Gen Y: The changing face of the adult learner Anne Bartlett-Bragg (BabyBoomer ) Z Net X Y C Baby Boomer

Add up your points to figure out what generation you’re really a part of: Do you have your own web page? (1 point) Have you made a web page for someone else? (2 points) Do you IM your friends? (1 point) Do you text your friends? (2 points) Do you watch videos on YouTube? (1 point) Do you remix video files from the Internet? (2 points) Have you paid for and downloaded music from the Internet? (1 point) Do you know where to download free (illegal) music from the Internet? (2 points) Which generation are you??

Add up your points to figure out what generation you’re really a part of:

Do you have your own web page? (1 point)

Have you made a web page for someone else? (2 points)

Do you IM your friends? (1 point)

Do you text your friends? (2 points)

Do you watch videos on YouTube? (1 point)

Do you remix video files from the Internet? (2 points)

Have you paid for and downloaded music from the Internet? (1 point)

Do you know where to download free (illegal) music from the Internet? (2 points)

Do you blog for professional reasons? (1 point) Do you blog as a way to keep an online diary? (2 points) Have you visited MySpace at least five times? (1 point) Do you communicate with friends on Facebook? (2 points) Do you use email to communicate with your parents? (1 point) Did you text to communicate with your parents? (2 points) Do you take photos with your phone? (1 point) Do you share your photos from your phone with your friends? (2 points) Which generation are you?? Add up your points to figure out what generation you’re really a part of:

Do you blog for professional reasons? (1 point)

Do you blog as a way to keep an online diary? (2 points)

Have you visited MySpace at least five times? (1 point)

Do you communicate with friends on Facebook? (2 points)

Do you use email to communicate with your parents? (1 point)

Did you text to communicate with your parents? (2 points)

Do you take photos with your phone? (1 point)

Do you share your photos from your phone with your friends? (2 points)

0 - 1 point: Baby Boomer 2 - 6 points: Generation Jones 6 -12 points: Generation X 12 or over: Generation Y Which generation are you?? From Penelope Trunk, Brazen Careerist, June 2007

Gen Y: who are they?

Baby Boomers: 1940s - 1960 / 1964 (The Jones/ Shadow Boomers): 1954 - 1964 Gen X: 1965 - 1980 / 1982 Gen Y: 1982 - 2000 Net Gen: 1994 - 2000 Gen Z: 2001 - ? Gen Y: who are they?

Baby Boomers: 1940s - 1960 / 1964

(The Jones/ Shadow Boomers): 1954 - 1964

Gen X: 1965 - 1980 / 1982

Gen Y: 1982 - 2000

Net Gen: 1994 - 2000

Gen Z: 2001 - ?

Gen-eralisations… Oblinger & Oblinger, 2005 Anything slow Negativity Red tape Hype Laziness Turning 50 Dislikes: Public activism Latest technology Parents Freedom Multi-tasking Work-life balance Responsibility Work ethics Can-do attitude Likes: Hopeful Determined Independent Skeptical Optimistic Workaholic Attributes: Gen Y Gen X Baby Boomers

Gen Y: How do they behave? Digitally fluent Communicate with anyone, anywhere, anytime Work hard but guard personal time High self-esteem Success oriented Want immediate results Like mentoring Hate criticism Like collaboration Technology is a means to an end

Gen Y: How do they learn? In groups Require structure & guidelines - not ambiguity Short attention spans Crave interactivity Success oriented Want immediate results Connected Need feedback Collaboration IM Visual Experiential Social Pragmatic

What are the implications for education? Content Learning Spaces Technology Issues

Content Interactive Experiential Group Work Visual cues Immediate feedback Structure Co- producers

Pragmatic Relevance Clear objectives Short tasks + feedback Structure vs Ambiguity Parameters Procedures Priorities

Learning Spaces

Social spaces Prolific Communicators Think Inclusiveness Learning Spaces

What about the technology…? Technology enables me to do things Technology: Is NOT their focus needs to be interactive LMS are NOT interactive IM sms simultaneous conversations social software social networking I crave interactivity Just im me Me? sms is best More than 80% of students relate the benefits of technology to convenience. Oblinger & Oblinger, 2005

Technology:

Is NOT their focus

needs to be interactive

LMS are NOT interactive

IM

sms

simultaneous conversations

social software

social networking

What about the issues…? Digital Literacy: critical evaluation surface understanding of technology Immediacy: more emphasis on speed than accuracy development of learning over time Copy & Paste

Digital Literacy:

critical evaluation

surface understanding of technology

Immediacy:

more emphasis on speed than accuracy

development of learning over time

Copy & Paste

A final word from the students themselves…