Bucket List: David Scott

 

Life is full of surprises. Though, we can experience many life-changing events all in one life. After completing my education, there is so much I want to do, however, I only have one chance to do it. My bucket may not contain much, but it is a start.

First and foremost, I want to take a trip to Japan. Since I am big into anime, I wanted to visit Japan and look at its beautiful scenery. I have heard that Japan is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. I also want to learn about the history of the samurai. Ever since playing Ghost of Tsushima, an excellent video game, I enjoyed how the developers told the story of the lone samurai saving his island. This has sparked my interest in learning the cultural elements of the samurai.

Next, the dream of being on the national E-Sports team has been one of the main tasks on my bucket list. Playing video games is one of my hobbies, and looking at other pro players inspired me to pursue my dream. I love the action and fun these players experience while playing video games.

Last but not least, I would like to help my parents pay off their debt. Life can be difficult, and having debt is no different. When I get a good-paying job, I would like to save enough money to help pay everything for my parents. I want them to spend the rest of their lives without worrying about debt.

Even if this list is short, there will be more items added to my list. Since I am just a freshman in college, there are many wonderful things I have yet to explore. I will be looking forward to it.

Goff, Jacob: Beloit

      We, as freshmen in college, have always heard the phrase "back in the day." I know that, personally, that is one of the most annoying things an older person could say to me. That is, until I stopped and thought about the radical changes that have taken place in the past sixty years. Many times, older professors compare us young students to how it was when they were our age. They went through high school looking through World Book instead of WebMd. They did math mentally or on paper instead of doing everything on a super calculator. But amongst all of the differences, there are many similarities.
     
Television has put quite a bit of distance between my generation and my professors. For example, if I were to ask one of my professors what he or she thinks about the current Kardashian situation, I would probably get a blank stare. When they were growing up, no one cared about the latest popular couples divorce or what celebrity was seen dating another. But in this day and age, this information is abundant and, at some times, seems like it is forced down our throats every time we turn on the television. In every store there are pop culture magazines by the checkout or in book sections. Of the professors I have discussed this with, most just do not see the point in getting caught up in the drama. Pop culture has always caused quite a divide between generations. But modern television and video streaming can also aid in narrowing that divide. I can watch almost any show that has been aired in the past forty years without much of a problem. This gives my generation a view into past culture and entertainment. People like Michael Jordan are still immortalized in our minds because we have seen documentaries or game footage from his heyday. And though these great pastimes will never change, some things cannot stop changing.
     
The times that we live in now are much different from forty years ago. Music was different, and so were the morals of this nation. When many of my older professors were young, rock and roll was considered evil by some. Topics like homosexuality were just not mentioned. Divorce rates were much lower because the parents felt a greater commitment to marriage. It seems like the morals instilled by parents were much higher in many. But only one or two decades later morals would drop off tremendously. The music scene was also going through big changes. Rock and roll was really growing and the sound was changing. Rock was the most popular genre. Concerts began using fire pillars and many different lights and other effects to make the visual aspect just as good as the music. But in modern times, pop music is king. Rap has also come onto the scene, replacing the disco of the earlier years. Profanity is much more common in modern music than it was thirty or forty years ago. The same thing happened to television. Earlier shows showed wholesome families and depicted the American dream. The shows were clean enough for the whole family. But now, reality tv has taken over. Many shows have crude language and other inappropriate content. But some stations, such as TV Land, have immortalized these early shows.
     
The differences between generations are many. But common ground can always be found. The things of the past should be remembered and cherished, but things will change and time will move on. The generational differences have been present since humans have been alive, and they will inevitably continue as long as we roam the earth.

Edmundson, Nevin: Beloit List

After reading the differences on the mindsets between incoming freshman and the professors, I now truly see how different, yet alike, we are. Many things professors would consider “controversial” or “absurd” are things we, as students, see as normal. Some of the past generation would look at our generation and frown upon us, but what about their generation? Did the generation before them not frown upon them just as they do us?  

The simple fact is we are on in the same. Everything that our generation uses and says in everyday life is a fad. The generation our professors grew up in had fads of their own as well. Technology is just another fad. Soon another new thing will interest us and we will move on; it’s just how the world works. We use phrases such as: “Been there. Done that. Bought that T-shirt.” but did their generation not say: “You sound like a broken record?” The phrases have the same general meaning, but it’s the trend, the underlying urge to find new things that changed the wording behind it. I have never understood it when someone not of my generation told me things such as: “It’s your generation that’s driving this nation into the ground.” How are we destroying this nation, or going to destroy it? Is it because we rely on technology? Is it because we don’t pay as much attention to the news as we should? Or is it because they think life is just handed to us? Our generation has proven that even in a fast changing world, we will adapt. The simple fact that we have calculators that do the work for us or that we have phones that can offer us more information than our local library should not diminish the fact that we are more than capable of taking care of ourselves and not becoming lost in the innovations life has to offer us tomorrow. 

