Teaching in a Generational Diverse Classroom
Diversity. It is considered a positive thing. Diversity brings multiple views, cultural awareness, rich experiences Often when describing diversity we tend to stick with the obvious racial, ethnic and social taxonomies. But what about age? Having multiple generations in one classroom is another type of diversity, one that is not as thoroughly promoted or studied. This “age” diversity is most prominent in the community college setting. Personally, it is one of my favorite aspects of teaching in this environment, an experience which is hard to come by in traditional undergraduate programs at most colleges and universities. This being said, from an instructional perspective, generational differences translate into learning style differences as well. While differences between generations brings a richness to class discussion and interaction, they can also be a challenge for the instructor. We are just beginning to understand how the culture and process of learning has changed with the advent of the internet, social media, cell phones, etc. These technologies have not only changed our behavior, but revolutionized the way we learn, communicate and even how we perceive the world.
Here are some links to articles on various topics related to generational differences in the classroom
http://www.worcester.edu/Currents/Archives/Volume_1_Number_1/CurrentsV1N1.pdf
