1. TEACHING the PlayStation Generation Anne Dwyer rincondelospadresymadres.pbwiki.com

2. TEACHING the PlayStation Generation Take a couple of minutes; write down when you were born, three adjectives to describe your peer group, your education, your world, when you were young. Why? Who? How? What else?

3. Why focus on Learners? “We can only be effective teachers if we know how our clients learn” Supporting successful learning requires understanding of: –Who learners are –What they need –What they expect –What technologies students are using –Which technologies have real teaching and learning potential –How we can use the technologies to support successful learning

4. Generations What makes a generation? Grandparents – parents – children: “the gap” Social, ethical, political, economic, technological change and influence Every 20 years (sub-generations are shorter: war, disaster, recession etc) From generation to generation… expectations, attitudes, rights and rules change. Understanding this helps us to understand parents and grandparents too!

5. Schools change from generation to generation

6. 1910-30 the builders, the lucky generation

7. Lucky =job for life, pensions, one income

8. The school days of the lucky generation were days of Respect Rote learning The three Rs Rule by the rod Punishment

9. Values learnt from a depression childhood Loyalty Saving The work ethic Sense of mutual obligation Patriotism - parents of the early Baby Boomers - grandparents of Generation X

10. 1930s: the silent generation

11. These were days of Uncertainty, insecurity Political unrest and war Extremisms Interrupted education Emmigration to survive A desire to make the world a better place for their children

12. Values learnt from a wartime adolescence Strong community spirit National identity Pride in the country’s capacity to take its place in the war Patriotism Sacrifice, saving and hard work - parents of the later Baby Boomers - grandparents of millennials

13. The early baby boomers: the “greedy generation” B 1940 – 50

14. Parents = lucky generation Children = Generations X/Y A job for life Opportunities for promotion And This was the first generation to have a washing machine, a hoover and to be influenced by TV Paris 68ers, money makers, pop music: Beatles, Rolling Stones

15. The Greedy Generation in 1965

16. Born 1950 – 1965?: the baby boomers in 1975

17. Post-war Boom Values : children of the lucky and/or silent generation (thanks in part to the Marshall Plan) Optimism - hope for a new egalitarian middle-class Social Welfare and guarantees Openness to new immigrants based on expected assimilation Early marriage, the lucky generation became ‘Doris Day Mum’, the ‘real Mum’ Dr Spock New houses, in the suburbs Freedom: Sex revolution, hippies, comfort Live to work - profession and progress

18. In schools… More openness New theories, new ideas: new maths, audiolingual language teaching Less authoritarianism More democracy – parent-teacher meetings Promotion of girls The first years to experience the ‘democratization of the university’

19. Late Baby Boomers: “we’re not here for a long time; we’re here for a good time”. Wild youth - over protective parents Desire for equality – unclear gender roles Independent women ‘Super Mums’ career, few kids, less time for kids, material compensation High divorce rates YUPPIES from ‘Love Generation’, idealists and revolutionaries to ‘Stress Generation’

20. Born 1965 – 1980 Gen x

21. Generation X Consumers (spoiled as children) Cynical Short-term thinkers, Job and money-oriented Work to live Few or no children DINKIES - parents of the next generation!!!

22. Interactivity

23. Personalised teaching

24. 1980 – 1990: Gen Y/ millennials, the ‘kleenex generation’ Action people Personalised everything Super consumers Give up easily High job turnover High partner turnover –Concentration span of advertisements

25. Individualism

26. Teams and groupwork 1995

27. Born 1990 – 2005? The PlayStation Generation

28. The PlayStation Generation High divorce rate among parents Busy working mothers, inactive fathers Message ‘girls/women are better’ Will persevere, they don’t give up Use of thumb Use tricks and cheat sheets Will and want to express opinions Obtain, file and store info differently

29. 2008

30. Summary of generations Matures (before 1946) -Dedicated to the job -Respectful of authority –Place duty before pleasure Baby boomers (1946-64) –Live to work –Generally optimistic –Influence on policy & products Gen X (1965-1980) –Work to live –Clear & consistent expectations –Value contributing to the whole Millennials (1981-94) –Live in the moment –Expect immediacy of technology –Earn money for immediate consumption

31. Students who were very satisfied by generation 55% 38% 26% Boomer 1946-1964 n=328 Generation X 1965-1980 n=815 Millennial 1981-1994 n=346 Percent

32. Multitasking

33. Multitasking means Never normally fully concentrate on one sole matter Focus is diversified

34. The PlayStation Generation … The Zappers The generation inventing games Without winners or losers, without start or end, and changing the rules continuously…. multitaskers know urls better than irregular verbs operate in a multi-linear way

