h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

my dear husband has an interview for a post compulsory teaching course
and has to give a short (15 minute) presentation on

"how would you engage with 'Generation Me' in your session?"

including supporting resources

Assessment criteria includes

Degree to which you have informed your presentation by wider reading
presented your information in an informative and structured manner
used interpersonal skills to enhance the learning process
dealt with questions as appropriate


he's hoping to train to teach ceramics.

does anyone have any ideas of how to present things, and/or what should be in such a presentation?

I have the radical suggestion that "Generation Me" is no more or less selfish than "Generation Self-Righteous."

I don't know why they call it generation me
it does seem rather insulting

Well I suppose it depends on subject and what type of learning (skills or knowledge or application of knowledge or analysis ... or combination) and the number of students.

It seems to me that "student centred learning" would be an appropriate approach, perhaps splitting the class into small groups tackling some problem based task with group work and discussion, followed by each group reporting back to the class as a whole, with said teaching acting as facilator and controller of the learning environment .... thingy.

>>my dear husband has an interview for a post compulsory teaching course<<

Post-compulsory: are we talking 16-18 or older than that? If it's 16-18 I'd highlight the fact that the school leaving age is climbing and 18 will soon be compulsory.

First thing I would do is challenge the idea this is a Generation Me and highlight various local (to you/the job) volunteer schemes, activities within the institution. Highlight that it's a borderline offensive term and you couldn't engage with people with that mindset (interpersonal skills).

Talk about the reasons why others may consider this a selfish generation - talk about the high degree of independence and self-reliance that's come about through advances in technology. You could talk about how this generation is being told it should expect less and less and provide more and more. Mention the denigration of vocational qualifications, which I imagine would be particularly relevant to Art and Design courses like ceramics and, if hubbie particularly wants to research, the changes in funding for post-16.

I'd avoid using powerpoint: I've recently started using prezi and that generally impresses, as well and being free and pretty easy to learn.

I think at the moment post compulsory just means any age of person 16+
so they could be school leavers but they could be 45 and just looking to advance in a hobby by taking a qualification in it

this prezi program sounds interesting I'll get him to look it up

"how would you engage with 'Generation Me' in your session?"

Same way I engage with anyone in a professional situation. Explain the benefits of listening to me.

Generation Me is apparently that generation of plebs who have grown up without the religious or nationalistic opium, and who have been socialised into believing their identity is utterly dependent on their individual right to consume the shite that the 1% sell them.

In teaching this means they demand the instructor to teach them how to get top grades for minimum effort whilst being entertained in the process.

"Generation Me" could be any generation born since the end of World War II. I was born in 1948, and was often reminded that my own generation was the "Me Generation," as so many of my cohorts grew up with mothers who stayed at home and worshipped the ground they walked on.

Dude, my parents did NOT worship the ground I walked on.

The larger the generation, the more exceptions there can be.

>>"how would you engage with 'Generation Me' in your session?"

Talk to members of that generation in order to inform your strategy for engaging them.

'"Generation Me" could be any generation born since the end of World War II.'

Ah, every generation since the ill-defined "Good Old Days(tm)" have been part of a slow descent into horror and chaos. People are getting worse. Morally, intellectually, physically. We're all fat, thick, amoral slobs.

Which makes the fact that the current generation is less racist, sexist and homophobic than any before it a bit of a paradox. And that's without noticing that our athletes are faster and stronger, and that our scientists are pushing the boundaries of human knowledge every day.

I dread to think what humanity will be like in 50 years time, when we're pining for the "Good Old Days" of 2012...

It's probably not a bad idea to gently challenge the 'Generation Me' assumption, and also to point out positive things about that generation - skills, attitudes, opportunities.

I read a really interesting article a while back:
http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-ways-we-ruined-occupy-wall-street-generation/

In a US context, but food for thought....

"I dread to think what humanity will be like in 50 years time, when we're pining for the "Good Old Days" of 2012..." [Mr603]



I will be 114 years old by that time, and will be reminiscing about the good old days when I was "only" 85.

*wandering back on course..*

Anthea - if you're 25 I guess your husband is around the same age, so generation Me is probably not much younger than you are now. It might be worth just thinking about what things engaged you and your peers in your class.

There's this interesting page about how getting students to solve problems can engage them more:

http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/do-your-students-understand-the-material-or-just-memorize-and-forget/

Though I completely hated problem based learning at university, we had so much to learn before exams it was far far easier just to have a lecture and take notes!

"It might be worth just thinking about what things engaged you and your peers in your class."

She's of an age with me.

So, drawing upon my school and college memories here...

If you really want to get through to them, a bottle of vodka and about a quarter ounce of pot should do the trick.

I'm 30! I still think of myself as generation me. Though I think I was born at about 40, and am busy catching up with my real age....

I think part of the problem is that the brief is rather open to interpretation and yet there is the distinct possibility of getting the answer wrong

I'm 28 and my research on "generation me" actually points to my generation, anyone born around 1982-2002 it has also been coined "generation y" ie following on from Generation X or "millennials" I had considered questioning the whole generation me thing especially as it applies to my age group.

I only ever had like two amazing teachers who it was enjoyable to go to the classes and actually learnt everything that was supposed to be taught. There were fun tutors where I enjoyed going to class because of their stories, but never learnt a thing, then others like maths you just got your head down and worked. I have taught though never in a formal setting with lesson plans etc, just going into places and it is very different.

I have already spoken to one f of the amazing tutors, he is now the senior tutor in the department and he wants me to teach at the college but wants me to do this course first. The other I still have the email address for and I may ask him some pointers.

For art/design education there have been three modes of teaching:

1: class working through it together step by step together going at the pace of the slowest (very dull, I was always wanting to push forward)

2: Demo at the start of the session, then left to get on with it and help out as the session goes on (students start to wander and talk to each other as session progresses)

3: given an assignment and getting told to get lost and get on with it (this was university)

I have got some ideas but I am still very vague, I am considering taking some clay, but that idea is less than concrete as it means coming up with something to do with that clay and practising it. I have a wheel that is only 10kg which I can carry but that may be taking it too far. (throwing is my speciality and even if my pot is utter dross I can make it look impressive)

The problem with clay is that I may get distracted and not talk enough, and I have found myself sighing when talking, thinking and producing in the past. I have considered just treating the clay in a more destructive manor, but don't think that would go down too well.

I have no idea if there will be facilities for doing any sort of computer based presentation, as it has not been mentioned anywhere on the form, though I could contact them to find out. There is a separate test on the day for testing ICT skills, maths and I have a written assignment too, which although vague is only 500 words.

I have several books on teaching that age range and they are very up to date, as they mention all the thing the Condems have been talking about up to the end of last year.


(oops waffle)