I have also raised two gen. "why" kids, and I feel that this experience really helped me learn to deal with this generation of learners. I have found that while teaching them, you also have to enternain them. When they start drifting out, change the subject to something you think they will find interesting for a moment and when all are back and engaged, switch back and teach some more. You generally can't keep them on track for more than a few minutes without some of them drifting off.
Miriam,
I would agree that this generation seems even more focused on the practical application.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I agree with Jeff. I have also raised gen Y children and I find it important to use different methods to keep them engaged in the home and the classroom.
I have found that not only showing them the "How" to do things, but tying it to real life situations and showing those in the lab,the "Why", really helps. The scantools, really point them in the right direction, but then it is old fashioned hands on work to find the problem, but showing them how to do it with their own electronic test equipment makes them think it is "new".
My wife and I had our child later than most of our friends but only by a few years. My daughter is truly a Gen Y baby as she HAS to multi-task. As a parent and an educator, I have keep this in mind or I want to scold her for not listening to my when I am talking to her because she "seems" focused on something else but can tell me word for word what I had just said. I see it as a sign of disrespect but now I am learning that it is just the way she is wired. I take this with me into the classroom and use it to allow more freedoms in the lesson plan for students to multi-task. Information is broken up into smaller segments and fed to them in fast bits instead of long lectures.
PPt's are ok for an outline to make sure you covered everything, but the all day lectures are history for the gen-y students. They need interactive activities, more lab time, and changes in subject matter. I try to keep the information coming in short bursts, frequently interupted by practical appliction stories, that provide the ligitamacy that they crave.
This topic has been a frequent discussion amongst my teacher friends and me. I am not an instructor who bounces back and forth based on the student's attention span. Overall, I create an environment that regularly engages students. Yes, I have read all the data on Gen Y that says you need to "switch things up every 20 minutes" and frankly feel it’s a discredit to members of that generation. Simply because one CAN multi-task doesn't mean they MUST do it all the time. I easily have members of Gen Y engaged in a lecture/discussion for an hour. Allowing the students to contribute their thoughts goes a long way in the classroom...and sometimes they want the information to come from you. I do think knowing all this research is important, but NOT more important than knowing your teaching style and your students.
James,
great illustration & you are right that the "why" is very important to this generation.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Summer,
you make a good point here. I think the point is that too many of the older styles of teaching depended upon the instructor talking for an hour. You stated that Gen Y can be engaged in a discussion for an hour. Exactly the point we are trying to make. That is "mixing it up" compared to the instructor standing up & talking for lengthy periods of time.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I use a film, they answer questions regarding the film on a handout, then they research the outcome on the internet.... utilizing many tasks for one objective
kristine,
I think this is a great way to mix a variety of learning styles/approaches for one assignment.
Dr. Ryan Meers
We are moving swiftly toward a lot of elearning here at our school. The students seen to get more info retained if they see animations or video of what you are triing to explain. We can have students see the process of how something mechanical works and it is easier for them to grasp
Basically I treat them like my kids.
I use technology as the foundation of a lecture, while getting the students to work on another task that gives them instant feedback.
My strategies that work are having alot of parts in the classroom, talking about experiences in the field and want I'm working on at home right now keeps intrest.
I agree Lloyd this a great strategy that seems to work well
I like to let them use their cell phones to google answers and see what snopes has to say about it. They are very internet minded so I let them use their phones during test also. it really helps with their scores
lloyd,
this is a great technique as it helps connect the concepts to "real life" & they can see the application.
Dr. Ryan Meers
They really like working in groups. We put them into small groups for labs and class. Another thing that they really like is life stories, giving them a break for straight lecture. Sometimes I will challenge them to use the internet to find an answer to something, rather than me answering myself.
I find they do like the hands on part of the lesson far more than the book
