Do Generational Differences Matter in Instructional Design

The Instructional Technology Forum periodically hosts fairly regular discussions on key issues impacting the design of learning (you can subscribe to the forum mailing list here). The current discussion is particularly relevant to educators and trainers trying to make sense of how the so called generational differences impact instructional design. The paper explores the range of literature - ranging from hype to serious research (Twenge in particular). As with much educational research or literature reviews, the final evidence weighs in with “it depends”. While acknowledging that a “glaring weakness” exists in generational research, the author suggests certain differences do exist between generations with regard to attitudes, motivators, and work habits. The final conclusion on designing for different generations: “Generational differences are evident in the workplace, but they are not salient enough to warrant the specification of different instructional designs or the use of different learning technologies”. I think, in this instance, the consideration of varied design approaches has been tied to the wrong variable (generational differences). The greater area of change and impact is found in the habits, activities, and needs of learners (not based on generations, but on how technology creates new opportunities for learning networks far beyond the narrow domain of classroom walls). I would like to see increased discussion on how we design for things we don’t know and learners must come to know through exploration (consider how the iPhone was unlocked - while the target was known, an established process for achieving the target did not exist). Instructional design is generally concerned with the process of teaching something that is already known. But we don’t always know what we need. Increasingly, if my personal experience is any indication, I simply don’t know what I need to know and must rely on my information and learning network to achieve intended outcomes. I’d like to see an instructional design process that attends to the complexity of emergent or unknown processes.