Teaching and Learning for the Millennial Generation - Literature review Example

Teaching and learning for the millennial generation al Affiliation Teaching and learning for the millennial generation Introduction The changes in technology with regard to its selective and common uses by the different generation of learners have contributed a lot to the many changes that have been observed in the educational setups of most institutions. These different generations including the Baby Boomers, Generation X and the Millennials have had different views regarding certain aspects of learning contributed to by their familiarity with technology and access to some of the modern methods of teaching. This has aroused diverse expectations among the learners, expectations that must be taken into consideration by their educators. This task has proven to be tedious and difficult. A number of studies and research have thus been carried out to be able to provide possible solutions to these issues facing the various forms of knowledge dispensation. This paper, in a view to enhancing a further understanding of these differences existing within the generations and in enhancing positivity in learning and the satisfaction derived from it, will provide an analysis and their possible solutions from three separate academic resources including Preferred Learning Methods of the Millennial Generation, Learning, and Millennial Students, and Generational Differences in Using Online Learning Systems and Teaching. The millennial generation, believed by Nicholas to be born from 1981-2001, have been raised during times of comparable and environmental conditions including that of technological change (Nicholas, 2008). The author goes further to point out that this generation, as a result, has experienced greater technological revolutions than any other past generation. Wilson reveals however that the access to these technological innovations has not evenly spread to this generation and there are a couple of disadvantaged children, especially from the working class families and of the first generation that should be taken into consideration (Wilson, 2004). Technology application in the fields of teaching has expanded and this can be clearly pointed out by the adoption of the online learning platforms in institutions (Stapleton, Wen, Starret and Kilburn, 2007). Nicholas describes the millennial cohort as being techno-literate, techno-savvy, technologically fluent and dependent. This he attributes to the high percentage of students owning cell phones and using instant messaging as top communication choice in schools. Coexistence with technology has been brought forward as one of the major characteristics of this generation, however others too exist. One of the other main attributes of this generation is their reliance on parental guidance. Arlene Nicholas explains that these students’ experiences within their schools and society have been guarded and stricter (Nicholas, 2008). Nicholas continues to note that as a result of this, they have had less free time as compared to the other generations as their supervision shifted from school to adult supervised activities. The author notes that their parents are more protective of them and hover over them constantly (Nicholas, 2008). Maureen Wilson also establishes that many millennial students have often looked upon their parents both for personal and academic support, and levels of parents’ involvement with their college education have been expected to increase even higher (Wilson, 2004). The author continues to note that parents have continued to be actively involved in the studies of their children even up to the college level, as expected by these students. This generation is believed to have been pampered and protected, with their parents going as far as performing tasks dedicated to them (Wilson, 2014). The author notes that increasing number of institutions are integrating this aspect into their learning system through practices such as: inviting parents for orientations; putting up offices for parental relations; and setting up of parental notification policies meant to inform parents about a student’s overall conduct and performance (Wilson, 2004). Stapleton, Wen, Starret and Kilburn described this generation as individuals who identified with their parents’ values and felt closer to them (Stapleton, Wen, Starret and Kilburn, 2007). These authors further reiterate that due to the vastness in activities that they like to engage in and their drive to perform better; they require special attention which could additionally be provided by their parents. Another attribute of this generation is their preference for a blended form of learning that combines the use of technology and face-face traditional methods. Wilson notes that this generation of students has relied a lot on technology to solve both their educational and social problems. The author however puts it across that apart from the fact that this generation enjoys more usage of technology, the teachers should be able to develop a conceptual rationale for incorporating it into their teaching, identifying whether it fits with their philosophy of teaching and learning (Wilson, 2014). This author notes further that technology should not be applied for its own sake but rather only if and where it enhances teaching and learning. She believes that colleges should pride themselves in enhancing student learning through a combination of pedagogical and technological innovations which could include the introduction of online quizzes which are able to provide immediate feedback and enabling direct students to material so as to review and improve understanding (Wilson, 2004). Wilson recommends too that homework that are Web-based and graded automatically should be applied as these are able to increase the time on assigned tasks as opposed to the problem-solving involving grading by hand. In allowing the use of these internet and online services, the author believes that the teachers should be able to help the students in evaluating the credibility of the web sources of information; they should be able to guard against academic dishonesty and shape an effective use of the internet sources (Wilson, 2004). While doing a survey on the preferred learning methods of the millennial generation, Nicholas noted that writing notes in lecture classes was better preferred to typing or to any other available method of learning (Nicholas, 2008). His research further revealed that in research work though, the students preferred the use of online resources than the physical libraries. This they did through the use of both government, educational and professional websites in addition to the search engines presented by Google and Wikipedia (Nicholas, 2008). The author’s research also indicated that more students supported the idea of the use of PowerPoint slides along lectures and having to participate in a range of activities in the classrooms. Nicholas also in this same research revealed that the students felt more convenient having a face-face interaction with both the teachers and fellow students in a classroom while solving problem with a preference for more frequent exams and a variety of ways to earn grades (Nicholas, 2008). Stapleton, Wen, Starret and Kilburn in their research looked into issues affecting the enrollment of online course and the increased utilization of information and revealed that this do not depend entirely on technology. These authors in their work contrasts the norm that the millennial generation being technology-savvy would prefer technological and online studies compared to the other generations (Stapleton, Wen, Starret and Kilburn, 2007). They argue that this generation prefers a blended learning system where online and face to face interactions are integrated and sustained. Rising from Millennia’s’ connected and collaborative lifestyles, they need to stay constantly in touch with the other students and course instructors (Stapleton, Wen, Starret and Kilburn, 2007). These authors further note that in registering for the online courses and in order to achieve their satisfaction, the colleges should ensure that a sufficient amount of interaction is maintained between the students themselves and to their instructors and that adequate and effective technology is utilized (Stapleton, Wen, Starret and Kilburn, 2007). Another cognitive attribute of this generation is their reliance and emphasis on collaboration among themselves and with their course instructors. Wilson notes that collaboration and quality contact can help to enhance students’ motivation, involvement, and intellectual commitment. The author goes further to explain this influence, insisting that the faculty should be able to engage the students, both formally and informally, showing interest in their intellectual development so as to increase the level of involvement and enthusiasm (Wilson, 2004). Stapleton, Wen, Starret and Kilburn brings out this collaborative nature of this generation by comparing how it perceives the satisfaction derived from online learning systems with the other past generations. The author notes that the millennial generation had stronger perception that the online technology reduced learning in online courses. The authors revealed that this generation had higher technological expectations of online courses to explain for this perception (Stapleton, Wen, Starret and Kilburn, 2007). They reveal that this generation required more of interactive systems, whose access was not limited, to enable them collaborate effectively among themselves and with their course instructors (Stapleton, Wen, Starret and Kilburn, 2007). Nicholas notes that the millennial generation has a curious blend of collaboration, interdependence, and networking to achieve their ends with their technology designed to always bring them and keep them together (Nicholas, 2008). Nicholas tries to link this desire for collaboration with their use of cell phones, text messages, instant messages, blogs, video games and the social media, which have been essential to their connectivity. This generation likes to works in groups and collaborates with each other in the performance of tasks (Nicholas, 2008). Generational differences with regard to the use and application of technology and how to integrate this with the general trends in learning and teaching have proven difficult to most students and course instructors alike. This paper has summarized most of the solutions to these problems and provided a means and a way out to try and bridge the gap between these misunderstandings so as to be able to provide effective and active learning. Putting together aspects such as technology, collaboration, blended learning together with an understanding of the differences that exist between generations; these three literatures have allowed a deeper understanding of how all these can be used to help provide for better educational results and fulfillments for the students, their parents and the course instructors. Reference Arlene J. Nicholas, (2008). Preferred Learning Methods of the Millennial Generation. Salve Regina University, RI, UNITED STATES James L. Stapleton, H. Joseph Wen, Dave Starrett, and Michelle Kilburn, (2007). Generational Differences in Using Online Learning Systems. Human Systems Management 26 (99– 109), IOS Press. Maureen E. Wilson, (2004). Teaching, Learning, and Millennial Students. NEW DIRECTIONS FOR STUDENT SERVICES, no. 106, © Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Read More