Teaching the Millennial Generation-Strategies

Educating the millennial generation requires adapting to their unique learning needs and preferences. Millennials, having grown up immersed in technology, thrive in environments where digital tools are integrated into the learning process. As a teacher, it’s essential to leverage interactive platforms, multimedia resources, and online collaboration tools to capture their attention and keep them engaged. Traditional lecture-based approaches often fall flat, so incorporating technology enhances both participation and comprehension.

Moreover, millennials value collaborative and hands-on learning. Facilitating group activities, discussions, and project-based tasks fosters critical thinking and teamwork, key skills they need in today’s world. As educators, we need to encourage active participation and create opportunities for students to work together, solving real-world problems.

This generation is also purpose-driven, and they respond positively when they see how their learning connects to larger societal issues, like sustainability or social justice. It’s important to integrate these themes into lessons to make learning relevant and meaningful.

1. TEACHING THE
MILLENNIAL GENERATION
Diane Holtzman, Michael Ciocco & Debra Dagavarian

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The Millennial Generation
The Millennial Generation has emerged as a force that will
shape the social and economic dynamics of the next decade
(Howe & Strauss, 2000).
The definition of when millennials were born varies, with
estimates ranging from 1977 (Tapscott, 1998) to 1982 (Howe &
Strauss, 2000).
Researchers agree that the uniqueness of millennials
results from technological forces that have affected this
generation.
Unique millennial competency is the ability to effectively
use broadly networked digital communication technologies
to quickly and seamlessly accomplish a variety of tasks.
This competency has resulted from their experiences with
Internet communities (Gorman, Nelson, & Glassman, 2004).

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Millennial Students

–Have never known a life without
computers and the Internet
–Consider computers a part of life
–Connect to information
–Communicate in real-time
–Have social networking
–Have been raised in the presence
of video and computer games
–Students in their 20s may have
had more experience with games
than with reading (Oblinger,2004).
These experiences helped to form the
way in which millennials seek,
process, and report information.

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Individuals raised with computers deal
with information differently compared to
previous cohorts: “They develop hypertext
minds, they leap around.” (Prensky, 2001)
These learning styles originated with
millennials growing up with technology
–millennials were born around the
time the PC was introduced
–20 percent of the students began
using computers between the ages of 5
and 8
–and almost all millennials were using
computers by the time they were 16 to
18 years of age (Jones, 2002).

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Characteristics of the Millennials
Students of the Millennial Generation are accustomed
to using keyboards rather than pens or pencils to
write notes and papers
to reading information from computer screens or
Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) rather than from
printed texts
to being connected with friends in social networking
computer sites rather than in physical meeting
places on college campuses, and are used to
multitasking in digital environments
They are

interested in group activities

intuitive visual communicators

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
MILLENNIALS…
Millennials
learn better through discovery and experiential learning rather
than by being told
have the ability to shift their attention rapidly from one task to
another and may choose not to pay attention to things that don’t
interest them — attentional deployment
believe multitasking is a way of life and are comfortable when
engaged in multiple activities simultaneously
believe staying connected is essential and they want a fast
response time
(Howe & Strauss, 2000

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ENGAGING THE MILLENNIALS
Millennials
learn at a fast pace that does not involve a “telling
style”/ “text-oriented” style of teaching
like visual examples, less text, and less telling
want interactivity
Our challenge is to introduce new learning and teaching
approaches to engage the millennial students.
Many faculty are familiar with the use of
WebCT/Blackboard in the delivery of instruction or for
adapted use in information sharing in hybrid courses.

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ENGAGING THE MILLENNIALS
Now being introduced into the Blackboard/WebCT
environment are programs such as Wimba and Elluminate
Permit the integration of different technologies such as
synchronized chat, use of Whiteboard, online text
messaging, and display of PowerPoints with voice
accompaniment
Other innovative practices that are being implemented
include
user-created content
social networking
virtual worlds and avatar creation
use of mobile phones for course content delivery
and multiplayer educational gaming.

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ENGAGING THE MILLENNIALS
The textbook industry recognizes the millennial
students’ ability
to be interactive
to work in group activities
to multi-task
and access information in an expedient manner
from faculty as well as other group members—
and the publishers are providing
technological tools for faculty to
incorporate into their pedagogy
to engage the millennial learner.

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TOOLS FOR ENGAGEMENT
Textbook publishers are offering textbook content
delivered via audio for downloading to students’ iPods
as well as providing e-texts for students to read on their
computers or PDAs.
In teaching the faculty member becomes a guide who poses
questions-- guides the students’ learning process.
Learning is shifting away from an entire class of faculty-centered
lectures.
Educators are encouraged to include
group work activities
experiential learning
and interactive exercises or role playing exercises for students.

