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.

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?Novice Expert

Student MI Faculty

Education

Research

Personal


Student MI Faculty

Education

Research

Personal


Student MI Faculty

Education

Research

Personal

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






Least Most






Least Most






Least Most






Least Most






Least Most






Least Most






Least Most






Least Most






Least Most






Least Most


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


•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



Takes too much time


Too complicated




•Instructors are the Problem

•A faculty problem

•Mile wide, 1inch deep?

•Not complicated

•Have Tech Support!

•Have skills!

Text



Takes too much time


Too complicated



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.

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.

Documents

faculty roles83 faculty

younger faculty group

lecturers faculty

irrelevantall faculty

faculty types

older student group

student roleswhat

netgen student