           

On that same note, it is clearly apparent that there are things we have not had to grow up with that their generation has. We have not truly seen how harsh the world can be. Women and race have always been “accepted” in the work force, and as a matter of fact, discrimination is now a major law issue, whereas to their generation, this a fairly new concept. Our generation does tend to focus too much of our free time on useless information. There isn’t much use in knowing which “Jersey Shore” character most looks like a girl at your school. On the topic of television, I actually was stunned when I found out that at one point “Rocky Horror Picture Show” was not a common show aired around Halloween time when it first came out. When I first found out that it was not just banned from TV, but banned from being sold in this country, I was utterly blown away. It just goes to show how much television has changed in what it airs and what is now acceptable for our youth to freely see.

             

It must be difficult for professors to “click” with any student, considering how different our worlds are from the outside eye, but as previously stated, students and professors are not too different deep down. In fact, we are one in the same, and once we get past that, the bridge between students and professors will quickly be established and learning, on a deeper level, can truly begin.

Morris, Robert: Beloit List

There will forever be a generation gap, there’s no escaping it.  The next generation will always move a little faster than the one before. There are some similarities as well because one generation instills certain things such as moral fiber upon the next.

Firstly, before one attempts to compare generations one must know why there is a gap in the first place. There are several different reasons for gaps between generations, but there is typically one major reason. For an example let us travel to the 1960s. This was a time of social change. The generation gap of this era was mainly sparked by a spiritual catalyst. The moral beliefs of the young generation were rapidly changing, continuously moving, and the older generation was content to stand still. This was the cause of the generation gap. For the cause of the current generation gap there is no need to dig so deep. The root cause is not spirituality but technology. Even basic knowledge of the Internet can create a gap so large that few dare to cross it. There are many parents who attempt to bridge the gap by learning the hip new “lingo,” and while that can be beneficial it would be much easier to simply add their child as a friend on Facebook. 

Secondly, once adequate knowledge of the gap is obtained one can feel free to stare at the blatantly obvious thing that is the differences between the generations. There are several key differences between the generations the first being the obvious one, age. This is the thing that actually determines the generations, so it has to be one of the things that separate them. First of all, the older generation typically has more experience with this thing called life and has thus had more time to mess up than the younger generation. This being true, a member the older generation probably knows a lot more about life than a member of the younger generation. This incenses the younger generation because they believe that because they can work a laptop and their parents can’t then they shouldn’t have to listen to them. This leads to the younger generation towards making many of the same mistakes as the older generation. This contributes to the generation gap soon to come in the future and drives them closer to the older generation.

Lastly, once one notes the differences the only thing left is the similarities. While reading the Beloit articles it is simple to note the differences between the two generations, but they leave out the most important thing, and that’s the similarities, because at the end of the day it won’t matter if the younger generation thought that LBJ was LeBron James and not Lyndon B. Johnson, because the next generation won’t care who either of them are. This is the main similarity, the inevitable fall into the same hole as the previous generation, and the gaps will continually grow larger and larger. In 20 years it won’t matter that I typed this on a computer, because the next generation will just have to think and the words will come across the screen, no more spell check for them. At this point I will hate the new technology because I will feel left behind much like the older generation does now. This mutual feeling of hate toward the technology of the future is what binds the generations together.

In conclusion, gap or no gap we all end up in the same hole in the end, with the next generation racing to leave us all behind only to be knocked back into the same hole by the next and so on. It is such a grand and beautiful cycle.

White, Zowie: Beloit List

    The current generation of young adults is expected to be the first to not achieve more than their predecessors. The differences between the two generations are seen as a generation gap. The presence of a generation gap between faculty born before 1980, and the freshman class of college students is formed by differences in convenience, technology, communication.
   
Convenience is something that the younger generation takes for granted. The food industry, for example, prides itself on the concept of convenience. During the early lives of most faculty, fast food restaurants were available, but not to the extent of today. Now someone can rarely enter a town that does not have a McDonald's. There are seventy-four McDonald's on the small island of Manhattan, alone. When does convenience become an inconvenience?
   
Technology and it's constant evolution serves as the biggest cause of the generation gap. It allows the younger generation  to access more information, but the younger generation does not know how to use it. The evolution of the cellular phone has brought incredible technology and a new way of life for the younger generation. They are able to play games, access the Internet, text, and more. Cell phones are the focus of the youth's attention and serve as the gateway to the outside world. The older faculty are not as concerned with cellular devices and see them as a luxury, instead of a necessity.
   
Means of communication and skills differ greatly between the two generations. With the growing usage of the Internet, e-mail is used more than the United States Postal Service. The younger generation used mainly used the USPS for packages. People in the older generation have always known to use the Postal Service. However with the help of the younger generation, they are getting used to electronic means of communication. They are not only using e-mail, but social networks and texting, as well. The older generation has better communication skills than the younger generation. Shortcuts and language abbreviations handicap the youth's ability to communicate effectively. Most are not able to switch from texting language to correct English. The Internet and social networks provide a Catch-22. The youth are able to connect with more people internationally, but are unable to communicate in the real world.
    
