TEACHING THE MILLENNIAL GENERATIONDiane Holtzman, Michael Ciocco & Debra Dagavarian

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The Millennial Generation The Millennial Generation has emerged as a force that

will shape the social and economic dynamics of the next decade (Howe & Strauss, 2000).

The definition of when millennials were born varies, with estimates ranging from 1977 (Tapscott, 1998) to 1982 (Howe & Strauss, 2000).

Researchers agree that the uniqueness of millennials results from technological forces that have affected this generation.

Unique millennial competency is the ability to effectively use broadly networked digital communication technologies to quickly and seamlessly accomplish a variety of tasks.

This competency has resulted from their experiences with Internet communities (Gorman, Nelson, & Glassman, 2004).

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Millennial Students –Have never known a life withoutcomputers and the Internet–Consider computers a part of life–Connect to information –Communicate in real-time–Have social networking–Have been raised in the presence of video and computer games–Students in their 20s may have had more experience with games than with reading (Oblinger,2004).

These experiences helped to form the way in which millennials seek, process, and report information.

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Individuals raised with computers deal with information differently compared to previous cohorts: “They develop hypertext minds, they leap around.” (Prensky, 2001)

These learning styles originated withmillennials growing up with technology

–millennials were born around the time the PC was introduced–20 percent of the students began using computers between the ages of 5 and 8 –and almost all millennials were using computers by the time they were 16 to 18 years of age (Jones, 2002).

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Characteristics of the Millennials

Students of the Millennial Generation are accustomed

to using keyboards rather than pens or pencils to write notes and papers

to reading information from computer screens or Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) rather than from printed texts

to being connected with friends in social networking computer sites rather than in physical meeting places on college campuses, and are used to multitasking in digital environments

They are interested in group activities intuitive visual communicators

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MILLENNIALS…

Millennials learn better through discovery and experiential learning

rather than by being told have the ability to shift their attention rapidly from one task

to another and may choose not to pay attention to things that don’t interest them — attentional deployment

believe multitasking is a way of life and are comfortable when engaged in multiple activities simultaneously

believe staying connected is essential and they want a fast response time (Howe & Strauss, 2000

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ENGAGING THE MILLENNIALS

Millennials learn at a fast pace that does not involve a “telling

style”/ “text-oriented” style of teaching like visual examples, less text, and less telling want interactivity

Our challenge is to introduce new learning and teaching approaches to engage the millennial students.

Many faculty are familiar with the use of WebCT/Blackboard in the delivery of instruction or for adapted use in information sharing in hybrid courses.

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ENGAGING THE MILLENNIALS Now being introduced into the Blackboard/WebCT

environment are programs such as Wimba and Elluminate

Permit the integration of different technologies such as synchronized chat, use of Whiteboard, online text messaging, and display of PowerPoints with voice accompaniment

Other innovative practices that are being implemented include user-created content social networking virtual worlds and avatar creation use of mobile phones for course content delivery and multiplayer educational gaming.

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ENGAGING THE MILLENNIALS The textbook industry recognizes the millennial

students’ ability to be interactive to work in group activities to multi-task and access information in an expedient

manner from faculty as well as other group members—

and the publishers are providing technological tools for faculty to incorporate into their pedagogy to engage the millennial learner.

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TOOLS FOR ENGAGEMENT

Textbook publishers are offering textbook content delivered via audio for downloading to students’ iPods as well as providing e-texts for students to read on their

computers or PDAs. In teaching the faculty member becomes a guide who poses

questions-- guides the students’ learning process. Learning is shifting away from an entire class of faculty-

centered lectures. Educators are encouraged to include

group work activities experiential learning and interactive exercises or role playing exercises for

students.

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TOOLS FOR ENGAGEMENT Textbook publishers recognize the need for the in-class

activities and are responding by providing additional role playing exercises case studies as well as experiential exercises for in-class use PowerPoints developed to use student response

systems.

Learning environments can be created: - with students sharing information through e-mail dialogues

or blogs.- Field-based research projects have students engaged in

learning real-time—and, working within a team fosters sharing of diverse ideas and synthesizing information. (“Training the Different Generations” 2004; Frand, 2000).

