Net generation learners - Carrie Windham

** This was a great session with a lot of insight from an actual "net genner" rather than hearing about the net-gen from people who are outsiders looking in**

Net generation learners

outline:
1 meet the net gen
2 from characteristics to campus
3 secrets
4 bridging the divide

her Big three - computer, cell phone, and mp3 player

The usual suspects:

The overachiever - academically driven,

creators and explorers - toss out instructio

what are some of the characteristics?

Overbooked - students are
- organizational features of cms are good
- access campus events in a portal
- portable content would be great
Creators
- have "toys" available for use on campus
- consider alternative formats for coursework
- don't put limits on imagination
Service Minded
- show connections between class and the world
- imagine a field trip to belfast to examine problems/issues
- doing an ad compaign for a start-up company
- volunteering for credit
Multi-Taskers
- don't be a talking head
- present in multiple formats
- actually show a pig decompose, don't just talk about it
- play anti war music, don't just talk about the movement
- show an adaptation of the painted veil
Tech Users
- remember, we communicate with technology, consider it
- Open your mind to the technologies we want to use
- look into how students receive info (text messages?)
Social creatures
- give us a chance to collaborate online -- don't neccessarily assign collaboration, but facilitate it
- create places where we can collaborate (and not a place you need to reserve 2 months in advance
- encourage discussion in class -- don't just say "what do you think of this..." Post questions before class, or have students create questions for discussions... assign roles for discussion board use
- participate in discussion boards
- make class seating reflect group thinking
Increasingly Mobile
- let us take learning on the go
- think about a guided tour on our cell phone
- let me download a llecture
- create...

Secrets

#1 we're not expecting to wriet a blog while liestening to podcasts, after we meet you in second life
- we think we're ahead of the curve
- expectionats are actually quite low, yet desires are high
#2 we're not sure we want to see you on Facebook
- students use tech to socialize and comminicate. May not want it in the classroom
- think less about the technology, more about intended use (identify needs --> apply technology)
- make sure technology connects to learning goals, we don't want busy work!
#3 We're not the tech geeks you think we are
(we have an ocean of tech products, but the knowledge is an inch deep)
- tech are important to our interests
- might not understand older technologies
#4 We can navigate the web but we can't really analyze it
- we know how to use, but rarely think about that use
- often confused about how to look for resources or who to trust
- might not think about or understand copyright
- a bit ignorant about how our information is used or viewed
- need instruction in info literacy (ex. every student bring 3 links, then during lecture the faculty went through each site and the class discussed whether they were credible or not)
#5 Tech is distracting, but so is doodling
- tech has nothing to do with our attention spans
- use tech to engage the class (i.e. point students in the right place)
- who said you had to be behind the podium?
- make expectations clear

Bridging the divide
How do you talk to students?
- don't rely on end of course feedback - I care more about what's going to happen in the beginning of the semester, at the end I could care less about the plight of next semester's students
- don't give a survey at the end of class
- "free food" and "free perks" always work
- odds are low if you circulate an email without an incentive
- low pressure group conversations work better than one-on-one

www.digitallearning.macfound.org
pbs.org/newshour/generation-next/
educause.edu/NetGenerationLearners/5515