the millennial instructor the net-generation student... ok, but the net-gen instructor??? carl...
TRANSCRIPT
The Millennial Instructor
The Net-generation Student... OK, but the Net-Gen Instructor???
Carl Berger
Copyright by the author, 2007. 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 veracityThe 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 discoveredSection on demographics (Association and Title)
Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, GraduateStudent, Post-graduateStudent, 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
Association Title
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 17-52
•50% from 24-29
•90% from 20-34
Millennial Instructors not limited to youth only!
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/experimentColleges/friendsBooks/Web sites
On the jobIT Support staff
Computer seminarsUM class
UM Hot-lineOnline class
Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning
Explore/experimentColleges/friendsBooks/Web sites
On the jobIT Support staff
Computer seminarsUM class
UM Hot-lineOnline class
Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning
Explore/experimentColleges/friendsBooks/Web sites
On the jobIT Support staff
Computer seminarsUM class
UM Hot-lineOnline class
Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning
Explore/experimentColleges/friendsBooks/Web sites
On the jobIT Support staff
Computer seminarsUM class
UM Hot-lineOnline class
Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning
Explore/experimentColleges/friendsBooks/Web sites
On the jobIT Support staff
Computer seminarsUM class
UM Hot-lineOnline class
Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning
Explore/experimentColleges/friendsBooks/Web sites
On the jobIT Support staff
Computer seminarsUM class
UM Hot-lineOnline class
Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning
Explore/experimentColleges/friendsBooks/Web sites
On the jobIT Support staff
Computer seminarsUM class
UM Hot-lineOnline class
Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning
Explore/experimentColleges/friendsBooks/Web sites
On the jobIT Support staff
Computer seminarsUM class
UM Hot-lineOnline class
Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning
Explore/experimentColleges/friendsBooks/Web sites
On the jobIT Support staff
Computer seminarsUM class
UM Hot-lineOnline class
Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning
Explore/experimentColleges/friendsBooks/Web sites
On the jobIT Support staff
Computer seminarsUM class
UM Hot-lineOnline class
Least Most
Learn About Using Technology for Teaching and Learning
Explore/experimentColleges/friendsBooks/Web sites
On the jobIT Support staff
Computer seminarsUM class
UM Hot-lineOnline 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/experimentColleges/friends
Books/Web sitesOn the job
IT Support staffComputer seminars
UM classUM Hot-lineOnline 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
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 www.carat.umich.edu
• 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.