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ONLINE VS. TRADITIONAL LEARNING

Traditional Classroom (face-to-face) Technology is not required for delivery Heavily based on sequence Lectures and discussions are interlaced The student community is inherent

Online Classroom Technology is required for delivery Sequence gives way to multi-tasking Students work at their own pace Students choose how to learn Delivery methods encourage student community

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TRANSITIONING TO ONLINE Simulate your Traditional Classroom

Translate interactive experiences Plan for group-based activities Attempt collaborative exercises

Don’t be afraid to try new things

Put the students in charge Divide responsibilities among the students Allow students to take on leadership roles

Let the Drama Unfold Don’t butt in too much Wait to see where the students take the discussion

Strategize on management techniques Make the technology work for you

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TRADITIONAL-TO-ONLINE MAPPINGActivity Traditional Class Online ClassLecture You may have a formal, stand-up lecture

accompanied by a PowerPoint slide show presented to the class.

You record narrations over your PowerPoint slides providing explanation and analysis.

Discussions Students raise their hands in class and present ideas to you and other students. They may also challenge or comment the ideas of others.

You facilitate discussion about a topic by having students post message threads to a discussion board. Students may respond to your posts and the posts of other students over a given time period.

Assignments Students complete assignments and submit them by the due date in paper format (either handwritten or typed).

Students complete assignments and submit them by the due date in electronic format (as an MS Word Document attachment) by uploading them to the online course.

Tests & Exams You issue a test or exam for students to take and complete within the given class (or exam) period.

You issue a text or exam electronically during a given window of time. Objective style tests may be timed, randomized, and issued from a question bank. Subjective style tests are issued within a time frame and submitted electronically by a due date.

Group Work Students are collected into designated groups where they meet either in or out of class to collaborate. The group’s work can be displayed in a final paper, presentation, on the whiteboard, etc.

Students are collected into designated groups where they meet in private, group discussion and/or chat rooms to collaborate. The group’s work can be displayed in a final paper, online PowerPoint presentation, as a post to a discussion board, etc.

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TRADITIONAL-TO-ONLINE MAPPING

Activity Traditional Class Online ClassOffice Hours You have designated office hours in which

students can stop by your office to ask questions or seek advice. Additional help can be sought in your office by appointment.

You have designated virtual office hours in which students can visit with you in a public chat room. Additional help can be offered via email or by appointment in the chat room.

Grading You keep a grade book or spreadsheet that you use to record your grades. Students get grades and comments when an assignment is returned.

You record grades and comments in the Blackboard grade book interface. Students receive their grades instantly when you enter them into the system.

Demos You provide the class with a demonstration of an object or activity during the class meeting in the classroom.

You provide the class with online video vignettes of your demonstration of an object or activity.

Software Training You teach in a computer laboratory where students log into computers and follow along as you facilitate their software training. You can answer questions immediately and they can follow your projected computer screen to keep on target.

You provide desktop screen capture simulations that walk students through different demos and software training situations. Students can view this from home as much as they want and try it themselves on their own computers. You can answer questions via a discussion board or email.

Research You assign a research project for which students are expected to conduct research online and at the university library.

You assign a research project for which students are expected to conduct research online and using online library services.

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WORKS CITED Frand, J.L. (Sept./Oct., 2000). The information age mindset:

Changes in students and implications for higher education. Educause Review. http://www.educause.edu/pub/er/erm00/articles005/erm0051.pdf

Howe, N. & Strauss, W. (2000). Millennials Rising. New York: Vintage Books.

Jones, S. (Sept. 15, 2002). The internet goes to college: How students are living in the culture with today’s technology. Pew Internet & American Life Project, Washington, D.C. http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/toc.asp?Report=71

Prensky, M. (Dec. 2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants, part II: Do they really think differently? On the Horizon, 9 (6) 15-24, http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/

Training the different generations” (2004) Retrieved from http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/7X/07879697/078796977X.pdf