First, my apologies for the long gap between posts. Our transition to GMail absorbed all my time in the past few weeks, but I'm happy to say that it is now complete!
In mid-November I was fortunate to attend the Huether Conference in St. Louis, an annual gathering sponsored by the Christian Brothers. This year's topic was Literacy, and one one of the best sessions I attended was entitled Literacy Skills for the Millennial Learner, presented by William Merriman, Ph.D. and Br. Augustine Nicoletti, F.S.C. of Manhatten College.
Merriman and Nicoletti describe the Millennial Learner as social, optimistic, collaborative, achievement oriented, impatient, skeptical, and focused on teamwork. Their "Information Mindset" can mean that they favor multitasking, prefer the internet to TV, have zero tolerance for delays, and consider staying connected essential.
What are they looking for in a learning environment? This generation learns best by interactive graphics or trial and error. They prefer gaming behavior and having many options, and they gravitate toward group activity and teamwork. Interestingly, they tend not to see computers as technology, rather computers are an assumed part of life. Lectures are their least-preferred method of learning.
More information on the implications for education, visit the Partnership for 21st Century Skills website.
* Cross-posted at Tech Tips for Teaching and Learning.
