
I am also usually older than most of my students. I try to incorporate different styles, like team oriented challenges and using the internet to allow students to get instant feedback on their grades.
Heidi,
this is so true & definitely a trap that we have to look out for all the time.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I learned this valuable lesson a while ago when I was going to be teaching at a teacher in-service and presenting to my colleagues; not all of us have the same learning style so how could I teach to everyone? I knew the generations that most were in and was able to adapt my presentation to meet the needs of the majority.
It is important because not every generation has the same values and learning styles. As instructors we need to make sure we have a variety of teaching methods in our classrooms that will reach every student not just our preferred method.
Courtney,
this is a good example of audience analysis & if you know you have a strong number of a couple of generations you can vary your approach even more.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I agree, I am definitely a picture kind of person. I like to use pictures either via the internet or picasos of my own to help teach a subject or make point of a subject more clear.
Sarah ,
this is a great way to help the visual learners in the group & find other ways to illustrate the material.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
On a basic level it is to understand what works. Personally it makes sense to know why one's teaching is not working. As a typical Boomer I stand and lecture. That doesn't help much with people who grew up playing "Oregon Trail", so I try to bring in more computer links, videos, the occasional interactive game, etc. for my (mostly) 20ish students. But when I get an older student my traditional approach seems to work better; understanding why that is so makes it much easier to reach all of them in diverse ways.
I have always taken the fun with learning approach in my classroom. I have found that having randomly selected groups of students,(i try to mix the generations if possible), tends to bridge the gaps between generations. I assign a project for the students to create their own study games to be played with the class. We have had many great outcomes and the creativity is phenomenal! I usually tell them they can play anything EXCEPT Jeopardy because it has been played out. Most of the groups have been quite creative. We've played Family Fued, Joker's Wild, Wheel of Fortune, and even Cash Cab.
It is always good to know the charecterestics of generational learners because it will help to integrate the apt type of teaching method in each course.
Thomas,
yes, the more we know the better prepared we can be to reach all of the learners in our classrooms.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I try to incorporate as many different activities as possible through TED talks, power-points, self reflection papers and group discussions. Then conclude with classroom discussions that allows for all perspectives to be heard. Sometimes we even talk about differences in generational views and I try to challenge younger students to reflect on their parents or grandparents values as differing from theirs. It seems to help create a comfortably and openness to seeing that others have differing experiences and views.
Christina ,
this is a good idea & I think even having the students to "TED" talks which helps them learn to clearly articulate ideas in a limited amount of time.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Especially in culinary arts, our students seem to come from a wide variety of backgrounds. I seem to have two to three generations being represented in each class I teach, and they all address situations differently.
It's interesting to think back on how I learned and the generation my own teachers were from, in relation to how I manage my classroom today.
Curiously, there are similarities among these generations, and a skillful educator could play on the strengths of each to impact each student on their own level.
Often you have students from multiple generations in your classroom. If you understand the differences between them (and between your generation and theirs) it will help you teach to ALL of your students.
Knowing the characteristics of each generations may help you how to communicate/understand the different approaches and styles for an effective learning environment. Different learning styles for each student can help them learn the best way they can.
Caren,
yes & also understanding the different ways that individuals learn in general helps to reach all learners appropriately.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I believe it is extremely valuable to know how to effectively teach the different generations. I teach students of every generation and this class is helping me to get a better understanding of how to communicate with all of my students. It is helping me to tailor my daily lessons to the different generations so they I can be a more affective educator.
The value is getting to know how to work with the various learners and adressing their learning curves accordingly.
