Students today: no longer "Generation X"

by Richard D. Nordstrom, Professor of Marketing

My story is about an experience I had around mid-term (fall 1998). I had become extremely disgruntled with my undergraduate marketing students. Why was I "down" on the class? They were demonstrating low levels of enthusiasm and preparation.

In an effort to kindle some spark of life into the class, I decided to have a Dutch Uncle talk with them. I set one ground rule, be critical ... but no profanity. In a two-hour session we discussed possible merits in making changes in the course delivery and/or structure. When we finished, my ego was a bit dented but undamaged. Here are my observations from that discussion.

1. Our students are bright young adults. They want to obtain a quality education. They expect to learn enough to be able to handle a career. In point of fact, many of them have some confusion about what a "real" job will be like.
   a. They are not competitive. They dislike competing with anyone. Is it possible we (schools) drilled into the students fear of failure rather than joy of success?
   b. They do not like to take responsibility for their own actions. It is far easier to look for someone or some external reason why things did not go the right way. Have we (schools and parents) failed to impart the old adage, "What I am to be is up to me"?
   c. They have a problem talking with adults. Students have grown up with less and less need to interact with adults on any level other than as a child. Many teachers bring things to their level rather than helping them learn how to raise themselves to an adult level.
   d. They expect professors to be current. These young adults have grown up with instant current events. They use web sites that are up-to-the-minute. Is it not logical and legitimate for them to feel that professors should use technology and not simply rely on "stuff" from a three-year-old textbook?"
2. Students DO NOT learn in the same manner as did students just five years ago. This should not be surprising. Grade schools are different. High schools are different. Only universities continue to deliver material the way it was delivered 10 or 50 years ago. Students expect professors who understand what they require. For them a preferred learning sequence starts with a presentation of an example or a demonstration of what is coming. Next, they would like to learn how it works. Any theory that explains why it works should come last.
   a. Today's juniors are some of the first students who have been exposed to computers since early grade school. Why is this important? Error messages can be seen as learning standards after the fact. First you do it wrong (syntax error). Then you examine the error and seek help before trying once again to place the statement in the proper format. Today's students want to learn by doing. They also value learning where there is a chance to do it again. Many of us are in some respects depriving today's students of the opportunity to learn by making mistakes.
   b. They desire to learn about one thing at a time. Go into depth on key topics and then give them breadth at a later date.
   c. They like learning broken up into small chunks. Perhaps this is because they have a very short attention span. As a corollary to this concept, they prefer classes to be offered with a variety of methods. Variety of delivery enables them to pay better attention and/or concentrate on listening.
   d. Why read the material before coming to class and then be reinforced by lecture? Their answer can be paraphrased as, "Because when I do read it first, I am seldom challenged to use it." To them good note- taking results in a transcript of the lecture. Who should teach students how to take notes?
   e. They have a problem making logical connections or assumptions. They want the professor to help them see how subjects and even examples fit the text.
3. If you want better students, you have to change. Students will respond to our efforts to help them learn more effectively. When we talk about quality and standards, we must be ready to take the time and make the effort to understand that this may mean that we must adapt to a new student. When was the last time you thought about how you deliver your material? We cannot control learning deficiencies. We must control our own delivery deficiencies. When you cover all of the material in a book, perhaps you are just hiding, veiling or concealing it? (Check your dictionary.)

I don't expect complete agreement with my analysis. Neither am I trying to make myself out to be a model of a perfect teacher. My teaching may not be any better, but it will be different as a result of this exchange. I do not want you to feel I think I have all of the answers.

What do you think? Is it about time for professors to change?