21st Century Students

Today's undergraduates differ in far-reaching ways from those who preceded them.

For one thing, they are the most diverse college students in the nation's history. A third are students of color. A fifth are immigrants or children of immigrants. Most of these come from bilingual homes or families in which English is not the primary language.

At many public universities, non-traditional students predominate. Only 16 percent of the student population can be described as "traditional" in terms of entering college right out of high school, attending full-time, and living on campus. Of today's students, more than 70 percent of students work, almost half are over the age of 25, and more than half are women.

Many students are the first generation in their family to attend college. Many are significantly older than traditional students and must balance school with family or work responsibilities.

Along with shifting demographics has come a shift in outlook. Many students seek a degree, first and foremost, as an occupational credential. Many have embraced the consumer mentality that regards instructors as service providers and assumes that because they have paid tuition, teachers should be responsive their needs.

A surprising number of these 21st century students consider class attendance optional, convinced that they can master the course material on their own.

One of the most striking characteristics of 21st century students is that they are products of a technology-rich environment, which has shaped their educational expectations. They are natural multitaskers, who grew up doing homework, watching TV, listening to music, and instant messaging simultaneously, and who expect constant stimulation.

These students:

• prefer visual modes of communication over speech or text alone;
• tend to scan large quantities of text, rather than simply focus intently on a single text;
• expect to quickly find the answer to any question online, usually through a search engine, often without evaluating the credibility or accuracy of the source;
• place a high value on interactivity and active learning and are comfortable with self-teaching.

And further, as the proportion of students attending college has risen, so, too, has the number of under-prepared students. The American Association of Colleges and Universities estimates that about 50 percent of entering college students are academically underprepared, lacking basic skills in either reading, writing, or math. Equally important is the fact that many students are unprepared in note-taking, study, and test-taking skills. Instructors at non-elite institutions must accept greater responsibility for advising and counseling students, enhancing their basic skills, and clearly communicating expectations and groundrules.

How can we best meet the needs of students who are quite different from those we saw in the past? A few answers follow.

Sensitivity to issues surrounding gender, religion, race, and ethnicity has never been more essential.

There is often a substantial mismatch between faculty and student expectations for academic work; instructors must be very precise about the level of work they expect.

Older students and working students expect instructors to be flexible and accommodating; it is important for faculty to specify policies regarding about missed classes and tests and late papers.

Instructors might consider adopting a hybrid form of instruction, in which certain forms of content are placed online, reserving more class time for discussion, inquiry, and participatory activities.

Lectures might incorporate audio and visual resources, including charts and graphs, film clips, and simulations.

A heightened emphasis might be placed on active, hands-on learning, including inquiry-based and problem-based activities.