Bridging the Gap: How Baby Boomer Faculty Engage with Technologically Savvy College Students

1. When “Digital Natives” Meet “Digital Immigrants”:How Baby Boomer Faculty Engage Technologically Savvy College Students Dr. Mei-Yan Lu, College of Education Dr. Chia-Ling Mao, School of Nursing San Jose State University Dr. Michael T. Miller , College of Education and Health Professions University of Arkansas ETL Conference, CSU-Fresno, April 13, 2007

3. Ethnicity of CSU Students Source: CSU Public Affairs Office, March 2007 http://www.calstate.edu/PA/Info/enroll.shtml

4. Digital Natives • Children of the baby boomer, “soccer mom” • Born between 1981-1999 • Culturally diverse and technology literate • Prefer interactive nature of digital media • Excellent with social technology • Do not always aware of how technologies impact learning • Stronger with factual knowledge but less able to apply knowledge Note: Digital native and digital immigrant - these terms are coined by Marc Prensky in 2001.

5. Digital Immigrants • Account for majority of the faculty worldwide • Born between 1946 and 1964 (Mangold, 2007) • Have adopted many aspects of the technology later in life • Could be skillful in integrating technology into teaching • Have the tendency to use technology in a cumbersome and sporadic approach Mangold, K. (2007). “Educating a New Generation Teaching Baby Boomer Faculty About Millennial Students”, Nurse Educator, Vol. 32, No. 1, pp. 21-23

6. Source: http://mylu.wikispaces.com/

7. When “Digital Natives” Met “Digital Immigrants” • Different perspectives • Different languages • Different pace • Different comfort level in using technology • Different values • Different strength

8. Bridging the Gap • Recognizing that each generation is unique • Avoiding being judgmental, stereotyping, and over-generalization • Considering alternative assessment - project based learning, service learning, community service. • Initiating collaboration and cooperation • Fostering digital fluency and information literacy • Promoting system wide technology support • Recognizing different level of student achievement evaluation (e.g., Kirkpatrick’s four level of evaluation: reactions, learning, behavior and results.)

9. Support from the University –Profession Development • RTP process – Alternative scholarship – creative work in authoring digital curriculum • Faculty development Center – in-service training • Availability • On-site on demand training • Accessibility • Communication • Collaboration • Community involvement

10. Nurturing the Natives • Information literacy – • Avoid “googlism” • Triangulate and validate data source • Extrapolate and synthesis information and generate new knowledge • Academic integrity • Respect copy rights • Code of ethics • Goal setting • Consolidating and synthesizing -> critical thinking • Self reflecting

11. Summary • Faculty reflection - Beyond Power Point…Student needs, preference • Instructional Technology - enhance curriculum • Evolution and Transformation of faculty’s roles • Bridging the gap between digital immigrants and natives • Accessibility (Prensky, 2005) • Communication • Collaboration • Community involvement (Lu, Gin, Mao, 2007) Prensky, M. (2005). Adopt and Adapt: 21-Century Schools Needs 21-Century Technology.Information and Inspiration for Innovative Teaching in K-12 Schools: Edutopic. The George Lucas Educational Foundation.

12. Bibliography CSU Public Affairs Office. (2007). Ethnicity of CSU Students http://www.calstate.edu/PA/Info/enroll.shtml Lu, M.Y., Gin, C., Mao, C.L., (February 23-24, 2007). In Search of an Effective Blended Learning Model for Diverse Adult Learners: Feedback from Students. Conference paper presented at The Second Annual Conference on Community-Based Teaching and Research. The Sainte Claire Hotel, San Jose, CA. Mangold, K. (2007). Faculty educating a new generation teaching baby boomer about millennial students. Nurse Educator, 32 (1), 21-23. Prensky, M. (October, 2001). Digital natives, digital immigrant[Electronic version].On the Horizon, 9(5). Prensky, M. (2005). Adopt and adapt: 21-century schools needs 21-century technology. Information and Inspiration for Innovative Teaching in K-12 Schools: Edutopia. The George Lucas Educational Foundation. http://www.edutopia.org/magazine/ed1article.php?id=Art_1423&issue=dec_05 • Note: “When Harry Met Sally…” is a 1989 film written by Nora Ephron, and directed by Rob Reiner. The romantic comedy stars Billy Crystal as Harry and Meg Ryan as Sally. The film follows the title characters from the time they meet on a carpool ride from the University of Chicago to New York, through the next twelve years or so of chance encounters in New York City. • The film raises the question "Can men and women ever just be friends?" and advances many ideas about love that have become household concepts now, such as the "high maintenance" girlfriend and the "transitional person."[1] Ephron received a British Academy Film Award, an Oscar nomination and a Writers Guild of America Award nomination for her screenplay. The film is 23rd on AFI's 100 Years... 100 Laughs list of the top comedy films in American cinema and number 60 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies." In 2000, the film was 45th on Total Film's list of greatest comedy films, as selected by that magazine's readers. • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_Harry_Met_Sally