INSTRUCTING ACROSS THE
GENERATIONS
Grant Wilson, M.Ed., CST
Surgical Technology Program Director
Calhoun Community College
Instructor’s Forum
WORK ISSUES:
Veterans
Boomers
Gen X
Gen Y
Hoe to the end of
the row.
Hoe to the end of
the row.
Lifestyle first.
Lifestyle first.
Loyal to employer. Loyal to employer. Loyal to self.
N/A
Not technically
savvy.
Technically
challenged 30%
Technically savvy
80%
Technically savvy
100%
Follow the leader.
Lip service to
mission.
Must have
mission.
Must have
mission.
Strong chain of
command
Chain of
command
Individual
Individual
LIFESTYLE ISSUES:
Veterans
Boomers
Gen X
Gen Y
Work hard. Save Work hard. Play Work hard if it
money. What is hard. Spend
doesn’t interfere
play?
hard.
with life too
much. Save
money.
Good grades.
Make others
pay. Save
money.
I like it.
It’s okay.
Do you really
like it? Will
others like it?
I like it! I don’t
care what
others think.
Who are you
anyway? You
are OLD!
Buy a house.
Buy the most
house you can
afford
Reclaim the
inner city.
I like living with
my parents.









Are not quitters and have a hard-work ethic.
Practice command and control.
Are logical.
Coined the phrase “no news is good news”
Are icons of the traditional American values.
Expect work environment to be formal and disciplined.
Are conservative and frugal.
Have been described as the “Greatest Generation”
Are respectful of authority and hierarchy.
VETERAN’S:

Born 1955 -1965

Coming of Age 1973 -1983

Beginning to loose trust in government and optimism of the
boomers I.

Narcissism with a focus on self-help.

Skepticism over media and institutions.

Did not have the jobs, opportunities, housing of the boomers.

Beginning of the shadow of Boomers I shared with the GenX.
BOOMERS II
 Are
eager to please and good team players.
 Originators of the term “workaholics”
 Are into self-gratification and value personal
growth.
 Express themselves creatively.
 Grew up in a healthy, flourishing economy.
 Have popularized every phase they have gone
through in life from hot flashes to face lifts.
BOOMER’S

Born 1966 – 1976

Coming of age 1988-1994

Latchkey kids – Lost Generation

High level of skepticism

Highly educated with 29% having a bachelor degree or higher

Very pragmatic
GENERATION X

Many were raised as latchkey children.

Witnessed their parents labor for long hours which lead to
disillusionment with values of corporate America.

Their reply to workaholics: Get A Life!

Are self-reliant and skeptical.

Have a casual approach to authority.

Are adaptable, hi-tech and creative.
GENERATION X:

Born 1977 – 1994

Coming of age 1998 – 2006

Largest cohort since boomers

Sophisticated and technology wise

Immune to traditional marketing pitches.

More diverse group

Less brand loyal.

Flexible and quick to change.
GENERATION Y, ECHO BOOMERS,
MILLENNIUMS
 Newer
to the workforce.
 Grew
up in a “child-focused” age.
 Have
strong levels of self-confidence.
 Are
practical, tenacious, and multi-task
oriented.
 Have
 Are
a heroic spirit.
technologically literate.
GENERATION Y

Born 1995 -2012

Coming of age 2013 – 2020

Most diverse group ever.

High levels of technology

Technology significant component of K-12 Education.

Growing up in highly sophisticated media and computer
environment.
GENERATION Z
Values
Life’s
“defining moments”
WHAT SHAPES EACH GENERATION:
Typical Instructor
Typical Student

Landline rotary phone on party line.

Personal/individual mobile phone.

Simple more predictable world.

Complex unpredictable world.

Ample flex time.

No flex time.

Minimal/Controlled Media.

Continuous diverse media.

Mechanical/Delayed/Fixable.

Electronic/Instant/Disposable

Communication face to face.

E-Communication and E-Emotion.
DIFFERENCES

Time

Communication barriers

Value differences

Cannot read cursive

Do not read syllabus

Poor time management. What day is this?

It isn’t an experience, it is just information.

Do not like negative feedback.

5 stars or a 10 rating.

Not personally responsible.

Life education and experiences are minimal and in a number of ways nonexistent.

Need good mentors that are accepted and acceptable.

Shortest attention spans ever with no hope of change. Ex. Vines.
CHALLENGES

Be open to differences.

Initiate communication. Be willing to communicate in various methods.

Remember that you are an educator. Look for different teaching methods,
try different teaching methods and adjust.

Powerpoint is not what we all thought it would be.

Mentor, mentor, and then mentor some more.

Teach the soft skills (employability skills).


Professionalism and communication

Teamwork

Resumes and interviewing.
Help them to understand and connect to various perspectives, the whys and
experience.

They have not had the experiences that you have and they often really just do
not know and are afraid to ask.
WHAT IS AN INSTRUCTOR TO DO?

There are many instructional theories and resources.

Consider various resources and how they could be implemented
in your classroom.

Remember that not all new ideas are the best ideas.
THE INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD MIX

Ask “What do I really want my students to know/do”?

Select Instructional methods that fit the desired outcome and
objectives of the course.
SEVEN WAYS OF LEARNING
SEVEN WAYS OF LEARNING
Goals and Objectives
 Way
of learning – Behavioral

Methods – Task or and procedures practice exercises.

Learning skills that where accuracy and precision and efficiency
are important and based on a routine set of mental or physical
operations.

Can be broken down into steps and performed in a right or best
way.

These skills are best learned when tasks are broken into concrete
steps and practiced by students with support of precise and
timely feedback.
GOAL #1 - BUILDING SKILLS

Way of Learning – Cognitive.

Methods – Presentations, explanations.

When students need to learn new ideas, terminology, or useful
theories.

Must figure out how something functions or understand and retain
information.

Based on how people the psychology of how people pay attention
to. Process, and recall information. Instructors use cognitive learning
effectively to get students attention, help them see overall concepts
and connections, relate new information to prior knowledge, and
make meaning out of information.
GOAL #2 – ACQUIRING KNOWLEDGE

Way of Learning – Inquiry

Used when there is a need for students to be aware of and
improving their own thinking.

Have a need to criticize information, evaluate arguments and
evidence, or reason.

Involves creative thinking and appreciating other people’s thinking.

Involves the instructor asking probing questions to model and make
the thinking process visible.

Instructors must understand the thinking process and its many
elements, provide opportunities for students to practice thinking
through meaningful discussion and provide well targeted facilitation.
GOAL #3 – DEVELOPING CRITICAL ,
CREATIVE AND DIALOGICAL THINKING
 Way
of Learning – Mental Models

Methods – Problems, Case Studies, Labs, Projects

Use when students need to learn to solve problems or make
decisions.

For goals that involve finding and defining problems, generating
solutions, and evaluating and choosing among solutions.

When students need to weigh the value of different options and
predict outcomes.

To effectively use this way of learning, set up appropriate practice
opportunities, help students identify and apply mental models to
make decisions, and though their facilitation keep the focus on the
process rather than just the outcome.
GOAL #4 CULTIVATING PROBLEM SOLVING
AND DECISION-MAKING ABILTIES

Way of Learning – Groups and Teams

Methods – Group activities, team projects.

Use when learning outcomes involve changing opinions, attitudes, or
creating an awareness of multiple perspectives.

Use to help students to deal with feelings or cultivate empathy, to
build team work skills or collaborative skills.

Based in human communication and group counseling theory,
learning through groups builds on the dynamics formed by teams.

It is most effective when instructors carefully design, orient, prepare,
monitor, and help interrupt the learning that occurs within groups.
GOAL #5 EXPLORING ATTITUDES,
FEELINGS, AND PERSPECTIVES
 Way
of learning – Virtual Realities

Methods – Role play, simulations, dramatic scenarios, games.

