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Bridging the Generation Gap in Technical Education Gary Whittle, St. Catharine College

Bridging the Generation Gap in Technical Education Gary Whittle, St. Catharine College. Who is in you class?. Veterans- Born before 1945 - 75 million Baby Boomers – Born 1946 to1964 – 80 million Gen Xers – Born 1965 to 1980 – 46 million Gen Yers– Born after 1980 – 76 million.

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Bridging the Generation Gap in Technical Education Gary Whittle, St. Catharine College

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  1. Bridging the Generation Gap in Technical EducationGary Whittle, St. Catharine College

  2. Who is in you class? • Veterans- Born before 1945 - 75 million • Baby Boomers – Born 1946 to1964 – 80 million • Gen Xers – Born 1965 to 1980 – 46 million • Gen Yers– Born after 1980 – 76 million

  3. Veterans (ages 62+) • World War II • Korean War • Cold War • Nuclear Bomb • The New Deal • Social security • Income taxes • B/W TV • The Silent Generation • Value duty, discipline, thrift, sacrifice, authority • Life is about work, not fulfillment • Conformity is good. Individualism is iffy. • Strict gender roles. • Follow rules. Respect authority

  4. Boomers (ages 45-64) • Space Race • Civil Rights • Vietnam • Kennedy & King Assassinations • Woodstock • Women’s rights • Color TV • Treated as “special,” advantaged children • Focus on individuality, creativity, personal fulfillment • Want to “make a difference” • Optimistic and team-oriented • Socially and intellectually involved • Proud of working long hours to get ahead

  5. Generation X (ages 27-44) • Fall of Berlin Wall • AIDS • Chernobyl • Desert Storm • 3 Mile Island • Watergate • Tiananmen Square • MTV • Trust authority only if accompanied by competence • Focused on developing skills to enhance marketability • Self-reliant and independent • Less optimistic, more pragmatic and self-reliant • Confident in their technology-based skills • Want a life, as well as a job

  6. Generation Y (ages 26 and under) • 9-11 Attack • War in Iraq • Columbine • Global Warming • Cell phones • Internet • Xbox and iPod • Socially accepted delayed adolescence • Still reliant on parents • Access and process information faster • Extensive users of technology at home and at work • Optimistic, sociable and achievement-oriented • Believe their experiences/opinions are the ones that matter • .

  7. So… What Difference Does it Make? • Who are our students? • How do they learn? • How do we teach? • How is college-level instruction changing? • What about technology? • What about the “old ways”?

  8. How Do They Learn?Veterans: • New is not necessarily better • Slow to change ideas • Prefer structure, schedules and procedures • Must have time to tie new ideas to old mental framework for full assimilation • Can be technologically challenged • Want a clear statement of goals, procedures, expectations and product parameters

  9. How Do They Learn?Boomers: • Want their efforts to matter • Are frustrated with busy work • Want to see the big picture and how things fit • Like team projects • Motivated by responsibility to the group • Don’t care about in-line feedback • Value the product, not the process

  10. How Do They Learn?Generation X: • Task oriented – want to learn new skills • Change oriented – want version 5.0.1 • Want to work quickly • If it isn’t fun, there better be a good reason for doing it • Prefer informal communication • Do not like team activities • Want lots of feedback

  11. How Do They Learn?Generation Y: • Always looking for the “new” • High end technology • Consumer oriented • Need help orienting to college level expectations • Skill development focused • Productivity, not attendance = rewards • Short attention span • Critical thinking skills undeveloped

  12. OK…. So How Do I Teach? • Traditional Classroom • Hybrid Classes • Online

  13. OK…. So How Do I Teach? The class lecture “may be the worst pedagogy, relatively ineffective for most aspects of most subjects and for most students.” Porter, 1999, p. 16

  14. Teaching With Technology • Be sure you know how to use it before you introduce it • Let the students teach/mentor each other • Don’t expect universal acceptance • Don’t fall for bells and whistles • Keep the human element foremost • Use multiple levels to meet the needs of all

  15. Teaching With Technology • SAM • Web 2.0 • Xbox Live • Google Earth • Facebook/MySpace • The Sims • Wii • Myst • Second Life

  16. Take advantage of their strengths . . • Veterans– good mentors, follow rules, value the institution • Baby boomers – hard workers, results oriented, team players, intellectually involved, proud of their “product” • Gen Xers – Self-reliant, fast working, techno-savvy • Millennials – Open, optimistic, social, techno experts

  17. Learn together, Network together, Grow together • Questions??? • Comments…. • Thank You

  18. A special thank you toMary Alice BurkhartCoordinator, Noncredit and Customized ProgramsAustin Peay State UniversityCenter for Extended and Distance EducationFor her contribution and research.

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