1. Millennial Challenge:
Effective Generational Teaching and Learning
In the Classroom and the Workplace
An SBBC Faculty In-Service Event
Facilitator: A.J. Schuermann
Ventura Campus April 11, 2014

2. • Why are we
here at this
In Service?
• In-service education has as
its major goal the updating of
teachers in (1) subject matter,
(2) curriculum concepts, (3)
new theories and techniques
of instruction, and (4) new
educational media.

3. • Why are we
here at this
In Service?
• The most common activity is
a lecture by an outside
speaker on a subject related
to curriculum, the institution,
or a societal issue.

4. • Why are we
here at this
In Service?
• Our purpose today is to better understand our students and
ourselves along generational lines, and to begin creating
something new, exciting, and accelerated in the classroom.

5. • Why are we
here at this
In Service?
• The first part of today’s In Service is an informational
presentation, with some recommendations for success.
• The second part of today’s In Service is a learning activity
to foster awareness and understanding of the different
generations alive today.

6. • Why are we
here at this
In Service?
• Some other answers to this
question...

7. • Why are we
here at this
In Service?
• We are going to do things quicker and better in our
classrooms.
• We will need to adapt and improve.

8. • Why are we
here at this
In Service?
• And get ready for the unexpected.

9. • Why are we
here at this
In Service?
• We’ve done it before…

10. • Why are we
here at this
In Service?
• For instance, let’s say you suddenly were given the task of
teaching a class in half the time you were accustomed to,
and without a textbook…how would you adapt in order to
meet the needs of the students we serve?

11. 3 Things we will have to give up…

12. • Lecturing is not going to cut it anymore...
• We will likely be engaged in crafting collaborative exercises
that can accomplish course objectives utilizing LIRN and a
web-enhanced platform for curriculum delivery.
3 Things we will have to give up…
1. Relying on the Lecture and the Book

13. • Stop using the textbook as a restricting format and
platform.
• Start using learning activities that encourage self-directed
understanding and application of curriculum objectives
through teamwork and learning modules.
3 Things we will have to give up…
1. Relying on the Lecture and the Book

14. • Recommended to implement assessments that direct
students to turn in responses by a particular deadline,
rather than scheduling assessment activities at particular
dates and times.
• The classroom becomes a dedicated forum for learning
experiences that are meaningful and challenging.
3 Things we will have to give up…
2. Taking up precious class time to
administer tests and quizzes.

15. • We will have no time to waste in covering our objectives.
• We will need to compel the students to attend and
participate as scheduled by making our classes busy and
interactive and on-task each day or evening with relevant
work for them to do.
3 Things we will have to give up…
3. The Luxury of Time

16. Remember “The Elements”

17. 1. Engagement
• Engagement is about creating an environment that
motivates all of us to become psychologically invested in
what we are doing...and in the case of 5-week modules,
this means we need to grab their attention and keep the
students psychologically invested with meaningful,
challenging activities.

18. • “Gamification” through simulations and role-playing.
• Leadership development and mentoring.
• Letting students “figure it out as they go along” as an
avenue to foster meaningful, challenging, and self-directed
learning.
1. Engagement

19. • Teamwork and group activities with meaningful and
challenging outcomes presented in class at the end of the
evening and/or end of term.
• Increased follow up opportunities for guest speakers and
community resources.
2. Collaboration

20. • A learning environment that allows students to share their
beliefs, views, opinions, and prior experiences.
• A learning environment that empowers students with the
responsibility of their own learning in the class, and their
accountability to classmates.
2. Collaboration

21. • Teacher as a task setter:
• “What is essential is that the task lead to an answer or
solution that can represent as nearly as possible the
collective judgment and labor of the group as a whole.”
-- Kenneth Bruffee, A Short Course in Writing
2. Collaboration

22. • Teacher as a classroom manager:
• Employ tasks that match the students needs, goals, and
abilities. Manage the activities toward consensus. The
tasks should be clearly worded and workable, so that
the students know what to do and how to do it.
2. Collaboration

23. • Teacher’s role during group work:
• Help students gain authority over their knowledge and
gain independence in using it.
2. Collaboration

24. • Teacher as synthesizer:
• Help the students make sense out of what they have
learned, and lead the class to consider similarities and
contradictions in order to unite them all, if possible.
2. Collaboration

25. • Begin with heuristics and end up with critical thinking
exercises.
2. Collaboration

26. 2. Collaboration
• “Consistency” where a person responds to a situation in
way that allows them to remain consistent. There is value in
reflecting on consistency as an approach to understand
rules, procedures, expectations.
• Heuristic: experience-based
techniques for problem-solving,
learning, and discovery. Heuristic
methods are used to speed up the
process of finding a solution.