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TOOLS FOR ENGAGEMENT
Textbook publishers recognize the need for the in-class
activities and are responding by providing additional
role playing exercises
case studies
as well as experiential exercises for in-class use
PowerPoints developed to use student response systems.

Learning environments can be created:
-with students sharing information through e-mail dialogues or
blogs.
-Field-based research projects have students engaged in learning
real-time—and, working within a team fosters sharing of diverse
ideas and synthesizing information.
(“Training the Different Generations” 2004; Frand, 2000).

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ONLINE VS. TRADITIONAL LEARNING
Traditional Classroom (face-to-face)
Technology is not required for delivery
Heavily based on sequence
Lectures and discussions are interlaced
The student community is inherent
Online Classroom
Technology is required for delivery
Sequence gives way to multi-tasking
Students work at their own pace
Students choose how to learn
Delivery methods encourage student community

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TRANSITIONING TO ONLINE
Simulate your Traditional Classroom
Translate interactive experiences

Plan for group-based activities

Attempt collaborative exercises
Don’t be afraid to try new things
Put the students in charge
Divide responsibilities among the students
Allow students to take on leadership roles
Let the Drama Unfold
Don’t butt in too much
Wait to see where the students take the discussion
Strategize on management techniques
Make the technology work for you

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TRADITIONAL-TO-ONLINE MAPPING
Activity Traditional Class Online Class
Lecture You may have a formal, stand-up lecture
accompanied by a PowerPoint slide show
presented to the class.
You record narrations over your PowerPoint slides
providing explanation and analysis.
Discussions Students raise their hands in class and
present ideas to you and other students.
They may also challenge or comment the
ideas of others.
You facilitate discussion about a topic by having
students post message threads to a discussion
board. Students may respond to your posts and the
posts of other students over a given time period.
Assignments Students complete assignments and submit
them by the due date in paper format (either
handwritten or typed).
Students complete assignments and submit them
by the due date in electronic format (as an MS
Word Document attachment) by uploading them to
the online course.
Tests & Exams You issue a test or exam for students to take
and complete within the given class (or
exam) period.
You issue a text or exam electronically during a
given window of time. Objective style tests may
be timed, randomized, and issued from a question
bank. Subjective style tests are issued within a
time frame and submitted electronically by a due
date.
Group Work Students are collected into designated
groups where they meet either in or out of
class to collaborate. The group’s work can
be displayed in a final paper, presentation,
on the whiteboard, etc.
Students are collected into designated groups
where they meet in private, group discussion
and/or chat rooms to collaborate. The group’s work
can be displayed in a final paper, online
PowerPoint presentation, as a post to a discussion
board, etc.

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TRADITIONAL-TO-ONLINE MAPPING
Activity Traditional Class Online Class
Office Hours You have designated office hours in which
students can stop by your office to ask
questions or seek advice. Additional help
can be sought in your office by
appointment.
You have designated virtual office hours in
which students can visit with you in a public
chat room. Additional help can be offered via
email or by appointment in the chat room.
Grading You keep a grade book or spreadsheet that
you use to record your grades. Students
get grades and comments when an
assignment is returned.
You record grades and comments in the
Blackboard grade book interface. Students
receive their grades instantly when you enter
them into the system.
Demos You provide the class with a
demonstration of an object or activity
during the class meeting in the classroom.
You provide the class with online video
vignettes of your demonstration of an object or
activity.
Software TrainingYou teach in a computer laboratory where
students log into computers and follow
along as you facilitate their software
training. You can answer questions
immediately and they can follow your
projected computer screen to keep on
target.
You provide desktop screen capture simulations
that walk students through different demos and
software training situations. Students can view
this from home as much as they want and try it
themselves on their own computers. You can
answer questions via a discussion board or
email.
Research You assign a research project for which
students are expected to conduct research
online and at the university library.
You assign a research project for which students
are expected to conduct research online and
using online library services.

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WORKS CITED
Frand, J.L. (Sept./Oct., 2000). The information age mindset:
Changes in students and implications for higher education.
Educause Review.
http://www.educause.edu/pub/er/erm00/articles005/erm0051.pdf
Howe, N. & Strauss, W. (2000). Millennials Rising. New York:
Vintage Books.
Jones, S. (Sept. 15, 2002). The internet goes to college: How
students are living in the culture with today’s technology. Pew
Internet & American Life Project, Washington, D.C.
http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/toc.asp?Report=71
Prensky, M. (Dec. 2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants, part
II: Do they really think differently? On the Horizon, 9 (6) 15-24,
http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/
Training the different generations” (2004) Retrieved from
http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/7X/07879697/078796
977X.pdf