Learning and Millennials|1

Running head: LEARNING AND MILLENNIALS

Learning and Millennials

Student:
Class:
Teacher:
Date:

Learning and Millennials|2

Abstract: The main purpose of this essay is to provide insight into how Millennials
perceive and adapt themselves to the process of learning. Three concepts will be
the main focus, comparing them with previous generations, like the Matures or
Baby-Boomers: student-faculty communication, team work and the role and use of
technology in the process of learning. At the same time, even if Millennials are also
known as the Net Generation, there will be proof that technology is not their
preferred choice when it comes to learning.

1. Introduction
Understanding the term Millennials and what it stands for is the most
important part of this essay, because not having a background image of this
generation and how they are perceived will cause a gap in our understanding. In
various classifications done in the past, Millennials are considered those born after
the year 1982. However, discrepancies regarding the end date of this generation
are still current. For example, Oblinger and Oblinger [1] considers, in his system,
that generations are parted in 4 categories of individuals: Matures (1900 1946),
Baby Boomers (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1982) and Millenials/the Net
Generation (1982 1991), while Howe and Strauss [2] categorized the same living
generations as: Baby Boomers (1943 1960), Generation X (1961 1981) and
Millennials (1982 present). Even with these existing differences, the range in
which Millennials, as well as the categories of individuals born in previous years are
clear and stable enough to make a good comparison between the learning methods
and the impact on the teaching process each generations preferences has.
To begin with, it is important to understand the evolution of teaching and
learning along generations, in order to combine it with the advance of technology

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and how it has impacted this amazing new generation, which now consists of more
than 30% of living Americans. Maureen E. Wilson [3, 13] perfectly analyzed the
methods Millennials use to learn, by adapting the Seven Principles for Good Practice
in Undergraduate Education by Chickering and Gamson (1987), quoting:
These good practices encourage contact between students and faculty,
develop reciprocity and cooperation among students and faculty, develop
reciprocity and cooperation among students, encourage active learning, give
prompt feedback, emphasize time on task, communicate high expectations,
and respect diverse talents and ways of knowing.
Of these 7 good practices we are going to center around 3 of them. The others
can be considered, at least up to a point, sub-categories that enhance the major 3.
2. Student-Faculty Communication. The term mentoring has been used in
the philosophical, artistic and even business and entrepreneurial domain. Regarding
school, a mentor was believed to be the one guiding your final paper. However, the
definition of mentor, according to the British Cambridge Dictionary [4] is a
person who gives a younger or less experienced person help and advice over a
period of time, especially at work or school. Over the years, however, due to the
fact that lectures have been the most used method of teaching, mentoring
relationships has not been so strong, causing Generation X not to excel. However,
Millennials are here to change this situation, and constantly adapting teaching
methods is freeing enough time for both parties the student and the teacher to
engage in fructuous relationships that translate, on the long term, in a higher
engagement in class and better results. Considered to feel entitled to lifes rewards
without paying their dues Cam Marston (p. 93, 2005), Millenials have taken this
conception by working harder than any other generation, probably, with hovering,

Learning and Millennials|4

helicopter-like parents supervising their every move and involving them in any
decision-taking process, in a somewhat successful process of planting the seed of
responsibility in their children.
The case study done by Arlene J. Nicholas [5] about preferred methods of learning
have indicated that class involvement the direct guidance of the teacher through
lectures, in-class activities and various methods of evaluating has proven that
students feel the need to guidance, to approval and prompt feedback, in order to
increase their level of interest in the course and improve results. Coming from a
highly-connected background, Millenials often have a short attention span. Yet, they
feel the need to communicate with both their superiors and their peers:
Question
I learn from video clips

Agreed

Disagreed

that

86.8%

13.2%

91.3%

8.7%

92.3%

7.7%

90.1%

9.9%

relate

materials.
I
like
a

to

class

mixture

of

activities (lecture, group,

work, discussion, problem
solving) in a large class.
Having to solve problems
in class helps me learn the
course material.
I prefer to have
frequent

exams

more

and

variety of ways to earn

grades.
Quoted in Generational differences in using online learning systems [6, 12], Tapscott
evaluated Millenials with the following characteristics:

Learning and Millennials|5

Fierce independence: sense of autonomy derived from being an active

information seeker and creator of information and knowledge;

Emotional and intellectual openness: value the openness of the online

environment, like anonymity, and communicate through numerous tools;

Inclusion: view the world in a global context and move toward greater

inclusion of diversity;
Free expression and strong views: assertive and confident resulting from

access to information;
Innovation: constantly trying to push technology to its next level and

interested in using technology to solve real problems;

Preoccupation with maturity: strive to be more

predecessors;
Investigations: curious and seek discovery;
Immediacy: views the world as 24-7 and demands immediate and efficient

processing;
Sensitivity to corporate interest: Savvy consumers that want to try before

they buy;
Authentication and trust: Net savvy individuals aware of need to validated

mature

than

their

information
Taking all these characteristics in consideration, placing the accent on their tech
and social skills, is not, according to Bollinger [7], the best method of engaging a
Millennial student in the process of online learning, is by emphasizing on
technological aspects, the course Website, and virtual relationships and interaction
because online learners typically do not form face-to-face relationships with one
another. At the same time, the instructor, student motivation, learner characteristics
and learning tasks are considered to be the focal point, according to Worley [8].
An important task that falls in the hands of the teachers, which will help
improve student-faculty communication, is learning students names. This method
helps create a feeling of importance in the mind of the student, especially because

