understanding our students
TRANSCRIPT
UNDERSTANDING OUR STUDENTS: REASONS TO REVISIT YOUR COURSE DESIGNAnastasia M. Trekles, Ph.D.
DO WE REALLY KNOW OUR STUDENTS?
•We teach the way we were taught• But, students don’t always respond the way we did to the same strategies• Consider where your students are coming from
TO LECTURE OR NOT TO LECTURE…
• A recent article in the Chronicle was very eye-opening: https://chroniclevitae.com/news/1235-a-lecture-from-the-lectured • It’s not that we need to
change everything about what we do – we may just need to diversify and be a little more “human”
RESEARCH ON MILLENNIALS• One of the most-studied
generations• Generalizations come
mostly from research – but, still important to not stereotype!• Overall “personality” of
those who fit the Millennial group – including students with birthdates roughly from 1980-2000
“DIGITAL NATIVES”• Anyone who grew up with
computers and Internet technology (1980-today)• Term coined by Marc Prensky• Primary argument:
students today are different • Technology has “wired” their
thinking– they are “native speakers” of digital language
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION
• Diverse• Often grew up with “helicopter parents” – “largest,
healthiest, and most cared-for generation”• Strive to achieve – motivated by grades, recognition,
external awards• Staying at home longer, family-oriented• Grew up with technology as commonplace• Optimistic and confident • Collaborative and team-oriented
WHAT MILLENNIALS NEED IN THE CLASSROOM
•Clarity •Chunked content •Achievement• Ethics training •Variety• Flexibility and Choice•Social engagement
• Often very rules-oriented• Tendency to be more visually
literate and less text-literate• Expect to achieve the grades
they want and will work for them• Expect a greater variety in all
things• Live in a transparent world
where communication is constant
ASSESSING LEARNING STYLES• Having students self-assess their learning styles and talk
about it can be very helpful• You’ll also learn a lot about your specific audience if you do
this activity together with students• Try one of these tools:• Felder’s Index of Learning Styles:
http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html • Biggs’ Study Process Questionnaire:
http://www.johnbiggs.com.au/academic/students-approaches-to-learning/
CREATIVITY AND SHARING• Many younger students enjoy the opportunity to be creative
and share about themselves • Activities that can help them visually express their creativity
include portfolios, “about me” introduction discussions, blogs, and projects• Some tools that can help:• Blendspace/TES: http://www.blendspace.com • Weebly: http://www.weebly.com• WordPress: http://www.wordpress.com • Seelio (coming soon – built into BlackBoard)
LEARNER-CENTERED COURSE DESIGN
• Variety – vary your activities and assessments, and provide choice where you can• Clarity – explain everything that is required as thoroughly
as possible• Use modules/units – smaller packages of material lead to
deeper conversations• Examples and resources – offer examples of good work,
practice tests, and different ways to study, including through video, summary articles, websites
TOOLS FOR ENGAGEMENT• Mashups (YouTube, Slideshare)• Wikis, Discussions, Blogs• Rubrics (see
http://rubistar.4teachers.org) • Organized learning modules• Practice tests and assignments• SafeAssign, Respondus Monitor• Retention Center
• Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc)• WebEx (live meetings online)• Camtasia, Video Express,
Echo360
RESOURCES• Wilson, W., & Gerber, L.E. (2008). How generational theory can improve
teaching: Strategies for working with the “millennials.” Currents in Teaching and Learning, 1(1), 29-44. Retrieved from http://www.worcester.edu/currents/archives/volume_1_number_1/currentsv1n1wilsonp29.pdf
• The writings of Marc Prensky: http://www.marcprensky.com • Nicholas, A. (2008). Preferred learning methods of the millennial
generation. Faculty and Staff - Articles & Papers. Paper 18. http://digitalcommons.salve.edu/fac_staff_pub/18
• Carr, N. (2011). The shallows: What the Internet is doing to our brains. New York: W.W. Norton.
THANKS!
•Reach us at: •[email protected] •Twitter and Facebook: @PNCOLT•http://www.pnc.edu/distance for all workshop notes, links, and training needs