Research Question 3
How do teachers approach instruction for 21 st century students?
The third research question asked how teachers approach instruction for a 21 st
century educational environment. The Net-Gen students have brought with them new
challenges and pressures for teachers. Yet there also needs to be a functional
understanding of what the 21 st century workplace demands from young people entering
the workforce and how that impacts content and instruction.
Didactic and teacher centered strategies are ineffective with these tech-savvy
students. Net-Gen students are interactive learners who require the challenge of
continuous engagement in the classroom with a connection to the learning (Oblinger,
2004; Pletka, 2007). The participants agreed that an emphasis on student-centered
activities is a priority in their classrooms.