ABSTRACT: Educators are faced with the challenge of adapting their teaching styles to accommodate a new generation of digital learners. These digital learners, who are now entering colleges and universities, have learning expectations, styles, and needs different from past students. The question is how to adapt teaching strategies to accommodate the digital learners, in light of their preferences for digital literacy, experiential learning, interactivity, and immediacy? Meanwhile, the higher education today has also the opportunity to reshape itself and play an important role in the future of our society. Whether that role is ultimately fulfilled will depend on fresh, creative thinking, and a firm commitment to move teaching, learning, and the university into the digital age. The manner in which students are taught will not truly change until the manner in which we teach and evaluate students change. This working paper tries to elaborate the multiple studies that suggest moving students from consumers of information to producers of information. This is the key to engaging digital learning. However, until teachers are trained to expect and accept content gathered through social networks with emphasis on teaching students how to check validity and reliability of the web, the full power of the digital natives can not be released or expanded. Finally, this working paper recommends that teachers must allow students to publish broadly then promote peer and expert outside evaluation. These new learners are instructed by teachers who, for the majority, spent childhoods engulfed in television programs that fed information for consumption, rather than interaction, omitting the choices and short snippets that lead to further discovery.

KEY WORD: Teaching and learning styles, digital era, higher education roles, and digital capabilities of teacher and student.

About the Author: Prof. Dr. Ramlee Mustapha is Dean of Institute for Post-Graduate Studies UPSI (Sultan Idris University of Education), 35900 Tanjong Malim, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia. He can be reached at: drramlee@yahoo.com

How to cite this article? Mustapha, Ramlee. (2011). “Effective Models of Teaching and Learning for New Type of Students” in ATIKAN: Jurnal Kajian Pendidikan, Vol.1(1) Juni, pp.1-26. Bandung, Indonesia: Minda Masagi Press owned by ASPENSI in Bandung, ISSN 2088-1290.

Chronicle of the article: Accepted (April 28, 2011); Revised (May 20, 2011); and Published (June 5, 2011).

Bernard, R.M. et al. (2004). “How Does Distance Education Compare with Classroom Instruction? A Meta-Analysis of Empirical Literature” in Review of Educational Research, 74(3), pp.379–439.

Bernard, R.M. et al. (2005). “The Development of a Questionnaire for Predicting Online Learning Achievement” in Distance Education, 25(1), pp.31–47.

Blomeyer, R. (2002). “Virtual Schools and E-Learning in K-12 Environments: Emerging Policy and Practice” in Policy Issues, IL [April].

Blumberg, F.C. & L.M. Sokol. (2004). “Boys' and Girls' Use of Cognitive Strategy When Learning to Play Video Games” in Journal of General Psychology, 131(2), pp.151–158.

Brown, J.S. (2000). “Growing Up Digital: How the Web Changes Work, Education, and the Ways People Learn” in Change, 32(2), pp.10-20.

Brown, J.S. (2010). “Learning in the Digital Age” in http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ffp0203s.pdf [accessed in Tanjong Malim, Malaysia: 2 May 2011].

Brown, M. (2005). “Learning Spaces: Chapter 12” in D.G. Oblinger & J.L. Oblinger [eds]. Educating the Net Generation. Available also at: www.educause.edu/educatingthenetgen [accessed in Tanjong Malim, Malaysia: 2 May 2011].

Calvert, S.L. et al. (2005). “Age, Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Patterns in Early Computer Use” in American Behavioral Scientist, 48(5), pp.590–607.

Carlson, S. (2005). “The Net Generation Goes to College” in Chronicle of Higher Education, 52(7). Available also at: http://chronicle.com/free/v52/i07/07a03401.htm [accessed at Tanjong Malim, Malaysia: October 7, 2010].

Clark, T. (2001). Virtual Schools: Trends and Issues a Study of Virtual Schools in the United States. Macomb, IL: Distance Learning Resource Network, a WestEd Project.

