A Generational Question for Trainers

by Susanne Conrad

Please welcome our first SMT Guest Blogger, Susan Onaitis. Susan is President of New York-based Global Learning Link, an organization that helps corporations enhance the performance of their sales professionals. She is a long-time member of the SMT, a former Board of Directors member and author of "Negotiate Like the Big Guys."

A Generational Question for Trainers
by Susan Onaitis

If you’ve been in a corporate classroom recently, you have undoubtedly noticed the variety of ages  among your participants. For the first time in history, the American workforce is comprised of 4 different generations. It’s gotten me to thinking about the expectations of learners and what their age cohorts respond to positively in a given learning situation. As a trainer and instructional designer, I fully believe that people learn differently.  But I find myself wondering if a person’s generation can impact how he/she learns. My 5-year-old nephew works on his computer as easily as he plays with Legos. I see the Millennials multi-tasking on their iPhones or laptops and wonder how well they can focus on any of the tasks. What affect is it having on their ability to perform well? And Boomers, while seemingly joined at the hip with their BlackBerrys, often shun social media and other new avenues to learning.  

A popular PBS program, Frontline, recently aired a special called “Digital Nation” that focused on the impact of technology on learning and on the brain. One conclusion was that technology far outpaces research in these areas. While there is some early research looking at generational differences in learning,  nothing has been conclusive enough to warrant any pronouncements.

HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS FOR YOU:
Given the variety of generational differences we face in our classrooms, webinars, etc. how are you taking generational differences into account as you design and deliver learning experiences?  What, if anything, are you doing differently in the face of Millennials, Gen Yers, Boomers and maybe even some Matures?

Comments

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[Susanne Conrad]

I build significantly more interactivity and technology into programs via blended learning techniques (e-learning, webinars, podcasts, in-class electronic-based activity, etc.) - keeps the young tech-savvies more engaged and I find that the older generations really enjoy it as well. I sometimes need to spend a bit more time helping older generations get comfortable with the technology, but I rarely find resistance for adopting it. They just want some help figuring out what to do vs. the younger generations who, like your young nephew, grew up "knowing" what to do.