The generation gap demonstrates how modern advancements can help, or hinder, a generation by comparing two generations. New technology benefits everyone, especially those who know how to manipulate it. The older generation is not negatively affected by changes in convenience and communication.

Zigler, Jessica: Beloit List

People in classrooms everywhere discuss diversity and the different types of misunderstandings that can occur when people of different cultures come together and interact.  However, culture is not the only thing that can cause conflict between two types of people; age can have that effect as well.  Faculty born before 1980 and students today grew up in two completely different eras and can interpret different words, phrases, and gestures differently.  The students today grow up with many things that the older faculty did not have as young adults.  There are also many similarities found between the two age groups.

                     

One of the most useful features of a computer is the option to connect to the Internet.  By searching the Internet, a person can find out how to knit a scarf, build a computer, or solve an equation.  The professors who are teaching now did not have that tool when they were going through school.  They had to earn their degrees the old-fashioned way, by researching in books.  Not only can today’s students search library databases to find books and articles pertaining to their areas of research, but also they can read them on the computer.  Professors tell students all the time about how privileged they are to be able to do research so easily, but regardless of the research method, students today still have to write essays and projects just like the older faculty had to.

                   

In most high schools, cell phones are not permitted in class, but in colleges, that is not always the case.   Why is it that high school faculty are so against cell phone use?  They must believe that cell phones in schools are a distraction and tempt students to focus on other things, rather than the lecture that is being presented at the time.  However, cell phone use is not the only thing that can distract a student from the teacher’s lesson.  Students born before 1980 probably did things like draw, write notes to their friends, or do other homework in class.  Students have always wanted to find ways to communicate with their friends and avoid boredom; it is only the method they choose that has changed.

                  

 Every student who enrolls in Southern Arkansas University receives a student e-mail address.  Although most students rarely check it, most teachers suggest that they do so.  Some teachers use BlackBoard and e-mail frequently, while other teachers choose not to use them at all.  Many older teachers will either not use them at all, due to a lack of technological skill, or use the electronic resources, because those teachers would have liked access to those things when they were a student.  Regardless of what each teacher decides to do, the students have to adapt to it.  For students who check their e-mails all the time, it can be very difficult to have a professor who will not respond to e-mails quickly or post grades until the end of the semester.  On the other hand, for students who never look at their e-mails, it can be frustrating to go to class unprepared because teachers posted assignments they did not see. Teachers’ use of technology boils down to their point of view about new technology. Adoption of new technology depends less upon age and more upon individual excitement about new technologies or commitment to traditional teaching.

                  

 It is very important for teachers and students to communicate with each other with open minds.  In addition, they should also be cautious when talking to one another, so they do not offend or confuse the other person.  Steps can be taken by both parties to avoid any conflict.  Maybe older faculty members did not have access to things like the Internet, but they should still appreciate the hard work that students put into their assignments.  Almost all students have cell phones, but that does not mean they are listening any more than they would without them.  Perhaps, some teachers believe that it is not necessary for them to use BlackBoard or e-mail, but most of their students would likely find that very helpful if they would.  With all of the changes in technology, it is necessary for students and teachers to be considerate when making decisions that will affect the other.

Falkoff, Brian: Beloit List

            The two lists exemplify the basic human nature of arguing. This, of course, is not the intention of the authors of the articles, but is the product of their subject and the comments of the readers. The commenters are one way that the two articles are alike, though. The reactions of those readers are also quite drastically different, although the readers who comment seem to be peers. The content of the comments is different, one group successfully referring to the past and the other group just as successfully referring to the present. The intended audiences are different too. The College Mind-Set List’s intended audience is educators at universities. The intended audience of the article's antidote, Mind-Set of Faculty, is educators and their students. The messages being sent by each article are different as well.

             

Readers who commented seem to be peers.  This similarity between the two articles is not that surprising, though. How many college students have time to read something they do not have to write about? That the commenters are peers can be seen by paying attention to when they way they were born and their occupations. For instance, in the original article, 22040003 commented about his or her students, pegging this reader as an educator. In the antidote, K wrote “I am a faculty member,” also pegging this reader as an educator.

The comments posted on the antidote are much more argumentative. One reader, drspektor, wrote on the antidote, “oh yes … let’s blame those awful public school teachers yet again for ALL of the problems the country faces.” This response is clearly aggressive and combative. Bstevens called Mr. Krajewski, the author of the antidote, “bitter.” Jhar3556 accused another reader of “[missing] the point.” While the commenters of the antidote argued and bickered, the commenters of the original paper played along very well with the humor of the article. Comments such as “got a great laugh from [this], but sure does make me feel old” and “I look forward to reading this each year,” show the lighthearted opinions of the readers (written by Carole Letson and docsilverfox48 respectively).

