Generations Cooperating at Baker

Generations Cooperating at Baker

Effective Teaching and Learning Department

Opening Activity

• Take a few moments to think about the following questions:

– What do you think about your generation?– Do you consider yourself an “average” member of

your generation?– Do you think generational differences exist in

teaching and learning?

• On the index card provided, write down some of your thoughts

Debrief

• Find a partner who does NOT appear to be from your generation (how you determine this is up to you)

• Discuss your answers

Objectives

• Compare and contrast the differences in the student populations at Baker College

• Identify learning styles of each generation

• Discuss the importance of cooperative learning in the classroom

• Compare and contrast cooperative learning with cheating and group work

• Construct cooperate learning activities that meet the needs of diverse learners at Baker

• Practice creating methods of assessment that focus on the individual and not group grades

• Explain the importance of debriefing after a cooperative learning experience

Who Are Your Students?

• Average age?

• Gender percentages?– Female– Male

• Working at least part time?

• Race– African American– Caucasian– Other

• Children?

• Transfer students?

What Is A Generation?

• Normally a 20-22 year span• Strauss and Howe (1991) define a generation as

possessing certain characteristics, shared values and beliefs

• Often defined by significant events experienced as a unit such as:– Vietnam war– Columbine– World War II

• Events of one generation have ripple effects on other generation– Sexual revolution for Boomers, Silents,

Generation Xers

Who Do You See Now?

• Baby Boomers– Born 1946-1964

• Generation X– Born 1965-1980 (sometimes as late as 1982)

• Millennial (or Gen Next, Net Generation)– Born 1980 (or 1982)-1999 (sometimes 2000)

• Differences in the way people arrange these dates– Oblinger, 2005; Strauss & Howe, 1991

Activity

• Obtain a set of materials from the facilitator

• Place the individual characteristics into the correct generation

• Check your work using the handout provided by the facilitator

Who am I?

Nintendo [video games] symbolizes a trial and error approach to solving problems. Losing is the fastest way to mastering a game because losing represents learning. - Oblinger, p. 40

To which generation is this quote referring?Baby Boomers

Gen X Millennials

Silent Characteristics

• Small generation

• GI (previous generation) were their role models– Characterized as a generation of jealousies and

role reversals

• Want to humanize the world the GI generation conquered

Silent Learning

• Likes a traditional classroom structure

• Does not like to contradict or disagree with instructor

• Does not enjoy being singled out in group discussions or for questions

• Likes to practice alone, not in groups

What Can You Do?

• Organize materials in bullet/outline form

• Use at least 12 point type– This will help Boomers too

• Take your time through the important points

• Don’t assume that all are techno phobic– Fastest growing segment of the population using

the Internet

Boomer Characteristics

• “New” – considered so in every sense

• No real sense of generational identity– Focus is on the individual

• Grade inflation is high

• Standard of living is both better and worse than parents

Boomer Learners

• Enjoy working in creative and independent manners

• Possess significant professional experience

• Require interaction and “talk” time

• Enjoy icebreaker and introduction activities

• Prefer a spirit of collegiality in classroom

What Can You Do?

• Give plenty of time for Boomers to practice new skills

• Plan your role play exercises carefully– Make them authentic

• Do not always let them lead team projects– Let them practice other skills periodically

• Organize materials with headings and relevant information underneath

Who Am I?

"Plagiarism is the most serious of academic misbehaviors, but the pressure to achieve desired outcomes can blur the ethics for the overly ambitious"

- Robert DeBard, 2004, p. 43

To which generation is this quote referring? Baby Boomers Gen X Millennials

Gen X Characteristics

• Smaller than both generations before and after• Sometimes called the modern “Lost” generation• Adult oriented from an early age• First to seek the work/life balance

– Mostly in response to the Boomer workaholic mentality

Gen X Learners

• Consider themselves fiercely self-reliant

• Provide regular, timely, and relevant feedback

• Help them work on interpersonal skills if necessary

• Explain the importance of assignments repeatedly, if necessary

• Allow them to assist others technologically

What Can You Do?

• Remember that the school/life balance is important

• Use pop-culture examples if appropriate

• Give individual attention when required

• Use most exciting material in short lecture (15-20 min)– Use activities for rest of material

• Use bullet points when giving info

• Use plenty of graphics and white space– This will help Millennials as well

Millennial Characteristics

• “Special” – at least considered so by their parents

• Optimistic about their future

• Conventional in many areas

• Grade inflation on the rise again

• Materialistic and brand oriented

• Group oriented– Yet individual at times

Millennial Learners

• Are accustomed to group work

• Can multi-task with ease

• Consider themselves technological experts

• Require more structure and mentoring

• Can be motivated by money and earning potential

• Orient themselves towards goals and achievements

• Are familiar with active learning methods

What Can You Do?

• Break up lectures with activities

• Give assignments with multiple steps, not just a final product

• Use the most up-to-date technology and references available– Check often

• Tie course or program goals in with economic gain

• Use visuals whenever possible

Activity

• Using what you know about the generational traits, identify the generation targeted by each ad campaign on the handout provided.

What Works for Everyone

• Ask for professional experiences from both Boomers and Xers

• Change activities often

• Tap into the technical savvy and interest of Xers and Millennials

• Assign group roles for the first few team projects

• Work to foster a team environment

How generations can cooperate

• Consider the use of formal groups

• Enforce individual accountability for group work

• Find the right mix of guidance, structure, and visibility for all groups

• Encourage discussion between the groups

Informal Small Groups

• What makes small groups an effective strategy?

• What happens in small groups?

• What can instructors do to provide students with guidelines for positive interaction?

• What are some basic considerations?

What is cooperative learning?

Cooperative learning is a relationship in a group of students that requires positive interdependence, individual accountability, interpersonal skills, face to face promotive interaction, and processing.”

(The Cooperative Learning Center at the

University of Minnesota)

Activity

• Form groups of three to four

• Using the Venn diagram provided, compare and contrast Informal Small Groups and Cooperative Learning

• You have five minutes

• Be prepared to share your responses

The importance of cooperative learning in the classroom…

Students:

• Take ownership for learning

• Learn to teach each other

• Participate in active learning

• Attain deeper levels of content mastery and understanding

• Engage in practices that model the real world

• Observe and assess different learning styles and learning processes

The premises underlying cooperative learning…

• Promotes respect for students and a belief in their potential for academic success

• Promotes a shared sense of community

• Learning is an active, constructive process

Millis (2002)

Brainstorming Activity

• Form a different group of three or four

• Obtain a handout from the facilitator

• You have seven minutes to complete the activity

Assessment of Cooperative Learning

Instructors who begin using cooperative learning generally have three main assessment concerns:

• How to assess teamwork within a group.

• How to assess group projects.

• How to assess individual work within the group.

http://www.journeytoexcellence.org/practice/assessment/cooperative/assessing.phtml

Individual accountability promotes fair evaluation…

• Final course grades should be based on personal efforts, uncompromised and uncomplicated by the achievement of others

– Carefully structured in-class activities strategies

• Numbered Heads Together (Kagan, 1989)

When students receive a specific task (worksheet or case study) to complete cooperatively, instructor tells students that one group member – unidentified ahead of time – will be responsible for reporting the group’s work

The Power of Debriefing…

This process can be achieved in one or more of several ways:

• Spokesperson reports

• Written reports

• Three stay, one stray

• Sentence starters

Questions