Impact of Technology 5. One of the areas where the stereotypes are frequently (but not always) true is in expertise in technology. Baby Boomers, and to some extent, the Gen-Xers, may not have all the necessary technical skills for today’s educational environment. In contrast, the Millennials and Gen-Zers have grown up in the burgeoning tech environment and find it difficult to believe that anyone has trouble managing today’s technology. The answer to this conflict is to be accepting of the differences in the skills of individuals. Certainly, it is incumbent on the Baby Boomers—and others without skills in technology—to learn as much as they can about the technology required of their positions. Refusing to make an effort in this area is not acceptable. However, when those who have more skills are understanding and are willing to help those who are not native to technology, a positive environment is likely to be created. For example, several years ago a Baby Boomer made a job transition from a role where technological support was easily accessible to one where the assistance was more remote. This employee’s boss heard two of the technology support staff discussing the lack of technical skills of the Baby Boomer. “ I can’t believe this person was hired—she has such poor tech skills .” Fortunately for the Baby Boomer, her boss responded to the tech employees by saying, “ Look, we did not hire this employee for her technical skills; she has other skills that we need. Your job is to support her so that she can deliver the skills we hired her for. ” As this story unfolded, with the support of the management of the organization, the Baby Boomer learned to admit when she was not able to manage a technological hurdle and to ask for help. The technology support staff recognized that she was trying to learn and spent time helping her. She never became “technologically savvy,” but she certainly gained sufficient skills to do her job. Supporting the Engagement of Students 4. Encouraging student engagement by using active learning is fundamental to effective teaching. Since one of the hallmarks of the multigenerational classroom is the diversity of abilities and experiences of the group, grouping students of different ages for learning activities emphasizes the strengths of individuals to benefit the learning experience. For example, in the “Understanding the U.S. Healthcare System” course, the Baby- Boomers or the Gen-Xers in the group may have actual experiences in the evolving health care system, which could be helpful to other students. On the other hand, the tech-savvy Millennial and Generation Z students would be helpful in researching and crafting a report for the group. The effectiveness of student engagement in multigenerational classrooms is dependent on an environment that values diverse working styles and needs. Acting on negative stereotypes of various age groups will only reduce the positive effect of student engagement. Describing a Millennial as a snowflake (one who is lazy, entitled, self-absorbed and sensitive) is not helpful. Neither is the use of the phrase, “ OK, Boomer ” by Millennials and Gen-Zers. The faculty must provide an environment where the emphasis is on harnessing the strengths of the individual to improve the learning of all students, rather than negative stereotypes.
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