The content of the articles separates them as well. The original Beloit article used references to the past that the educators it was intended for would relate to and that the students of the freshman class would definitely know little about. One such example is number 47; “No state has ever failed to observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day.” Although most educated freshman know that Dr. King died not long ago, the generation below them is very likely to not realize how near, historically, to segregation they are. The antidote article uses modern references of celebrity, such as the Kardashians. Anyone who enjoys watching reality tv knows who the Kardashian family is. But those who do not care for reality tv, do not care to know anything about the Kardashians.

             

The message of the two articles has both similarities and differences, both articles provide understanding. The difference lies in the seriousness of the articles. The original Beloit article was intended to be humorous and serious. Most of the statements made were accurate and insightful. The antidote article, however, offers something that will be a “benefit of students and administrators.” This, of course, is not truly the case, because the information provided to the readers is general and reads as if written on the fly. The information provided in College Mind-Set List was precise and organized, short and simple. Clean, even.

             

Both Beloit articles were enjoyably lighthearted, allowing them both to be fun to read and easy to comment on. The few negatives of the antidote article, however, produced arguments and bickering among commenters. This contrasts sharply with the well-received original, College Mind-Set List.

Hamilton, Josh: Beloit List

We live in a time period of great change. The difference between the lives of those that lived in the 1970s and now is astounding. Technology, morals, religions, economies, and even countries are rapidly adapting before our eyes. With all these different factors we might as well say that one generation was literally born in a different world from another. One such comparison of generations would be the faculty and students of higher learning education facilities.

            

 Back in “the good ol’ days” teachers and students were required to see each other. If they didn’t then they would probably not be getting a very high quality education, and it seems that students would be wasting their money. Nowadays though, distance learning is becoming more and more common. Rather than being tied to a classroom, teachers and students have the luxury of taking their classes practically anywhere, because as portable computing devices are now more powerful than anything that existed back in the 20^th century.

Time has an uncanny ability to speed itself up the longer it progresses. This is made especially evident in the progression of years between the 1970’s and 2011. People today seem to be in a huge rush. They have an infinite amount of things to do within a finite period of time, so everything has a sense of urgency. This sense of urgency often couples with a lack of a need for perfection. In the past doing things right was often seen as much more important than meeting a rushed deadline.

             

Language has also changed slightly. Words are no longer used to express the same meaning. 
"Well, uh, he meant to make the report, like, really good, but, uh, he didn't have time." (Belim) Sentence fillers such as like, uh, and um are running rampant. Not only are sentence structures being modified, though, but also words themselves. “Wii” is no longer assumed to be an exclamation of elation, but rather a noun of itself.

Getting satisfactory grades only is no longer acceptable. Gone are the days when merely passing a course was something to be excited about. In the current competitive global environment GPAs may as well be tags worn on our sleeves. They are something everyone is going to look at and they are not better than those of the other thousands of competitors any opportunity previously hoped for is lost.

The world has become a much more luxurious place, although some may not feel that way. Bottled water, baristas, McDonald’s coffee, and free music downloads are just a few things that were not nearly as available in the past, that is if they even existed!  These are things so common that they are nearly unnoticed, but if they were to disappear suddenly there would be a big impact.

One subject that is the source of bitterness to some is money. It is not at all surprising that money be the cause of bitterness. Present day faculty members are asked to do more work than their predecessors without appropriate pay. That is to say, they’re working too hard for the money they are earning. Not only do they still do the work faculty members did in the past, they must now perform new duties as well. Their bitterness is definitely understandable.

Chapman, Jordan: Bucket List

In today’s society teachers and students somewhat clash. Most professors still live in the past, and today’s students are simply passing them by. Technology plays a big role is how students are more advanced than their teachers. If you gave a teacher an “iPhone” they would rip their hair out trying to figure out how the contraption works. Whereas the phones that students carry are or are similar to the iPhone are amazing because the things that you can do with this device. Another advancement that today’s generation has over many older faculty members is in computing. Most technology advances at a very fast rate and the only reason the current “Internet Class” generation is so good at keeping up is because how much they spend using computers. Half of my professors can remember when the computer first came out and how mind-blowing they were. Now, those same people own computers but can only do the simple things with them, such as sending email and using word processors. The Internet has also changed and now astonishingly fast. Professors connected using dial-up which is very slow.

            

 Many professors that still teach complain about how little money they get for work. They are asked to do more work and are paid the same pay they have always gotten, causing some to become bitter.  A few of the things that are asked of the professors are requests such as helping pay for housing or taking up another class without any compensation. Professors in private schools, on the other hand, have never been paid higher.