35. Sites for playing with others

36. Messenger: 24/7, 10 conversations, 150 contacts

37. Video clips for communication

38. The PlayStation Generation is into

39. They take a non linear approach Non-linear learning strategies demand a redesign of content: learning assets, Objects to be accessed just-in-time

40. Media use: Holland

41. The PlayStation Generation Will persevere Use tricks and cheat sheets Will and want to express opinions Projects – people Obtain, file and store info differently Over-informed, saturated

42. Lifestyle Special, Sheltered, Social Team oriented Achievers, Anything is possible Pressured “Yeah, right” cynicism amongst early ‘players’ Concerned about future but live for today (still adolescents!)

43. Learning Style: difficult to ‘teach’ easy to ‘get to learn’ Twitch speed Active learning : Learn by play/fantasy Tech friendly and savvy Instant return Research = surf Parallel processing Graphics first Connected CHALLENGE: critical thinking skills

44. So what we need to do?

45. Their dominant interaction modes: multi-tasking, social networking and experiential, trial and error learning with peers

46. The PlayStation Generation and other Milennials believe Learning is searching for meaning Knowledge is communication about meaning Digital data and information become a tool forknowledge construction Learning with ICT goes beyond understanding of others’ thoughts by generating new ideas of your own

47. For schools this means increasing emphasis on social aspects of classroom learning classroom learning : ideas and concepts are actively explored, constructed, applied and critiqued students actively engage with learning materials and problem solving, both individually or collaboratively the teacher’s role shifting to mentor/facilitator: model processes, challenge students to think more broadly and support students in this new environment.

48. What do they have that we didn’t have? Keyboard skills Multitasking Instant info Connectability Over-stressed Mums

49. What did we have that they don’t have? Freedom to play in the street Freedom to get dirty Throwing games Dads who helped us to deconstruct ‘machines and gadgets’ Someone at home after school (usually Mum) Brothers and sisters

50. A ‘motherless generation’ What did Mums use to do (and no longer do)? read aloud to them help with homework check that everything’s been done call other Mums to check that everything’s ok compare duties and pocket money and discipline with other Mums sing to them 5 senses

51. What do teachers complain about? multitasking eg talking, not listening; laptops and mobile phones poor reading skills poor writing skills plagiarism cheating poor study strategies low parent interest and control

52. So what kinds of activities do they need? the Net-Generation and learning: read off the screen store from the screen look for tricks research and projects 20 minute interludes

53. Metacognitive skills of the PlayStation generation 1.Enquiry based approaches 2.Networked learning: thinking as part of networks 3.Experiential learning: no punishments 4.Collaborative learning: teams and roles 5.Active learning: making choices, act 6.Self organisation: setting goals 7.Problem solving strategies 8.Explaining knowledge to others

54. In brief -The PlayStation Generation a creative problem solver an experienced communicator a self-directed learner

55. Activities that work Cheat sheets Projects Team work Copy if it is true, change if it is not Find the mistakes Copy the best model Cut ‘n paste Write your own exam (team v team)

56. 1. Cheat Sheets not cheating

57. 2. Projects and Team work

58. 3. Classical Exercises Copy if it is true, change if it is not Find the mistakes Copy the best model Improve on the original Choose the texts to be corrected

59. 4. Cut ‘n paste and reference http://5purposedriven.files.wordpress.com/2006/12/disney-parade.jpg

60. 5. Write your own exam Team v team Selected materials Specific time frame Self evaluation

61. 6. Create a website A wiki or a blog Or an open space and publish homework, exam dates etc: You look cool They learn more (and have no excuses) You save time

62. 7. Mnemonics OPTR: Object + Place + Time + Rest

63. Making up for the ‘lost’ Mum … we/they need 1.Reading aloud 2.VAK 3.5 senses 4.School websites with homework, exams calendar etc 5.Getting dirty 6.Provide guidance 7.Provide structure – outcome based 8.Encourage ‘can do’ attitude 9.Forums like … ‘being built’ elrincondelospadres.com

64. What does the future hold? Just-in-time content Interdisciplinary approach Learning in groups of interest Different timeslots (from 20’ to 4 hrs !) Personal itinaries, Portfolios NO MORE curriculums, whole classroom teaching, school years, standard exams?

65. Oh yes … there is more Physical activity Fearless learning – take risks Off their butts multicultural classrooms: individualist Collectivist? Low/high risk? High/low context? Ascribed/achieved status? Masculine/feminine? Etc Plus …only children

66. WHAT a CHANGE! Comments and Questions