Crawford, D.L. (2006). “Characteristics Leading to Student Success: A Study of Online Learning Environments”. Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation. Texas, USA: A&M University-Commerce.

Crittenden, S. (2002). “Silicon Daydreams: Digital Pastimes of the Wired Generation” in Virginia.edu, 1(2). Available also at: www.itc.virginia.edu/virginia.edu/fall02/daydreams/home.html [accessed at Tanjong Malim, Malaysia: October 7, 2010].

Ferguson, L.M. & R.A. Day. (2004). “Supporting New Nurses in Evidence-Based Practice” in Journal of Nursing Administration, 34(1), pp.490-492.

Frand, J. (2000). “The Information-Age Mindset: Changes in Students and Implications for Higher Education” in Educause Review, 35(5), pp.15-24. Available also at: www.educause.edu/apps/er/erm00/articles005/erm0051.pdf [accessed at Tanjong Malim, Malaysia: October 7, 2010].

Green, C.S. & D. Bavelier. (2003). “Action Video Game Modifies Visual Selective Attention” in Nature, 423, pp.534-537.

Greenfield, P.M. et al. (1994). “Action Video Games and Informal Education: Effects on Strategies for Dividing Visual Attention” in Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 15, pp.105–123.

Howe, N. & W. Strauss. (2000). Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation. New York: Vintage Books.

Huffaker, D.A. & S.L. Calvert. (2003). “The New Science of Learning: Active Learning, Metacognition, and Transfer of Knowledge in E-Learning Applications” in Journal of Educational Computing Research, 29(3), pp.325–334.

Jackson, S.H. & D. Crawford. (2008). “Digital Learners: How are They Expanding the Horizon of Learning?” in http://cnx.org/content/m17218/latest/ [accessed in Tanjong Malim, Malaysia: 2 May 2011].

Lazarus, W., A. Wainer & L. Lipper. (2005). “Measuring Digital Opportunity for America's Children: Where We Stand and Where We Go from Here” in http://www.contentbank.org/DOMS [accessed in Tanjong Malim, Malaysia: 2 May 2011].

Leu, D.J. et al. (2005). “Evaluating the Development of Scientific Knowledge and New Forms of Reading Comprehension During Online Learning” in http://www.newliteracies.uconn.edu/ncrel.html [accessed at Tanjong Malim, Malaysia: March 11, 2011].

Looney, M.A. (2005). “Giving Students a 21st Century Education” in THE Journal, 33(2), p.58.

Maag, M. (2006). “Podcasting and MP3 Players: Emerging Education Technologies” in Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 24(1), pp.9-12.

Mayer, R.E. & R. Moreno. (1998). “A Split-Attention Effect in Multimedia Learning: Evidence for Dual Processing Systems in Working Memory” in Journal of Educational Psychology, 90, pp.312–320.

Merritt, S. (2002). “Learners of the Future”. Paper presented at the Faculty Development Institute sponsored by Villanova University and the National League for Nursing. Available also at: http://www17.homepage.villanova.edu/stephen.merritt/VUNRLOF060902.htm [accessed at Tanjong Malim, Malaysia: December 20, 2010].

NASBE [National Association of State Boards of Education]. (2001). Any Time, Any Place, Any Path, Any Pace: Taking the Lead on E-Learning Policy. Alexandria, VA: NASBE Study Group on E-learning.

Oblinger, D.G. (2003). “Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials: Understanding the New Students” in Educause Review, 38, pp.37–47.

Oblinger, D.G. (2005). “Learners, Learning, and Technology: The Educause Learning Initiative” in Educause Review, 40, pp.66-75.

Oblinger, D.G. & B.L. Hawkins. (2005). “The Myths about Students” in Educause Review, 40(5), pp.12-13. Available also at: www.educause.edu/apps/er/erm05/erm055.asp [accessed at Tanjong Malim, Malaysia: June 24, 2010].