             

Students in the “Internet Class” are considered to have an easier time in class. They no longer have to sit through the whole class or write down every word verbatim. Now they hardly have to meet the teacher, whether enrolled in an online class or retrieving notes online. In one of my classes I recently discovered that all the notes I have been jotting down can be found on my Blackboard on my professor’s page. I still attend the class regardless because I like being involved in discussions, but if it weren’t for that and never knowing when a quiz was I would not need to go until exam days. Online classes almost require students to teach themselves. This a new phenomenon that is changing the way that faculty teach. Students never really meet their professors and the only relationship they have is through e-mail. Instead of getting hands-on help they must ask teachers online and hope they explain the topic well enough. Faculty members sometimes have a hard time dealing with these changes and can make the process of asking and answering questions hard students and themselves.

           

             

The sad thing about life is that eventually everybody is out of the loop. We students, just as our professors, will discover many things are going to change rapidly and we won’t know what to do. We will, in turn, become them. As technology becomes more and more advanced. My generation’s aspiring professors will probably be bitter when forced to change the way they teach. Those same teachers will also probably be upset with their increased workloads. Faculty members of post-1980 and everyone considered in the “Internet Class” may be quite different on how they do things, but all in all we are all going to wind up old and behind the times.

Brinkley, James: Beloit List

Academic environments consist of distinct criteria and social norms by which students and faculty must abide. Unfortunately, there is an ever-growing generation gap between academic  faculties and the students they teach. Older faculty members must become accustomed to a world that constantly changes its methods. Teaching and learning are vague concepts and they are annually approached in different directions by students and faculty. Modern students and faculty born before 1980 share similarities, but time has put a rift between them as well.

                   

The roles of a student and faculty are constants in the world of academics; students learn and faculties teach. Their roles have changed over the last few decades, a professor born before 1980 may be accustomed to teaching small, personal classes. Today, a college student can expect to learn amongst a massive number of peers, and may be lucky to even come into close contact with the professor. There are a continually growing number of people attending college. Classes naturally grow larger with a rising attendance, but modern student-to-teacher ratios are higher than they’ve ever been. In addition, professors are faced with learning how to utilize a variety of new technologies, such as Southern Arkansas University’s Blackboard and Campus Connect programs. Similarly, both generations are capable of participating in new methods of teaching, such as online classes.  Although, older professors are required to accept the new methods as an alternate way of teaching, alongside the standard face-to-face teaching they’ve always known. Young students, having been born into the modern world, see digital education as an ideal and primary way to learn, pushing aside any non-electronic methods of education.  Many students can’t identify with a world where small classes and in-class gatherings were the only options to learn. For example, I’m required to check my online email and Blackboard account whenever I need to manage my academic affairs. I’m certain that my older professors were forced to change their teaching methods when such technologies were introduced to the education process.

                   

Despite technology and rising attendance, other factors have contributed to the warp in academics. Culture is a massive aspect in the lives of everyone and is always impinging on education. Students and older professors may hold common beliefs that have always been intertwined into society, such as refusing to commit crimes. Though, society has changed over the last few decades and ethical rules are not as potent as they used to be. For example, professors must always be wary of students cheating. There have always been students willing to cheat, but the situation has now become ridiculous. As a student, I have come across peers who put more time and energy into cheating than doing work. Then again, I have met several other students who would rather take the honest path. Similarly in this regard, a few students and most professors born before 1980 approach academics with integrity and appreciate the hard work involved with education. On a different topic, media are a potent factor that changed today’s culture from the form it took three decades ago. Media influence the thoughts of both students and professors, thoughts that are brought into a university and determine how the education process takes place. Ultimately, media's spin on politics and technology affects students born today and professors born before 1980 differently. Although, people will always be attentive to the media.

Today’s students and professors born before 1980 have experienced separate eras of culture. Both versions of culture place value on aspects of everyday life, but they place it on different things.  Those differences have caused certain rifts, but the roles of students and professors will always be the same.

Oglesby, Nikki: Beloit List

If a professor and one of this year’s freshmen were to sit and have a deep discussion over how times have changed, both would learn much new information about the other. One issue they would learn about is grade inflation.

             

According to “The 2011 Mind-Set of Faculty,” “Faculty members who have been teaching for more than a decade remember when C was an average grade students received in courses, because it represented an ancient concept called ‘satisfactory’.” The average grade students now receive is no longer a C. Most students receive either high Bs or a low As. These grades might not be what the student deserves.

             

One reason might be that professors do not enjoy spending hours grading paper after paper. They may read a couple papers then just scan the rest. More mistakes are caught when a paper is thoroughly read instead of just scanned. At times, a teacher may bump up a grade if the person is just a few points below the cut off for the next letter grade. It is not unheard of for a professor to raise athletes’ averages so they can continue to play. Sometimes grades are also given for only attempting an assignment, not completing it. In freshman seminar classes, students are required to attend the school-sponsored functions and they even receive grades for doing so. Getting easy points for attending football games is how so many students have a higher grade than what their academic work has earned them.

