This document discusses teaching strategies for millennial learners born between 1980-2000. It notes that millennial learners are comfortable with technology, learn better through discovery and collaboration, and expect constant feedback. It provides best practices for teaching millennial learners such as providing clear structure, frequent affirmation, collaborative assignments, and incorporating digital tools. An action plan template is included to help instructors adapt their courses for millennial learners.

1. Millennial
Learners

2. Today’s Plan

3. Activity
• Which Generations are in this Workshop?
– Silent (1925-1942) Ages 66-84
– Baby Boomer (1943-1960) Ages 48-65
– Gen – X (1961-1980) Ages 28-47
– Millennial (1980 – 2000) Ages 8-27
Silent Boomer Gen-X Millennial

4. Activity
• List 3 Defining Events of Your Generation
Silent Boomer Gen-X Millennial

5. “The expectation for involvement
with faculty and other students
overrides a desire to use
technology.”
Education the Net Generation
Diana G. Oblinger and James L. Oblinger, Editors

6. Millennial
Learners
Video – From YouTube

7. By the numbers
• 2008 – 80 Million 18-29 year olds
• 36% of the U.S. Population
http://www.newvotersproject.org/research/demographics

8. The NCCCS System

9. Numbers by Generation 2005-2006
Millennials

10. PCC Student Enrollment – FA07
Curriculum Only
Millennials

11. PCC Faculty by Generation – FA07
BOOMERS

12. A Closer Look at Millennials
• Born in 1980-82 ish
• First high school graduating class – 2000
• Cultural icons

13. Major Events – Millennials
• From the PBS Documentary –
Generation Next which aired in 2007
• http://www.pbs.org/newshour/generation-
next/demographic/timeline_majorevents.html
• The Technology Timeline
• http://www.pbs.org/newshour/generation-next/demograp
Major Events
Tech
Timeline

14. 60 Minutes on the
Millennial Workforce
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4126233n

15. The Millennial is…
• Comfortable with
technology – never lived
without computers
• Connected 24/7
• Confident
• Optimistic
• Hopeful
• Independent (often despite
helicopter parents)
• Determined
• Goal Oriented
• Success driven
• Aware of the lifestyle they
desire
• Diverse – most diverse
generation EVER
• Service oriented
• Inclusive
• Team Oriented

16. Core Characteristics
SPECIA
L
CONFIDE
NT
STRESSED
eXPERIENt
ial

Close to
Parents
Team
Oriented
SERVICE oriented

17. Special
•Helicopter parents
•High self-esteem
•Treated as individuals
•Media targets directly to them
(think reality shows, tech toys)
•Sheltered
•Most “wanted” generation ever

18. STRESSED
• High achievers
• Sleep deprived
• Grade-driven
• MUST meet goals and think the means
justifies the ends to succeed at meeting goals
(i.e. – cheating o.k.)
• Constantly in motion
• Live in a 24/7 world

19. Close to Parents
•Like to hang out with
parents
•Comfortable with their
parents’ values
•Feel a sense of duty to
family

20. 
• Learn by doing
• Learn through
discovery
• Interactive
• Collaborative
• Engaged
• Multitasking
• Strong leadership
• Well defined goals

21. D I V E R S E
• Value racial diversity
• Value ethnic diversity
• Least Caucasian generation in history
• Largest Asian and Latino population in U.S.
history

22. Service Minded
•Most agree everyone should commit to at
least 1 year of service to the country
•Community service is a priority for most
Millennials
•Part of work/life balance

23. CONFIDENT
• Expect CONSTANT
affirmation
• Girls outpacing boys as
leaders
• Goal – setters: short
and long term
• Plan + Action = Success

24. Team Oriented
• Learn collaboratively
• Strong communicators
• Demand to stay connected
• Focus on “We” rather than “I”

25. What We Know About
Millennial Learners
• Visual communicators
• Integrate the virtual and the physical worlds
• Learn better through discovery than by being
“told”
• Shift attention quickly
• Pay attention only to what interests them
• Respond quickly and expect quick responses
in return

26. What We Know About Millennial
Learners
• Digitally Literate BUT have a poor
understanding of information quality – not
Information Literate
• Less text literate than other generations –
they do not read
• Very goal oriented
• Multitaskers
• CRAVE interactivity

27. What We Know About Millennial
Learners
• Must be “forced” to reflect
• Expect to participate in the learning process –
not passive learners
• First person learning is the expectation –
simulations, visualization, experiential
activities
• View graphics first, then might check out text

28. 93%
7%
66 students
5 students
WEB 110 – Fall 2008
Student Pre-Course Survey

29. 69%
49
students
20% 1%
Which types of computers do you use?
39
students
14
students
1
student
WEB 110 – Fall 2008
Student Pre-Course Survey

30. 34%
37
students
52%
7%
What type of Internet connectivity do you have?
24
students
5 students
WEB 110 – Fall 2008
Student Pre-Course Survey
7% 5 students
86%
High speed

