Tools and Pedagogies that Fit the Ne(x)t Generation of Students
Ineke Lam, Magda Ritzen, IVLOS Institute of Education, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
Introduction
In today's fast-moving Information Society, European higher education institutions are continuously faced with new challenges – emerging technologies bring new opportunities for learning, but how many students and teachers are really capable of exploiting these to the full? How many decision makers are truly aware of grassroots initiatives and active in promoting the pedagogical use of ICT? And how many 'technicians' in university multimedia or ICT departments have a real grip on didactics?
The work of the eLene-TT project has resulted in a European-wide programme of teacher training actions supported by an online resource centre. Experience shows it is now time to move on from a focus on tools to providing real pedagogical services and to offer these services to the wider community. In the eLene-TLC project (www.elene/tlc.net) a two year project within the eLearning programme, we build upon the work that has been performed in eLene-TT. Our main objective in this project is to enable teachers and students to make the best possible use of ICT in higher education, preparing teachers for the net generation of students, enabling students to transfer skills and practices from their daily life to their learning and encouraging both to fully integrate the innovative teaching and learning practices made possible by the constantly evolving technological environment.
Is there a new generation of students entering our universities and polytechnics? Do their characteristics match the characteristics as presented in the literature? And what does this mean for the tools and pedagogies teachers are using in the teaching and learning process? These questions were answered in a research performed within the eLene-TLC consortium. Six institutes from six EU countries (France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden) participated in the study. The main research question was:
What do first year students in higher education need and expect from ICT in their learning process?
A sub question was: Which tools and pedagogies fit these needs and expectations of first year students in higher education in Europe?
In this paper we present a summary of the results of a literature study on the new generation of students first. Then we describe the method and results of the research that has been performed. Finally, we draw some conclusions.
Literature study
In the literature, we found different ways of expressing the 'net-generation'. By using the term 'net-generation', we mean the youth that is born after 1980 and grew up with ICT. They are in a so-called ICT-default mode. In this report we use the term 'net-generation', just as Tapscott (1998 and 1999), and Oblinger and Oblinger (2005). Others use different terms to express the more or less same group of youngsters, like 'homo zappiens' (Veen, 2002), 'digital natives' (Prensky, 2001), 'millennials' (Howe and Strauss, 2000) or 'Generation Einstein' (Boschma and Groen, 2006). According to the literature (Prensky, 2001; Veen, 2002; Veen & Jacobs, 2004; Oblinger, 2005; Oblinger & Oblinger, 2005) nowadays youth between the age of seven and eighteen, the so-called 'net-generation' (net-gen), learn in a different way and deal in a different way with information than previous generations. These authors assign the following characteristics to this group:
- Fast and impatient. The net-gen is described as a group that works fast. They themselves act and react fast but also expect this attitude from others ('speed of information').
- Learning by doing. The 'net-gen' has a preference for learning by experimenting how something is working (Brown, 2005). Result-oriented. Result-oriented can be seen as consequence of learning by doing. "Net Generation students are achievement and goal oriented. Their question is not "What does it mean?" or "How does it work?" (as previous generations were inclined to ask), but rather "How do I build it?". (Brown, 2005, p. 12.6).
- Social and interactive. The 'net-gen' likes to collaborate (Oblinger and Oblinger, 2005; Veen and Jacobs, 2004). They find it very important to maintain their contacts through instant messaging (IM) such as MSN. The 'net-gen' is in contact with each other permanently (Boschma and Groen, 2006). Therefore, information is distributed rapidly.
- Multi-tasking. Multi-tasking can be described as doing various things at the same time (simultaneously). Therefore, the 'net-gen' is able to adapt itself to changing environments, so-called 'context switching' (Hartmann, 2003). Through this parallel processing (multi-tasking), the 'net-gen' is able to handle more information in general than previous generations (Veen and Jacobs, 2004).
- Visually oriented. Intuitively, the 'net-gen' has a preference to visually communicate, according to Oblinger and Oblinger (2005).This skill probably comes from their experiences with playing computer games. They tend to prefer images instead of text.
- Connected and mobile. The 'net-gen' is mobile, provided with communication technologies to stay in contact with their social network from different locations.
In this section we reported on the characteristics of the 'net-gen' represented in the literature. In the next section we report on a field study on the 'net-gen' in six different European countries.
Research in Europe
The aim of the research was first to portray the needs and expectations of 1st year students towards the use of ICT in education. To get a clear picture of their needs and expectations not only students but also teachers were involved in the research. Do teachers have the same ideas on what students need and expect? Furthermore, we focus on the consequences for the use of tools and pedagogies.
First, we highlight the method, than we present the results.
Method
The student research was carried out in six European countries: France (Université Nancy2), Germany (Bremen University), Spain (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya), Sweden (Umeå University), Italy (Metid polytechnic) and the Netherlands (Utrecht University).
The target group of this research were 1st year students in higher education. Each partner was supposed to arrange three group interviews of maximum five students each from their own university or polytechnic. A semi-structured interview list was used and all interviews were recorded an transcribed. No instructions were given on the age, gender, ICT-knowledge or specific program of the students.
The teachers research was carried out in the same six countries. The target group were university teachers that were open minded to new developments in education and / or (had) participated in projects with a focus on ICT. No other instructions were given on the age, gender or specific program. Each partner was expected to interview five teachers individually. A semi-structured interview list was used and the interviews were recorded and transcribed afterwards.
Results
Right form the start it turned out to be a big problem for all partners involved to find students who were willing to be interviewed. For this reason the Swedish and Dutch partner decided to offer the students an incentive worth € 10,-.
In the Netherlands, Italy and Sweden different methods were used to get in touch with students: asking teachers, going to lecture halls and asking the teacher for some time, putting flyers on notice boards ('this is your chance to say what you think education should be like'), mailings to groups of students (clubs and unions) and visiting student pubs. Two partners used, for different reasons, an online questionnaire instead of performing a group interview with the students. The German partner chose for this procedure since it was not easy to find students willing to participate. The Spanish partner work at an 'open university' (online education) and do not have face-to-face contact with there students.
It turned out to be easy to find teachers willing to participate. Since there were no guidelines provided to select teachers, partners used different approaches.
First, the results of the research amongst the students will be presented. Afterwards, the focus lies on the results of the teachers research.
Students' research
In Table 1 the results of the response of the students research is presented. In total 95 students participated in the research.
Table 1: Number and gender of students and method used in the student research
Country / University |
Number of students |
Gender |
Method |
ES / UOC |
11 |
? |
Online |
FR / UN2 |
15 |
? |
Interview |
GE /BU |
39 |
? |
online |
IT / Metid |
9 |
Majority male |
Interview |
NL /UU |
9 |
All female |
interview |
S / Umeå U |
12 |
7 male 5 female |
interview |
ICT use at home: the students in all the countries mention that email, chat and mobile phone are the tools they use most frequently in their daily lives. The importance of the tool relates to the age of the students (older use email, younger use chat) and specific use (mobile phone for good friends). Next to these tools, internet is mentioned often as a tool that can be used for a lot of purposes. Students have different opinions in what they feel as the most important tool: some indicate mobile phone, others MSN, internet or the computer.
Expectations towards the use of ICT at the university/polytechnic: although the answers of the students differ with respect to their expectations, students in most countries indicate that they expect that ICT will be used to communicate / interact with their teacher (and fellow students). Lectures on the web are mentioned by half of the countries. Some students state that in their university a lot of different tools are used to inform the students. They prefer more uniformity. Furthermore, in three countries a majority (Germany) or most (Spain, Italy) of the students answer that all tools can be used in principle in the teaching and learning process. In other countries students indicate: no MSN (too much distraction) or games (are for fun) or mobiles (private).
Most of the students mention that the quality of information is the most important characteristic related ICT-tools. Design is seen by all students as the least important.
Based on the literature study (in reference to the second section: Literature study) the characteristics of the nowadays youth are described. We put these characteristics into thirteen statements and asked students to indicate on a five points scale to what extent the (dis)agreed with the statement (1=totally disagree, 5= totally agree). In Table 2 the thirteen statements are grouped into seven topics. The mean of each country is presented. Yellow indicates the most important statement per country, blue the second ranked and grey the least important statement.
Most students indicate that 'being social and interactive' is an important characteristic of the nowadays youth. The other characteristics are more or less distributed.
Table 2: Characteristics of nowadays youth (average of answers)
Statements grouped |
ES |
FR |
GE |
IT |
NL |
S |
Fast and impatient |
2,5 |
3,4 |
3,3 |
3,2 |
3,0 |
3,3 |
Learning by doing |
1,7 |
0,7 |
2,8 |
2,7 |
2,8 |
2,8 |
Result oriented |
3,6 |
2,7 |
3,4 |
4,4 |
4,1 |
3,3 |
Social & interactive |
4,0 |
4,4 |
3,5 |
4,6 |
4,3 |
4,1 |
Simultaneous activities |
3,7 |
4,0 |
3,7 |
3,1 |
4,1 |
4,4 |
Visually |
3,2 |
3,2 |
2,2 |
2,0 |
2,9 |
2,8 |
Connected & mobile |
2,4 |
4,1 |
3,8 |
2,5 |
4,3 |
3,6 |
Teachers research
In total 30 teachers were interviewed. In Table 3 information is presented about their gender and the method that was used to collect the data.
Table 3: Number and gender of students and method used in the teacher research
Country / University |
Number of teachers |
Gender |
Method |
ES / UOC |
5 |
3 female |
Online questionnaire |
FR / UN2 |
5 |
5 male |
Individual f-2-f interviews |
GE / BU |
6 |
4 female |
Online questionnaire |
IT / Metid |
4 |
4 male |
Individual f-2-f interviews |
NL / UU |
5 |
2 female |
Individual f-2-f interviews |
S / Umeå U |
5 |
1 female |
3 Individual f-2-f interviews, 1 group interview |
ICT use at home by teachers and by students: according to the teachers in the different countries there is a difference in the way they themselves and students value tools they use in their daily lives. In general, in all countries email and internet are the most important tools teachers use in their daily lives. Also the mobile phone is mentioned quite often. In their perspective, except for the French partner, the most important tool for the students in their daily lives is the mobile phone, for talking and text messaging. The French teachers mention email and the web as the most important tools for students.
ICT use at the university/polytechnic by teachers and by students: in general, teachers in all countries use email, internet, presentation programmes like PowerPoint and virtual learning environments (VLE's) in their teaching and learning process. The German and Swedish teachers mention several additional tools like blogs, wikis, podcasts and e-portfolio's. According to teachers in all the countries, students are required to use VLE's and learning management systems in academic education as well as internet and email. Furthermore, teachers from Germany and Sweden mention various additional tools such as online exams, simulations, electronic quizzes and special software applications.
Except for the French teachers, all teachers think that one should, in principle not exclude a tool beforehand. Teachers should choose the right tool according to the task students have to perform. ICT should be used with a clear goal in mind of how it innovates the teaching and learning process. But one should not use streaming lectures of low quality for instance or CD-roms that do not invite the students to reflect. Only the French teachers mention specific tools that should not be used, such as proprietary tools, too complicated tools, tools that produce learning exercises, language translation software and the use of duplicated lecture notes only.
We asked the teachers for the characteristics of nowadays youth. We asked them to indicate on a five points scale (1=totally disagree, 5=totally agree) to what extent they agreed or disagreed with thirteen statements. The thirteen statements are summarized into seven topics that are presented in Table 4. The mean of each country is presented. Yellow indicates the most important statement per country, blue the second ranked and grey the least important statement.