             

Students expect to achieve higher grades. They might not earn the grades but they still believe they should receive nothing lower than an A. Some of the work turned in is only thrown together at the last minute. It is not fair for every paper to get an A when only a few really deserve it. Student athletes believe they should be treated differently than their fellow classmates. They know they must maintain a certain grade point average to remain eligible to participate but that does not make a difference to some. Those slackers plan to get by with the lowest grade average that they are required to have. If they fall short of that, they expect the professors to help them out because of school spirit or out of sympathy. When student athletes learn the bare minimum required, they will take advantage of the situation. If the quality of the work is not what earns the grade, then they will just make stuff up as they go instead of putting real thought into it.

             

Each year, the differences between the new freshman and the older professors increase dramatically. During a discussion between the two, it would be easy to see how times have changed. They would learn about the issue of grade inflation which is becoming more popular.

Anderson, Courtne: Beloit List

Changes in today’s world happen rapidly. Something new will appear almost every day during the lives of the current 2011 fall college students. The Beloit Mindset List and the Mindset List of Faculty greatly point out the differences between the two generations. However, as there will always be within the human race, there are still some similarities between both the 2011 students and the faculty members born prior to 1980.

                   

The main differences the two lists examined are the pop culture changes between the current students and their professors. Many things have passed in and out of fame over the past thirty years. Students may constantly be talking about the latest episode of Jersey Shore, which virtually means nothing to an older faculty member. On the opposite hand of that, faculty members who reference such shows as Cheers or The Wonder Years have no effect to those students currently sitting in their classrooms. Differences in pop culture and what we have grown up seeing cause a slight rift in the teaching/ learning environment.

                   

Another major difference between the two generations is the changes made to technology. Older faculty members would have typed all of their papers on typewriters. Today’s generation has never been without a computer of some sort. Personal computers have always been available to 2011 students, and they have always had access to the internet. Also, within the last few years, technology has advanced; creating touch screen tablet computers, and other smart devices such as cell phones. This technology would have been completely unheard of during the college years of those staff members born before 1980.  The changes in technology greatly influence how students learn, and how they can obtain information.

                  

 One more important difference between the faculty members born before 1980 and the students of 2011 is how the world has changed its views on respect. When faculty members received bad grades while they were in school, it was because of lack of preparation on their part, and they were expected to work harder to earn better grades. That mindset makes perfect sense to me; however, not many students in this generation feel the same way. The mindset of current students is that if they receive a bad grade it is entirely the professor’s fault, and not their own lack of learning the material being covered. Professors have to deal with complaining students and their parents because of bad grades, whereas they would have never thrown such fits in their own youth.

                   

Though there are many differences between the faculty members born prior to 1980 and the students entering college in the fall of 2011, there are also similarities. Both the students and the teachers are humans; therefore they connect on one level or another. Older professors prove to work harder to encourage their students to excel in classes. They have a passion about their fields and wish to share it with the new faces.  Professors try their hardest to find new ways to connect with their students and provide a learning environment that is compatible with both age groups. Students, in the same way, will become more engaged in classes that they can understand and relate to.

                   

There are many differences and similarities between the fall students of 2011 entering college and the professors that they encounter. The age gap between students and teachers will never decrease, and technology will never stop changing. Students and faculty members must learn to relate through the generation gap to help one another learn and grow, and to provide a good learning environment.

Marsh, Daly: Beloit List

                  Since time began people have been coming up with new technology and inventions. These new Ideas are what make each generation different from the last. New ideas, a different slang, and a new ways of thinking will always divide generations.

                 

My generation, Generation Y, is more tech-savvy than our parents, Generation X. Electronics is one of the main differences between the two generations. Our parents grew up without electronics. To them, one of the greatest inventions was a Pac Man game that you could play for a quarter at the grocery store in town. Now our generation plays it on our phones.

                   

Generation X raised us. Even though our world is changing, our morals still stand by what they taught us. Morals are what keeps our generations tied together. Both generations rely on our conscience when making decisions, and our parents gave that to us.

                 

Another big difference in generations is multiculturalism. Back when our grandparents were young the idea of going to school with someone who wasn’t from the same race was thought ridiculous. Racism was popular and practiced. Segregation from different cultures was common during  that time.  Now, cultures around the world are mixed together. Thrown into one giant mixing pot, we go to school with people from across the world and don’t have a clue to what their background is like. We are becoming more acceptant of people every day, and this is one difference between us and our previous generations. Now that we have come together, technology is moving faster than ever. People are working together, instead of competing for a spot in society new ideas are opening up. After reading the Beloit list, I realized many of the ways Generatlon Y is different from the previous generations. We have different lingo that some of our parents will never understand. We speak of things that we have no clue about because they didn’t happen during our lifetimes. We talk about texting our friends and our parents barely know how to dial a number. They talk about LBJ, and we start talking about basketball statistics. The differences in our generations are never ending.

                   

Generation Y has a different work perspective than Generation X. My generation goes to work expecting someone to tell us what to do during every part of the day because that is how we were raised. We grew up asking our parent’s questions on how to do things. Also we have a different attire than our parents. We show up to work in flip flops and casual clothes in places most people would wear a suit. We strive to make ourselves noticed. We go above and beyond to make our bosses notice us. We strive to be noticed over the other employee working right next to us.

