Exactly !  I knew it was evolutionary. We are observing the species adapting itself to new technologies and new realities. The last remaining mystery is why they attend lectures at all when all the material is available on line. What do they believe we are  providing which electronics cannot?  Why do they resist so fiercely if any attempt is made to put entire courses on line?  Is the social aspect of classes of real value in learning?
As I wrote  earlier, there must be a thesis in here somewhere.
Anne Maureen
 
 
Anne Maureen Scarff
School of Economics and Finance
University of Western Sydney
Locked Bag 1797
Penrith South DC
NSW 1797


""The denunciation of the young is a necessary part of the hygiene of older people, and greatly assists in the circulation of their blood. "
Logan Pearsall Smith (1865 - 1946), Afterthoughts (1931) "Age and Death".

________________________________

From: Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Talk on behalf of Kunkel, Richard G.
Sent: Fri 9/03/2007 11:54 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Taking Notes, Not (much)



Hi ALSB Friends,

I have a strong belief in note-taking, personally.  As a student, if
information managed to flow through my brain and to my fingertips,
inevitably, some was left behind in the brain, and I was later able to
recall it on exams.

Can it be, however, that the new "millenials" have learned to learn a
different way?  I often tell my class that memorizing information about
legal rules is not particularly important because information is ubiquitous
in this age, and they can look it up.  My two teenagers study with music on
(actually, they do EVERYTHING with music on) with at the same time sending
instant messages to friends, watching a YouTube video and talking on the
phone.  They don't write down phone numbers, because they have already
programmed them into the phone, nor do they pay much attention to where
their friends live, because they will just Google a map, or call from their
programmed cell phone to ask where they are.

They don't bother to catalog information in notes as our generation did,
because the information is available to look up any time, anywhere.  Read
the postings:  We send out PowerPoints, lecture notes, podcasts, videos,
etc.  Publishers have support sites, friends have last semester's
information etc.  Why write it down when it is instantly accessible?   We
had to take notes assiduously because that was the only time and place we
could access that particular information.

I still believe note-taking has great value because it runs through the
brain on the way to the arm, but they probably have never learned this way,
so why start in college?

I am curious to know HOW they learn and WHAT they learn, because is seems
very mysterious to me.  Perhaps because their minds are freed from the
drudgery of transcribing notes from the blackboard to a page, they are able
to think of other questions, like:  What does this mean to me?  How would
this apply in my life? Does this make sense? What is the context for this
principle in the real world? Do I have a chance at dating the girl/guy in
the third row? (Some things don't change).

Their style of learning is quite different - sure.  But maybe they are
learning different things, and maybe even higher order things like context,
critical thinking, analysis, synthesis, etc.  I admit that the evidence of
this can be scant at times.  But maybe lack of note-taking is a GOOD sign.

It certainly is different, but not necessarily bad.  It would be interesting
to know if there are studies about the new forms of learning.  I assume they
are out there.

Rick Kunkel