Table 4: Characteristics of nowadays youth through the eyes of the teachers (average of answers)
Statements grouped |
ES |
FR |
GE |
IT |
NL |
S |
Fast and impatient |
3,6 |
3,4 |
2,9 |
3,4 |
3,5 |
2,7 |
Learning by doing |
2,8 |
3,4 |
3 |
3,5 |
3,4 |
3,4 |
Result oriented |
4 |
4,2 |
3,5 |
4,3 |
4 |
3,4 |
Social & interactive |
3,7 |
3,4 |
3,7 |
3,9 |
4,3 |
3,7 |
Simultaneous activities |
3,6 |
3,3 |
3,5 |
3,8 |
4,2 |
3,8 |
Visually |
3,9 |
3,4 |
3,4 |
3,2 |
3 |
3,9 |
Connected & mobile |
3,7 |
3,5 |
3,4 |
4 |
3,7 |
3,5 |
Teachers in Spain, France and Italy indicate 'result oriented' as the most important characteristic of nowadays youth, whereas Germany and the Netherlands mention social and interactive. To a great extent they also agree that students are multi-tasking: they perform simultaneous activities.
Conclusions and Discussion
In this research 96 students and 30 teachers from six European countries were interviewed or filled in an online questionnaire. Of the students, 39 were coming from one university (Bremen University). The small samples, the uneven distribution of students among the countries and the different way of using the questionnaires (interview or online) make it hard to do draw solid conclusions. This means that the results should be regarded as indications rather than facts. Furthermore, the results cannot be generalized.
Having said this, we will describe here some implications for pedagogical changes and new learning strategies with the new learning tools. What conclusions can be drawn for the intercultural learning environment based on the results? According to the students and through the eyes of the teachers mobile phones are seen as a very important tool for students personal use. Nevertheless, when it comes to the teaching and learning process teachers should be careful with introducing the mobile phone as a tool since some of the students object to the usage of this tool. They prefer to keep it for private matters and not for formal education. These students also have difficulties with the use of MSN and games in the teaching and learning process.
Most of the students in all the countries and teachers from Germany and the Netherlands agree that being social and interactive is the most important characteristic of nowadays youth. Teachers from Spain, France and Italy rate result oriented as the most important characteristic. These results indicate that teachers should design the teaching and learning process in such a way that it supports and makes use of these characteristics to a great extent. It fits the social constructivist, active and authentic learning theories. Concrete examples are integrating collaborative activities and peer feedback in the learning process. Or introducing workplace learning and inviting experts into the teaching and learning process. When it comes to tools, one can think of making use of a virtual learning environment (as most teachers already do), a discussion forum, an annotation tool, a blog or a wiki into the teaching and learning process. Important is to choose the right tool for the right task.
Another interesting finding is that students rate the quality of information as the most important characteristic of ICT (internet). This is consistent with the emphasis we have seen in Europe on information literacy (define, access, manage, integrate, evaluate, create, communicate and collaborate) which is related to 'life long learning' and critical thinking skills.
Finally, we would like to reflect on the research itself. It was not easy to find students interested in participating in the research. For instance, Bremen University had a response of 39 students but confronted 20.000 first year students (in their learning management system) with the online questionnaire. The partners in the different countries had to introduce an incentive to motivate students to participate in a group interview. An explanation for this lack of interest in participating might be that nowadays students, the so-called net-generation, do not think in terms of technology, they just use it! (Oblinger, 2005).
References
- Boschma, J.; Groen, I. (2006). Generatie Einstein. Slimmer, sneller en socialer. Amsterdam: Pearson Education Benelux
- Brown, M. (2005). Learning Spaces. In Oblinger, D. G., & Oblinger, J. L. (Eds.). (2005). Educating the Net Generation. Washington, DC, Boulder CO: Educause,12.1-12.22.
- Howe, N.; Strauss, W. (2000). Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation. New York: Vintage Books.
- Oblinger, D. G. (2005). Learners, Learning, & Technology. In: Educause Review, 40(5), 66-75.
- Oblinger, D. G.; Oblinger, J. L. (Eds.). (2005). Educating the Net Generation. Washington, DC, Boulder CO. Educause.
- Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, Part II: Do They Really Think Differently? In: On the Horizon, 9(6).
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- Tapscott, D. (1999). Educating the Net Generation. In: Educational Leadership, 56(5), 6-11.
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