Millennials are making their mark on higher education. This plugged-in generation learns differently, and education institutions are starting to take note. Yet the education industry, with its emphasis on “focus work” over the more collaborative techniques Millennials prefer, might not be adapting quickly enough. Generation Z students, born with smartphones in their hands, are right around the corner, making it essential for higher education to adapt more quickly.
In a recent survey, nearly half of Millennials employed in the education industry indicated their employers have outdated collaboration practices. Education’s highly regimented structure means the industry is less open to collaboration techniques and big ideas. It scored the lowest for using brainstorming meetings to generate big ideas (only 65 percent) and in supporting spontaneous collaboration (56 percent) among coworkers.
So how are Millennials changing higher education, and what does the industry need to do to keep in touch with digitally-savvy students? Here are just a few solutions for bridging the divide between higher ed and Gen Y:
