Because they are used to having information readily available to them they have a hard time staying focused if a problem requires a long time to solve, or if they have to search too hard.This becomes a problem in some very technical areas.
Technology is wonderful......unfortunately, it doesn't teach students to think on their own.
It's easy to press buttons
Gen Y students have every piece of information they could ever want at the fingertips, whether through laptops, TV, or iPhones. They seek instant gratification and have a tendency to give up when certain items take practice, time, and hard work to accomplish. Instead of figuring out how to use a fax machine, they can google it.
Nicholas ,
I would agree that there are definite challenges with Gen Y & their attention; this is where we must be very careful in our planning.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I believe that technology has impacted every part of the Gen Y’s life. Education is only one aspect. While some view this as a “shortcut†this may not be the student’s perception. When technology is used this saves time. These students have information at their finger tips and know how to use it.
I agree that many of these students need to become savvy and educated it the use of some Web sites and using information. Some do not know the difference in the use of peer reviewed journals and Wikipeia. It is our responsibility to educate them. When we see this everyday it seems like an endless battle.
Wayne,
yes, often the difficulty is what we view as a problem, they see as convenience. Also, often we label them as lazy, when they would see it as efficient & resourceful. We need to make every effort to meet in the middle with them.
Dr. Ryan Meers
This has been an interesting history course for me. I feel as though each generation has had the same struggles just to a different extent. As we've moved from one war to the next and seen the effects it has on each generation. I believe the biggest change has come from technology... We have such an opportunity to be aware of what is happening everywhere and have become so custom to gaining whatever it is we want instantaneously. In some sense its great to have the knowledge and convenience. But in others I think it has negatively affected our personal interactions and communication.
liz,
I agree with you. We definitely have some new challenges with technology in this generation, but we also need to remember that not all of these challenges are all the way new.
Dr. Ryan Meers
As with anything else, there are good and bad impacts. Information is much easier to find, but we have to teach/learn how to assess that information for relevance and accuracy. There does seem to be less time spent in preparing for class. Technology can also interfere with attention span. The concept of connectivity can also have good and bad impacts. The connectedness to diversity is a good thing, but the ability to connect in face-to-face situations can be negatively affected.
They certainly have a willingness to embrace new technology, which can be very beneficial in the classroom. On the other hand, I find they often think they know much more about technology than they actually do. For instance, they are very familiar with facebook and youtube, but cannot conduct online research and are typically not very proficient with production software.
I agree that study skills are lacking; they often seem to expect all the information to be handed to them. I think it would be very beneficial for them to learn how to use all the technology they have with them everyday to help themselves study.
Michael,
yes, unfortunately I have noticed this problem with the ability to connect in true interpersonal situations.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Jo Ann,
yes, much of their technology use is entertainment driven, rather than thinking.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I believe that technology can be incredibly helpful, but at the same time very distracting. I think most of the time students are tempted to use technology for social uses, while at their same fingertips there is so much more the technology being used can be utilized for. It is unfortunate that they don't use their gadgets for all that they are capable of. Additionally, while I try to utilize technology for learning activities, I have a large mix of students in the classroom, not just Gen Y students, so technology isn't the way to go, if not everybody can engage in the learning activity.
For the Gen Y group I try to promote the use of gadgets for learning uses, such as the flash card apps.
Also, at times technology is used as a substitute for learning. For example, while teaching conversions for culinary math, students were utilizing their conversion apps on their smart phones rather than learning the information for themselves.
I agree. I have learned when assigning reaction papers or projects to make one of the requirements to use sources OUTSIDE of Wikipedia/WebMD and they must use one physical book/journal/magazine source. I believe this helps them find more viable information and sets them up to remember more.
Jill,
I agree that this is a great strategy as it makes the expectations clear & teaches them to use a variety of sources.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Yes, I believe it has. The impact has been both good and bad. The good part is that due to the technology that surrounds them, Gen Y students are very adept at using computers and learning software programs. The bad part is that I believe their social skills and ability to communicate clearly (both verbal and written) has suffered. Much of the Gen Y communication has taken place through the use of technology so face-to-face communication can be very difficult for them.
Susan,
this is true & I've found that many of the Gen Y students are starting to realize this & I'm starting to see a swing back towards true face to face communication.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Gen Y learners are amazingly quick in finding solutions because information is so readily available via the internet. However, I sometimes find their solutions or ideas not of their own. They are very good at copying and plagiarizing. There seems to be a lack of creativity and free thinking.
Marian,
this is definitely a challenge with this generation. The other part of this is making sure when they do find a solution that they understand how it solves the problem & works.
Dr. Ryan Meers