Another point is that even though we have our differences, one generation from now it will not matter. The next generation will be coming up with new technology that bypasses our own. Our descendants will race past our technology and then we will be the ones left in the dust. So in the end our differences will not matter. Our generations are growing apart in many ways, but we still remain closely attached with our morals.

Mahelona, Ryan: Beloit List

Between each generation changes in technology, business, social interaction, science and fashion take place. College professors today face many new situations that in their time were never an issue. To observe this trend, Google “1980’s fashion” and wonder, how did the ozone layer survive all of that hair spray? The difference in lifestyle between Generation X (DOB: 1965-80) and Generation Y (1985-85) is a prime example of how much life has changed based on publicly-used technology. When the first cell phone made its commercial debut at 2.5 pounds in 1983 (cnet.com), it was the first rung on the ladder that would lead to the computer-like, smartphones that teachers all over the world have learned to hate.

          

At the end of 2009 21% of Americans were in possession of a smartphone (nielsen.com), a phone with PDA functions. This is an advantage that all prior generations never had. The library is no longer the only place to conduct literary research when Internet access is available in 1 out of 5 pockets and at every college. The technology boom currently underway has drastically affected all departments in college. Art classes can now taking walking tours of the Louvre, math students do not even recognize the slide calculator as a viable resource, graduate students can now spell check their thesis papers with a single key stroke, and biology students can explore a DNA molecule on their sleek, new iPads. However, this boom has provided negative aspects to the teaching community too. The ease of access to online data and informational sites has presented a portable threat to academic integrity.

The internet has given the students of today the tools to cheat with ease. Teachers often underestimate the amount of information the Internet harbors. With the correct keywords, one can Google almost anything. Examining organic mechanisms in chemistry or solving equations for calculus are just two examples. Technological upgrades are showing up in the classroom at an impressive rate and, so are rules that keep them away from the learning process. As any modern day teacher knows, texting has become an epidemic of sorts. Students sending text messages during a test or interrupting lecture with a ringer has become a big problem in many schools as well.

          

The gap between generations has provided a set of pros and cons that weigh on the faculty-student relationship. However, I believe the differences to be negligible. A teacher does not need to be up to date on the latest fashion or have the best gadgets money can buy to be able to convey the subject they teach.  

Winchell, Raechel: Beloit List

                  There are many similarities and differences between the children of the Information Age and the older generation that teaches them. In most cases, the technology gap causes either a lack of understanding or a belief that students are becoming lazier. With the inventions of new technology comes new understanding and a lesser work ethic.

                   

Most of the older faculty still believe that spam is a type of canned meat, not an e-mail term. A lot of my professors dislike the use of cellphones due to the dishonest things that can be done with them, such as looking up answers to test questions. Students, however, find them useful and informational. Technology has also changed the math curriculum completely. Graphing calculators allow a student to work an entire and complex problem without ever having to work it out by hand. In my college algebra class last year, my teacher voiced several complaints against the use of calculators because they do the work for students. Soon, page-long equations will be a thing of the past.

                   

The Internet allows for book reports to be completed without ever cracking open a book. This can be credited to Spark notes and online book summaries, as well as to audio books. The luxury of audio books is that they require no reading at all. Traditional educators have always been involved in the news and current events in the world. With the invention of cell phones and news apps, most young people never watch news on the television anymore. They don’t see the point, when it can be viewed on the Internet with the click of a button. This leads to a lack of knowledge regarding the world around them. The biggest change that I have found while on this campus has to do with the library’s lack of fiction books. Literacy is no longer encouraged. That young people are not reading for enjoyment is both saddening and scary.

Much remains alike from when the educators themselves were in school. The basics of the curriculum are still very much the same. With the exception of the occasional laptop, most students still take their notes by pen and paper, and tests are still given in paper format. Most classes are still 50 minutes long, and the grading scale hasn’t changed much. The college experience itself is very constant in that students still have to leave home for the first time and abandon their comfort zones. The dormitories are still very basic and students still have to learn to cope with a roommate. School spirit has and will always be an important common area for students and faculty. The Mulerider sports teams have always experienced increasing support from the school, and the community. This is very unlikely to change anytime soon. Although, tuition rates are ever-rising, the fact that they are terribly expensive has always been clear. Technology hasn’t changed the way that faculty and students can still carry on intelligent conversations with one another, and connect with each other on an intellectual level outside of the classroom. This teacher-student bond will continue to strengthen even as the Internet grows. Online classes,however, may be an exception. Lastly, the reasons for being in the classroom have not changed. Students and faculty  have always gathered in class to reach a common goal, whether it be to obtain a degree or to earn a higher salary.

                   

With the advancement of the Internet and other technology, education is always changing. There are many similarities as well as differences between today’s learners and the older educators that teach them.