Learning and Millennials|6

they are coming from sheltered environments, with parents that hovered and
sometimes even overinvolved themselves in their childrens lives, making it
somewhat difficult for them to deal with authorities and advocate for themselves,
according to Maureen E. Wilson [3]. One of the best ways to ensure a working
student-faculty communication is to give prompt feedback. Delivered in a timely
manner, effectively and combined with a large pallet of tasks, quizzes or
assignments which can be graded in various ways can provide feedback to both the
student and the teacher, by reducing the pressure to succeed or fail and by
providing insight to the teacher on what evaluation method works best with each
student, because Millenials have no problem in considering themselves unique and
in feeling the need for acceptance and inclusion.
3. Encourage team-oriented work. There is no surprise that Millenials are
highly social creatures. Aided by technology, these individuals thrive in an activeever changing environment; they work well under pressure, being excellent multitaskers. According to Arlene J. Nicholas, more than half of the students I a study
conducted by McCasland in 2005, said that instant messaging was the favorite form
of communication, while 97% of the 1,171 college students on which the study was
taken owned a cell phone. Remember that we are talking about a study done in
2005, tech advancements made since then allow people to own more than 1 cell
phone (a smartphone now), tablets, phablets, laptops, smart watches and similar
connected devices.
The upbringing of Millenials has focused mainly on working in groups and playing on
teams, as stated by Maureen E. Wilson [3], and even if Millenials have a strong
sense of individuality, they also love giving and receiving feedback, as well as the
sense of inclusion in various groups. They are strong advocates of making the

Learning and Millennials|7

voices of the weak heard and believe in overcoming their fears. In the scholastic
system, one of the greatest fears being that of public speaking. Seeing the class as
a working, living environment will help create better relationships among students.
Wilson believes that cooperation among students can be promoted by focusing on
the social dynamics in a class She even goes further, by paraphrasing Hirschy and
Wilson by anticipating and attending to the social forces that occur in the
classroom, faculty etter foster student learning and help students achieve their
higher education goals.
The authors of Generational differences in using online systems have stated that
Learning is a social activity; it is most effective when students are engaged and
interactive. They even took Moores three forms on interactivity in online courses,
as (a) interaction between participants and learning materials, (b) interaction
between participants and tutors/experts, and (c) interaction among participants.
However the teaching method used, either with traditional schooling or online
learning, the need to socialize and gather feedback from ones peers will always be
present, fact proven by the SUNY Learning Network studies, where they repeatedly
found that students in online courses whore reported the highest levels of
interaction with peers also reported the highest levels of satisfaction and perceived
learning. [9, 10, 11].
4. Technology and teaching/learning. Even if the Millennial generation is
also known as the Net Generations, due to their tech-savvy nature, that does not
necessarily mean they consider technology the best method of teaching or
engaging an audience in the process of learning. However, they will, according to
Maureen E. Wilson, expect faculty to incorporate technology into their teaching and
to be proficient at using it. At a minimum, communication with faculty vie e-mail

Learning and Millennials|8

and access to online resources will be expected. Other technologies such as
PowerPoint presentations, Internet activities, online discussions, and electronic
classrooms may be available as well. However, technology should not be used for
its own sake, but rather only if it enhances teaching and learning.
Online homework and tests with self-grading systems will help include technology,
offer timely feedback to students and reduce the time required for evaluations for
faculty members, giving them the opportunity to engage with students outside their
class, in a friendlier environment and create a true mentorship relation.
Even if Arlene J. Nicholas believes that online learning systems are the future of
learning for Millennials, her study has shown that Hand written notes in lecture
classes are the preferred study method (92.2%) to better understand a topic,
compared to adding notes in class to printed PowerPoint slides (88.5%). In her
conclusion, Nicholas states that learning methods will have to continually adapt to
engage and educate this generation; making classes more available to students and
helping to improve the access to quality material, not SEO-optimized articles and
essays or widely edited Wikipedia materials, which are not always completely
accurate.
The Generational differences in using online learning systems study, the authors
have been surprised to see that even if Millennials are highly trained in the use of
technology, using it by accessing online courses has not provided the most
favorable outcome possible: Compared with other generations, Millennials tended
to have a hard time planning their own online schedule and sticking to it, but also
Millenials and other generations believe learning in online courses is not solely a
matter of technological factors. Better technology does not equate directly to better
learning.

Learning and Millennials|9

5. Conclusion
Millennials are a generation under high pressure of achieving new heights. They are
recognized for their capability to rapidly adapt to technological advancements but
often criticized for their short attention span and incapability of following rules and
norms. This happens simply because most are outdated, and, as with the need for
technology, Millennials choose to stay informed and make their own choices. They
love being socially active, in the online and offline environment, they think globally,
trying to incorporate the entire world in their smartphone, most often, successfully.
They need to be given the opportunity to raise their voice, to make it heard by
others and to hear other powerful voices coming from their peers. They are
excellent team-players and love brainstorming, choosing to share their home and
workspace in order to create something beautiful. And teaching methods need to be
tailored for their need. Satisfaction for both students and faculty will soon appear.

L e a r n i n g a n d M i l l e n n i a l s | 10
References
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[2] Howe, N. and Strauss, W., Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation, Vintage
Books, 2000, New York.
[3] Chickering, A.W., and Gamson, Z.F. Seven Principles for Good Practice in
Undergraduate Educationa. AAHE Bulletin, 1987, 39(7), 3-7
[4] Cambridge Online Dictionary. Retrieved from:
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/mentor
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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEARNING, VOLUME 15, and NUMBER 6, 2008
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L e a r n i n g a n d M i l l e n n i a l s | 11
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