Neomillennial User Experience Design Strategies: Utilizing Social Networking Media to Support “<i>Always on</i>” Learning Styles

TLDR

Today's net‑centric students, raised in an “always‑on” digital environment, expect self‑paced, customized learning paths that integrate interactive, social, and self‑publishing media tools. The study investigates how integrating social networking, user‑experience design, and emerging media into curricula can support neomillennial learning styles, foster learning communities, and enhance engagement in both synchronous and asynchronous environments. The article provides directional data to help instructors and course designers select social networking resources and emerging technologies that enhance instruction and meet neomillennial learning needs.

Abstract

Raised in the “always on” world of interactive media, the Internet, and digital messaging technologies, today's student has different expectations and learning styles than previous generations. This net-centric generation values their ability to use the Web to create a self-paced, customized, on-demand learning path that includes multiple forms of interactive, social, and self-publishing media tools. First, we investigate the formation of a burgeoning digital pedagogy that roots itself in current adult and social learning theories, while integrating social networking, user experience design strategies, and other emerging technologies into the curriculum to support student learning. Next, we explore how current and emerging social networking media (such as Weblogs, iPod, RSS/XML, podcasting/audioblogs, wiki, Flickr, and other self-publishing media) can support neomillennial learning styles, facilitate the formation of learning communities, foster student engagement and reflection, and enhance the overall user experience for students in synchronous and asynchronous learning environments. The data included in this article are intended as directional means to help instructors and course designers identify social networking resources and other emerging technologies that will enhance the delivery of instruction while meeting the needs of today's neomillennial learning styles.