21st Century Learners: Challenges and Opportunities Bob Matthew University of Stirling

Overview Students of the 21st Century Generation Y Learner Expectations & Prior Experience Implications for Staff

Who are the students of the 21st Century Generation Y (at present) The Google Generation: web-savvy young people for whom the world is just a click away. The Guardian, 30/09/06 Generation Y – the generation that dares to ask for more. Sunday Times, 23 April 2003 Generation Y goes for flexible hours. London Evening Standard, 20/04/06

More on Generation Y Generation Y – characteristics Connected …24/7 Self-confident Optimistic Independent Bored by routine Entrepreneurial Goal oriented Digital Natives Attendance is always optional.

Students at Present 74% rely on loans to fund study (NUS Student Experience report, 2008) Nationally over 50% working to support finance studies (NUS Student Experience report, 2008) The majority of UK HE students view the experience as a PART TIME one (ESRC Research final project report, 2008)

Learner Expectations I firstly … I will Google it … Then I would fire up MSN… Finally, (the VLE) and all resources the university makes available online. (HE in a Web 2.0 World, JISC 2009)

Learner Expectations II At present students are heavily influenced by school methods of delivery and are NOT pressing for change in HE delivery methods, but …… Face to Face teaching is highly valued, but technology accepted as adjunct if managed well (HE in a Web 2.0 World, JISC 2009)

Prior Experience of Learners (HE in a Web 2.0 World, JISC 2009)

So What? A need to accept that the experience is part time and likely to continue so This means thinking WWW Where do my students learn? When do my students learn? What do my students learn? WE NEED TO ENSURE FLEXIBILITY!

Where do my students learn? The read and listen anywhere! The value quality interaction with staff! Today I had a lecture from 9am to 11am. The first half was merely sitting listening to the lecturer read off slide shows … a different lecturer for the second half was much better, involved the students and paused so people had time to note down things. Not in the lecture theatre!

When do my students learn? When it suits them Late at night / early in the morning Just in time!

What do my students learn? What they think will come up in the assessment What they think is important So - A need to get the assessment process RIGHT!

Implications for STAFF I Staff need to be Aware of technologies that Learners use Proficient users of an appropriate range of technologies and skilled practitioners in face to face pedagogy and e-pedagogy Exploring the ways in which Web 2.0 can be used to enhance the tutor/learner relationship Thinking about the learner needs and expectations

Implications for Staff II A need to move away from a timetable that is designed to meet staff needs Think about the pedagogy the maximises the quality of the staff / learner interaction

Implications for Staff III Granted some students need training at using information technology, but its mostly the professors who need help.

Implications for Staff IV Curriculum for Excellence - need to be aware of changes in school curriculum (and influence those change as a significant end user)

Final Thoughts The HE of the present is not sustainable nor appropriate for the 21st Century Learners We need to be bold and adapt what we do to meet the needs and expectations Those who do so early are likely to be Winners!

Questions?