Khadka, Shubashree: Beloit List

The Beloit List is published annually in order to inform professors about the life experiences of the upcoming batch of freshmen. The most recent list presents the class of 2015 as the ‘Internet Class’ as most students in this class were born in 1993 when the Internet became the ‘happening’ thing that it is today. Now, almost two decades later, much of today’s society is built upon this glorious thing called the Internet, making it likely for this year’s freshmen to be hooked on technology. Because this list mainly focuses on students, Professor Bruce Krajewski came up with another mindset list for faculty born before 1980. This list deals with what faculty know, think, and believe. Both lists reveal differences between the mindsets of the new ‘Internet Class’ and faculty who are over 30 years of age. Both generations have problems recognizing prominent people from each other’s generation. For example, LBJ for those faculty born before 1980 would be President Lyndon B. Johnson but students think of LeBron James. Also, students know Arnold Palmer as a drink, Andy Warhol as a museum while to faculty, they were famous people.

Another difference is that both groups have their own verbal communication style. Today’s college students use “yadda, yadda, yadda” basically to cut a long story short. They use “like” in almost every other sentence. Faculty uses “wii” as an exclamation in order to show a feeling of euphoria. The means of communication also differs. Faculty use “I phone” to communicate but only as a part of speech and not the real cellphone from Apple. Students and their cellphones are inseparable. They prefer texting and Facebook over e-mail. On the other hand, their faculty faced books instead of using Facebook. From music to books, nearly all types of media are available on the Internet. Today, many students never meet their teachers due to the availability of online courses. The Internet has grown so much that people have even started to create their wills online.

The differences between the generations are not limited to technology. Each grew up in two different kinds of social environments. Freshmen grew up at a time when women served in Navy, the Supreme Court, and in the Catholic Church. They have always seen tax forms in Spanish. Faculty, however, grew up when there was no empowerment of women. They lived during an age when Martin Luther King Jr. Day was not celebrated in every state. The United States did not even have governance over Guantánamo back then.

These two lists present a brief outline about how different the mindsets of people of different generations tend to be. Instead of dividing the two sets of people, this list in fact helps them understand each other and come together for the common purpose of learning from each other. Faculty must have an open mind and remain updated about every change happening in a changing world. Similarly, students must respect what their teachers believe in and should consider learning about the reasons that led to those beliefs.   

Owens, Landon: Beloit List

            There is a larger gap than ever in how professors and students grew up and how they see the world. Much of this is due to the revolution of the Internet and its relative accessibility. Students and professors are constantly attempting to bridge the gap between them in the classroom. The technology, knowledge, and information of our world today are increasing at an exponential rate. As the Beloit University Mind-Set List shows, there are an ever-growing number of examples that point out the differences between professors and students. In some ways professors and students may still find common ground some of their views and thoughts, however, for the most part there a large gap remains.

             

Among the many differences found between professors and students are many of the references that professors make in class. Many students will blankly stare back at them having no idea of what they are talking about. The class of 2015 in particular has never known many of the things that professors of earlier generations grew up with as  fixtures in their everyday lives. These things include having only three TV channels to watch (if they had a TV) and growing up with heroes like Joe Namath and Johnny Unitas. Professors had the opportunity of experiencing the transition to e-mail while students have moved on to faster mediums of communication such as texting and social networking.

             

So many things that our professors were used to seeing or hearing on a daily basis are now outdated or lost. The Beloit List shows just how much is different between the instructors and their students.  It states how “blackboards” are getting smarter referring to the fact that most professors were probably taught by the use of an actual blackboard while there students this year use an online application named BlackBoard for class. So many differences lie in the emergence and evolution of the Internet. It has made the world so much more technology dependent. Professors are struggling to keep up. In the small amount of time from when our professors were born till now, the world looks completely different due to the advancement of technology.

             

Another main difference between students and professors is the change in popular culture over the years. Many professors and students are unable to connect on a deeper level than just through the classroom environment. One of the areas where this is noticed most is in music. Most professors know next to nothing of today’s popular hits while many students are the same with the hits of the past. Understanding each other is tough with such different musical tastes. There also is a very large difference in how schools were run when professors were growing up. Schools today are much different. Today’s students have never had a summer break that lasted till Labor Day and began learning algebra in elementary school. Everything has changed, from what is taught to the difficulty of courses.

            

 In some ways, professors and students are similar. For instance, both professors and students experienced the bombing of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. This was a major uniting factor between all people who remember that day. Also, students and professors share all of the most recent advancements in technology, such as the smart phone, and tablets. Not to say that they are equally proficient, however.

            

 Students from the class of 2015 and the professors that instruct them have many differences and a few similarities. There is quite a gap between the two and how they grew up and their views on the world. In this day and age with the world changing at a faster rate with each day, there will never be two generations that have more similarities than differences. The relationship between professors and students will never have so much in common that many of them will thank in similar ways.