The Millennial Instructor The Net-generation Student... OK, but the Net-Gen Instructor??? Carl Berger Copyright by the author, This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the authors. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.
The Net-Gen Student? Lots of anecdotes, common observations Comfortable with technology Multitasking Intensive use But what of the downsides?
What do we know today? Technology used for –Communication –Social interaction –Shopping –Education? What technology? –Cell phone voice txtng –iPod Music Podcast Video ? –IM
The downsides Cognitive dissonance Breadth versus depth Lack of focus Lack of veracity The upsides Engagement Breadth of source Integration of multiple disciplines Expertise
But what of faculty? Cell phones? iPods? MySpace? Flickr? Multitasking? More personal integration? More research integration? More teaching integration?
Informing, yet Perplexing The curse of successful traditional teaching Time, effort, relevance to teaching... critical Reward, recognition, count toward... crucial Awareness of not reaching student may be tipping point... or may be totally irrelevant
All faculty? Variety of learning styles Culture of local department or field of study Variety of “faculty types”? And something new.... Could there be an new group emerging? The millennial instructor???
A funny thing happened on the way… 2005 gave same survey to faculty and students Role and affiliation, hmm... more responses then sample Interesting group, faculty with student roles and students with faculty roles Some unusual comparisons but just a fluke?
A look at three samples Students Faculty This new group! A chance to directly compare by: –looking at responses to the same themes –comparing responses within those themes Drawing some tentative conclusions Asking for your
2006 Survey Looked to make sure results were similar Yes, not identical but very much the same. A few more of this hybrid group.
How we discovered Section on demographics (Association and Title) Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, Graduate Student, Post-graduate Student, Tutor, Teaching Assistant, Research Assistant, Adjunct, Lecturer, Instructor, Professor, Researcher, Librarian, Clinical, Assistant, Associate, Full Part-time, Full-time, Visiting, Post-doc, Adjunct, Student, Faculty, Researcher, Librarian AssociationTitle
Unusual combinations Students who teach –Tutors, TA’s, Lecturers Faculty involved in formal learning –Finishing degree, new degree, yet another... Would this group look different? –Probably an older student group? –Probably a younger faculty group? –Just echo faculty but more skill? –Just echo students?
How many? 404 Millennium 16% 1731 Students 391 Faculty 321 Students with faculty roles 83 Faculty with student roles
What distinguishes the Millennium Instructor? Age? Expertise? Use/need for support? Patience? WINWINI?
Age In-between From % from % from Millennial Instructors not limited to youth only!
Expertise? Novice Expert Student MI Faculty Education Research Personal
Expertise? Novice Expert Student MI Faculty Education Research Personal
Expertise? Novice Expert Student MI Faculty Education Research Personal
Expertise? Not in-between More expertise on all categories Significantly differ on Education and Personal Like faculty on Research Millennial Instructors have strong perception of expertise Novice Expert Student MI Faculty Education Research Personal
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning Explore/experiment Colleges/friends Books/Web sites On the job IT Support staff Computer seminars UM class UM Hot-line Online class Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning Explore/experiment Colleges/friends Books/Web sites On the job IT Support staff Computer seminars UM class UM Hot-line Online class Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning Explore/experiment Colleges/friends Books/Web sites On the job IT Support staff Computer seminars UM class UM Hot-line Online class Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning Explore/experiment Colleges/friends Books/Web sites On the job IT Support staff Computer seminars UM class UM Hot-line Online class Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning Explore/experiment Colleges/friends Books/Web sites On the job IT Support staff Computer seminars UM class UM Hot-line Online class Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning Explore/experiment Colleges/friends Books/Web sites On the job IT Support staff Computer seminars UM class UM Hot-line Online class Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning Explore/experiment Colleges/friends Books/Web sites On the job IT Support staff Computer seminars UM class UM Hot-line Online class Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning Explore/experiment Colleges/friends Books/Web sites On the job IT Support staff Computer seminars UM class UM Hot-line Online class Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning Explore/experiment Colleges/friends Books/Web sites On the job IT Support staff Computer seminars UM class UM Hot-line Online class Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning Explore/experiment Colleges/friends Books/Web sites On the job IT Support staff Computer seminars UM class UM Hot-line Online class Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning Explore/experiment Colleges/friends Books/Web sites On the job IT Support staff Computer seminars UM class UM Hot-line Online class Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning Least Most Self taught! Like students Like faculty Not telephone Certainly not computer classes IT support? Explore/experiment Colleges/friends Books/Web sites On the job IT Support staff Computer seminars UM class UM Hot-line Online class
Instructors don’t know how Extra work, little connection Takes too much time Students don’t know how Too complicated Don’t have tech support Don’t have the skills Barriers in Using Technology for Teaching and Learning
Both students and faculty together see instructors as a high barrier but... The faculty see students as far less a barrier than the students themselves Instructors don’t know how Extra work, little connection Takes too much time Students don’t know how Too complicated Don’t have tech support Don’t have the skills
Barriers in Using Technology for Teaching and Learning Instructors are the Problem A faculty problem Mile wide, 1inch deep? Not complicated Have Tech Support! Have skills! Text Instructors don’t know how Extra work, little connection Takes too much time Students don’t know how Too complicated Don’t have tech support Don’t have the skills
Characteristics of the Net- Instructor Younger but not exclusively Expertise strong in all areas Preference on how to learn See instructors as a problem Have support Not complicated Still a time problem And must be connected!
How do we guide such folk? Get out of their way? Meet special needs Recognize and reward? Maybe I should just retire?
Future Investigation We didn’t design a survey to find such a group. Should ask directly What kind of themes? What kind of questions?
Themes and Questions Multitasking Ease with technology Fits all of life style Always connected Life long learning (just this group?) OK... what do you think???
Questions? By the way, this presentation is available at Look on the right side for presentations. –it’s the first one! You may also take a look at other surveys and evaluation tools at the site. Feel free to use them for ideas, analysis and presentation.