Understanding Our Students

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: •pncolt@pnc.edu •Twitter and Facebook: @PNCOLT•http://www.pnc.edu/distance for all workshop notes, links, and training needs