27. 2. Collaboration
• “Working backward” allows a person to solve a problem by
assuming that they have already solved it, and working
backward in their minds to see how such a solution might
have been reached.
• Heuristic: experience-based
techniques for problem-solving,
learning, and discovery. Heuristic
methods are used to speed up the
process of finding a solution.

28. 2. Collaboration
• “Absurdity and Common Sense” is an approach to evaluate
the practicality or appropriateness of a particular approach
or solution. It can be applied to decisions where the right
and wrong answers seems relatively clear cut…however…
• Heuristic: experience-based
techniques for problem-solving,
learning, and discovery. Heuristic
methods are used to speed up the
process of finding a solution.

29. 2. Collaboration
• …all three examples of consistency, working backward, and
common sense as “go-to solutions” can also be challenged
by particular circumstances that require more critical
thinking to arrive at a “right” or “wrong” answer.
• Heuristic: experience-based
techniques for problem-solving,
learning, and discovery. Heuristic
methods are used to speed up the
process of finding a solution.

30. 2. Collaboration
• Again, this is a suggested approach to foster collaborative
learning and consensus—i.e. begin with heuristics and end
up with critical thinking exercises.
• Heuristic: experience-based
techniques for problem-solving,
learning, and discovery. Heuristic
methods are used to speed up the
process of finding a solution.

31. • Technology will help facilitate our aims of Engagement and
Collaboration, in order to improve the teaching and learning
networks for our students, our faculty, and our community.
3. Technology

32. • We are going to adopt web-enhanced classroom tools and
move away from a textbook-centered curriculum.
3. Technology

33. • We will incorporate technology after we have overhauled
our platforms and timelines.
3. Technology

34. • This means we have to be ahead of the game and lay the
groundwork to incorporate technology as it arrives in the
future.
3. Technology

35. 3. Technology
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vsCAM17O-M

36. • We must sustain ourselves as educators and our relevance
by preparing for the future.
4. Sustainability

37. • We must sustain the interest of students who feel that our
classes go on too long.
4. Sustainability

38. • We are appealing to the demands of the market, largely
determined by the wants and needs of millennials.
• And this is a generation that has not been inundated with
“mass culture.”
4. Sustainability

39. • We know they want an experience that is meaningful and
challenging, and it’s up to us to discover how to best
facilitate those opportunities.
What do they want???

40. • They want their classes to move quicker so they can
graduate quicker, and so that they do not feel bored and/or
wasting time.
What do they want???

41. • They want to discover things on their own but also want to
have clear expectations set up for them with concrete goals
and rewards.
What do they want???

42. What do they want???
• They want to “find themselves” in the meaningful purpose
they have discovered.

43. What do they want???
• They want coaches.

44. What do they want???
• They want independence but don’t know self-reliance.
• Then again, they know how to work in teams better than
many of their elders.

45. What do they want???
• They want clear, frequent feedback.

46. What do we do???
• Current trends in the workplace reflect a growing
awareness of what have become recognizable
characteristics of the millennial generation, plus an
increase in helpful hints related to a successful integration
of this younger generation into the workforce.

47. What do we do???
• Provide structure.
• Provide leadership and guidance.
• Encourage self-assuredness.
• Take advantage of their comfort level with teams.

48. What do we do???
• Be prepared for demands and high expectations.
• Provide challenges with structure, and follow up with
additional challenges.
• Draw out and respect their ideas.
• Show them where they are headed in their careers.

49. What do we do???
• We are compelled to be on the forefront of modeling current
trends in education and the workforce, as our end-game is
always about gainful employment opportunities for students
who have successfully turned into the professionals they
were meant to be.

50. What do we do???
• The task before us is re-inventing the business of education
for a brave new world—taking what we have taught and
learned in the past and creating something new, exciting,
and accelerated in the classroom.