31. 23%5 or more hours/day
13%
How much time do you spend on the Internet each day?
1-5 hours/day
WEB 110 – Fall 2008
Student Pre-Course Survey
65%
1 or less hours/day

32. Why do you use the Internet?
WEB 110 – Fall 2008
Student Pre-Course Survey
Entertainment
Other
Communication
Personal Research
Find Info
Academics

33. Have you ever posted to a blog?
WEB 110 – Fall 2008
Student Pre-Course Survey
NO

34. BEST PRACTICES
Teaching the Millennial Learner
• Provide structure for students
– Clear expectations, detailed instructions
– Allow students to help determine the structure of the
course (syllabus, goals, assignments)
• Be specific about acceptable behavior
– offering visual examples if possible
• Provide both leadership and guidance
• Use positive and frequent affirmation of
achievement (like video games)
– Actions/consequences
– Effort = reward

35. BEST PRACTICES
Teaching the Millennial Learner
• Allow students to connect with each other
and the content through collaborative and
peer-to-peer assignments
– Clear instructions on how to manage problems
• Challenge the students
• Hold students accountable
– Flexible assignment schedule with “choices”
• Provide active, engaged, fun, and
student-centered learning activities

36. BEST PRACTICES
Teaching the Millennial Learner
• Teach “delayed gratification” by building
reflection into the curriculum
• Encourage learning for “learning’s sake” not
just a grade
• Provide service learning opportunities
• Build a sense of community within the course
and/or major

37. BEST PRACTICES
Teaching the Millennial Learner
• Incorporate time management skills into the
curriculum
– Paced schedule for assignments
– Short modules of study
• Proven pedagogical success strategies
– Provide study guides
– Provide extra credit opportunities
– Provide model examples of assignments and projects
– CLEARLY and EXPLICITILY explain rules of behavior and
link the consequences to grades

38. Action Plan
• What do I want to teach?
–Objectives
–Specific skills
–Specific concepts

39. Action Plan
• How do I teach it now?
–Lecture
–Activities
–Assignments
–Assessment

40. • How can I teach it using…
– A more structured approach
content modules, more frequent feedback
– More visual content
use games, slide shows, role-playing
– Incorporating collaboration among students
small groups
– Personalization
peer coaching, case studies, choices
– Digital communication tools
wikis, blogs, Google Docs
Action Plan

41. Action Plan
• How do I know students are learning?
– Use journaling – blogs, wikis
– Create small groups with role assignments
– Hold synchronous chats
• What assessment strategies will I use?
– Objective
– Subjective
– Project based
– Group activities
– A combination

42. Action Plan
• How do I add more structure to the course?
– Create a “paced schedule” for the Unit of Study
– Email reminders for assignments even if you’ve
told the students the due date and posted it
online
– ALWAYS have an online supplement for your
courses – the online presence gives students 24/7
access to content and other students
– Give students very detailed step-by-step
instructions with visual content whenever possible

43. Step – by – Step
with Visuals

44. Action Plan
• How do I add more personalization to the course?
– Assign students with similar interests to small groups for some
projects/assignments
example: nursing majors complete a writing/reflection project in a Business 110 course on the
“Business of Nursing”
– ASK students what they want to learn in the course and why – survey
them – share the findings
use a survey tool like Zoomerang to ask the students questions the very first week of class,
share the results week 2 and let the students know what you incorporated in the course from
the survey
– Allow students more input in how the content and assessments will be
delivered – give them choices
give students a choice of an objective test, a take-home test, an online test; let them choose to
take 3 of 4 assessments in the course, give them choices within the test
– Be sure students know some of your human story and encourage them to
share theirs
take advantage of the technology and have students set up profiles, share yours, setup a
Facebook account, a blog, a wiki and invite students to join you there; I recommend edublogs
and pbwiki www.edublogs.org http://pbwiki.com/academic.wiki

45. Action Plan
• A list of collaboration options…
– Assign students to small groups; assign roles to
each member of the group
Facilitator – initiates and keep sthe communication going; Recorder – makes sure the
information being shared is condensed and presented appropriately; Contributor –
participates in the conversation, project, etc.; – change groups and roles throughout the
semester for other assignments
– Assign students projects which might be turned in
individually or as a group, but allow them to work
together on the projects. Require that students
“journal” or report on the project status directly
to the instructor

46. What We Know For Sure
• Millennials expect an Academic Experience
• Millennials expect instructors to use
Technology
• Millennials use a lot of Technology
• Millennials want to build Relationships
• There are more of “them” than there are of
“us” so we had better migrate toward their
planet – at least a little

47. What We Know For Sure
• Tools – both high tech and low tech - are
available to instructors to help us create
– Visual learning
– Collaborative learning
– 24/7 access to learning
– Student/Student, Student/Instructor,
Student/Content interaction