Oblinger, D.G. & J.L. Oblinger. (2005). “Educating the Net Generation” in www.educause.edu/educatingthenetgen [accessed at Tanjong Malim, Malaysia: December 20, 2010].

Prensky, M. (2001a). “The Games Generation: How Learners Have Changed?” in Digital Game-Based Learning, Ch.02, pp.1-26. Also available at: http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%Ch2-Digital%20Game-Based%20Learning.pdf [accessed at Tanjong Malim, Malaysia: June 24, 2010].

Prensky, M. (2001b). “Why Education and Training Have Not Changed?” in Digital Game-Based Learning, Ch.03, pp.1-21. Available also at: http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%Ch2-Digital%20Game-Based%20Learning.pdf [accessed at Tanjong Malim, Malaysia: June 24, 2010].

Prensky, M. (2001c). “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants” in On the Horizon, Vol.9, No.5. Available also at: www.marcprensky.com/writing/ [accessed at Tanjong Malim, Malaysia: June 24, 2010].

Rheingold, H. (2003). Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution. New York: Basic Books.

Russell, T.L. (1999). The No Significant Difference Phenomenon. Chapel Hill, NC: Office of Instructional Telecommunications, North Carolina State University.

Skiba, D. (2005a). “Emerging Technology Center: The Millennials, Have They Arrived at Your School of Nursing?” in Nursing Education Perspectives, 26(1), pp.370-371.

Skiba, D. (2005b). “Emerging Technology Center: Do Your Students Wiki?” in Nursing Education Perspectives, 26(2), pp.120-121.

Skiba, D. (2006). “The 2005 Word of the Year: Podcast” in Nursing Education Perspectives, 27(1).

Skiba, D. & A. Barton. (2006). “Adapting Your Teaching to Accommodate the Net Generation of Learners” in OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. Vol.11, No.2, Manuscript 4, May 31.

Skiba, D. et al. (2004). “The Informatics Collaboratory: Building an Online Community to Support Health Care Informatics Students” in M. Fieschi, E. Coiera & Y. Li [eds]. Proceedings of the 11th World Congress on Medical Informatics Building High Performance Health Care Organizations. Amsterdam: IOS Press, pp.1383-1387.

Smith, R., T. Clark & R.L. Blomeyer. (2005). “A Synthesis of New Research on K-12 Online Learning” in http://www.learningpt.org [accessed in Tanjong Malim, Malaysia: 5 October 2010].

Subrahmanyam, K. & P. Greenfield. (1994). “Effect of Video Game Practice on Spatial Skills in Girls and Boys” in Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 15, pp.13–32.

Sweeney, R.T. (2005). “Higher Education for Multi-Taskers” in Chronicle of Higher Education Colloquy. Available also at http://chronicle.com/colloquy/2005/10/millennial/ [accessed in Tanjong Malim, Malaysia: 5 October 2010].

Tapscott, D. (1998). Growing Up Digital: The Rise of the Net Generation. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Wikipedia. (2005). “Wiki” in http://wikipedia.org [accessed in Tanjong Malim, Malaysia: 5 October 2010].

Active Website:

Bloom’s Synthesis Levels in http://www.center.k12.mo.us/edtech/blooms/synthesis.htm [accessed in Tanjong Malim, Malaysia: 9 October 2010].

DOMS [Digital Opportunity Measuring Stick]. (2005). http://cjtc.ucsc.edu/docs/dd_highlights.pdf [accessed in Tanjong Malim, Malaysia: 2 May 2011].

Edward DeBono. (1997). Available also at: http://www.edwdebono.com/debono/lateral.htm [accessed at Tanong Malim, Malaysia: October 9, 2010].

Shift Happens in http://www.lps.k12.co.us/schools/arapahoe/fisch/didyouknow/didyouknow.ppt#260 [accessed in Tanjong Malim, Malaysia: 9 October 2010].