Engaging Gen Y Learners
What are some strategies for engaging Generation Y learners?
Group activities, small learning communities, opportunities to use technology, performance contracts, investigations all will engage Gen Y learners
You can have small group discussions/activities in class or out of class. Any opportunity to use technology (internet/phone) would be engaging for this group. SmartBoards would give them the opportunity to lead some class discussions.
I feel that we must incorporate technology with interpersonal communication such as through group discussions.
group activities, incorporating technology, contract learning, showing how the activities will apply to "real life"
One method I use when assigning individual projects is the "project theme". Then a quick introduction to the software that they are going to use for the project,no note taking on this portion, just monkey see, monkey do. Then throw them into the pool. I have a list of skills that I want then to develop. They get stuck, ask questions, questions answered, skills get ticked off my list. I intersperse mini-demos (5 min max) to make sure all skills and concepts are covered. I then do a quick skills and concepts review at the end (this is what we learned and why).
I think mentioned it in another forum, but it seems my Gen Y students really learn well with hands on activities. They seems to be distracted easily and less receptive during lectures, but once they get to put their hands on things and experience it, then it hits home. I hear a lot of "I remember you said something about that in class then that's what happened when I did it. That's cool." It wasn't cool when I told them until they were able to experience it themselves.
Small group activities and plenty of hands-on learning. Further, discussion of ideas.
The craft of photography involves a duality of actions, namely critical thinking and subjective decisions. As a methodology, I will first engage the students to individually research several photographer's websites, as a source of stylistic inspirations, followed by problem solving in terms of the techniques used by their chosen artist in a small group setting. They are encouraged to present their findings, using a variety of media such as Skype, verbal presentations or a PowerPoint. The students are then encouraged to formulate their own individual assignment, one that reinforces the objective and subjective decisions needed to accomplish a series of photographs influenced by their original research. The final product, a series of photographs created individually, is then presented to the group using whatever technology they feel is most appropriate to their subject and subject matter. The group is then tasked to grade each individual assignment, after critiquing the images using the formal language of the medium and their own jargon. Each student has the opportunity to defend or explain their work during that process.
Presenting real life situations. With guidance provide the students with objectives and expected outcomes. Once the groups have been divide instructor should "guide from the side" and offer suggestions and thoughts based on his or her's experiences.
I have found that when a subject is relatable to some type of media that the with which the students are familiar, it really sticks. A lot of youtube videos have been made about various subjects by both instructors and students alike. Are these videos how I teach my students? Absolutely not. These reinforce some of the themes that we have discussed and they seem to make an impression on my students.
One of the best activities is to break my students into teams. We do a marketing exercise project for music production. When the students collectively think of what they are doing, they feed off of each others experience and they actually learn from each other. This seems to show each of the students what they are lacking in and what they already know.
I teach culinary students and am fortunate that my class is the capstone, their chance to cook in the school restaurant for real customers. The reality of what they are doing is immediate, so most are engaged. Everything they are doing has a discernable outcome -- they are feeding people. There are always a few students who seemingly can't or won't make the leap that now there is a third group involved in the class (instructor, students, customers) and proceed as if the third group doesn't exist. I am still searching for a way to engage these students.
Group assignments, use of technology, and showing them how the subject they are learning is relevant to there career.
Alexander,
this is a great activity. To me it also seems to demonstrate to the students the type of skills they need for their career as these are the type of activities they will be doing in the workplace.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I encourage the students to bring in web articles on what we will be discussing daily. I tell them this could be an article relating to the subject or a scholarly research articled. Mostly I get a realtion article and then we discuss were the content came from and how it relates to the topic I also discuss validity in information. I ask for their opinion and other students and then give them my opinion. I try to keep it from a debate but emphasize referencing and support on web resources. This gives them a challenge to not only find articles but ones with depth and bredth.
Leigh,
I think this sounds like a great exercise as it helps them learn the value of finding good sources of information.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Generation Y can be engaged by utilizing strategies such as group discussions, presentations, and group projects. Additionally, instructors can connect to this group by sharing information pertaining to their qualifications and allowing the learners to showcase their technological skills and knowledge.
I give them a group project to research and do a presentation on a respiratory disease of their choice. They also have to create a invention to treat the disease. They are able to use any type of media that they chose and a lot of my student have been very creative with the visual effects used on powerpoint. Some of them have also done short film clips and skits in their presentation. They have a lot of fun doing the project and it also helps break up some of the stress they are feeling from studying for tests and quizzes.
melanie,
I agree that these techniques seem to be the most helpful with these students. And yes, demonstrating our expertise as well as our interest in the students is powerful.
Dr. Ryan Meers