Use for students that need to develop professional judgment within a
variety of context that are best practiced in a safe environment.

For students that need to gain confidence and competence in
complex situations.

Can range from simple role play to high-tech simulations.

Instructors carefully design or select the roles, scenarios or games
that have the most potential.

Virtual realities often run themselves, but the instructor must suspend,
support and debrief the experience.
GOAL #6 PRACTICING PROFESSIONAL
JUDGMENT

Way of Learning – Experiential

Methods – Internship, service learning, study abroad.

For students that need to get immersed in real-life work, service,
or travel.

Use when learning goals involve reflecting on and making
meaning out of such an experience.

Cognitive neuroscience findings show that learning is a natural
multisensory process that emerges out of experience.
GOAL #7 – REFLECTING ON
EXPERIENCE

Limit implementation to 1 or 2 new technologies per semester.

Do not stop trying or experimenting.

Use technology that makes information available 24/7 and preferably in a
format that work on a smart phone.

Keep media short and focused on one topic –short clips.

Use as an investment of your time. It can be very helpful for explaining a
difficult concept that needs repetition to learn. Instead of the instructor
having to repeat the instruction over and over, the student review as often
as needed.

My favorites – Doceri, Explain Everything, Tegrity, Google Drive.

Example of Gown and Gloving, Annotated with Explain Everything,
Converted to a pdf and uploaded to Blackboard.
TRY SOME NEW TECHNOLOGY

The Pedagogy Wheel V2.0

Consider revamping skills sheets to encourage practice and
self/peer evaluation.

Chevron Process Under Smart Art in Office Documents.
0

1
2
3
4
Consider the trend to over rating and a dislike for constructive
criticism.
ENCOURAGE PRACTICE AND
SELF/PEER EVALUATION
5

Employers want employees that have better professional and soft
skills.

Do not short topics such as communication, conflict
management, teamwork, professionalism, resumes, interviewing.

Help to bridge the perspectives of the student and the employer.
TEACH SOFT SKILLS

Academic Journals, Blogs, or Discussion Boards can be a good
route of helping students to empathize, connect, and broaden
their perspective.

Before and after journaling can assist a student in seeing a
difference in what they learned from an experience or
educational endeavor.

Journals can provide an opportunity for the instructor to gain a
better understanding of the students writing and communication
ability as well as their depth of understanding.
TRY JOURNALING OR BLOGS
SAMPLE JOURNAL RUBRIC
SAMPLE JOURNAL TOPICS
SAMPLE JOURNAL
ENTRY
Students given a scenario and
asked pretend that they are a
patient with a significant post-op
infection. They are then to
describe the D’s of infection and
how they would be affected.

Creative Assignments add variety to the instructional mix.

Helps the student to differentiate what the know and describe
the information in a less formal format.

Removes some of the restrictions of an assignment which allows
for a greater freedom to demonstrate knowledge.
THROW IN SOME CREATIVITY AND FUN
LEARNING EXPERIENCES
SAMPLE A&P
ASSIGNMENT
Hand Draw and Label Biliary
System.
A&P ASSIGNMENT
Hand draw a person or stick person
label with directional terms.
This is after lecture but prior to
studying.
Hand draw person and label
directional terms.
After studying.

Mentor students and provide other good mentors.

Help younger students to connect to your generation by being
“real” with them while maintaining professional respect.

Use talking opportunities to help younger students understand the
value of experience.

Give some insight on how the older people think and why.

Possible reading assignment

The Curmudgeon's Guide to Getting Ahead: Dos and Don'ts of Right
Behavior, Tough Thinking, Clear Writing, and Living a Good Life by
Charles Murphy
BE A BRIDGE FOR THE GENERATION
GAP
Questions?
Contact Info:
Grant Wilson
[email protected]
BE A BRIDGE FOR THE GENERATION
GAP