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Bridging Generational Gaps in Teaching and

Learning Across Generations

By Xi Lin and Phyllis Broughton

Understanding the expectations of instructors across generations would help faculty
better serve students’ needs and develop an engaging learning environment. This article
examines faculty’s and students’ expectations of instructors’ behaviors in face-to-face and
online course settings. It also summarizes the general characteristics of generations and
identifies generational gaps in teaching and learning. The authors discuss changing roles
and implications of student engagement using technology. Findings of the study suggest an
opportunity to dialogue and collaborate toward supporting more engaging and active learning
in both online and face-to-face teaching and learning.

oday, students from the younger generations—specifically the Millennials (1981–
T1996) and Generation Z (1997–2012)—are currently enrolled in universities.
With more and more young students entering campuses, instructors need to maximize
the teaching and learning environments for those in these younger generations. In
order to implement effective teaching strategies, one must understand what these
students expect of their instructors. Additionally, many schools have transferred
from face-to-face to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students and
instructors are adjusting to this online teaching and learning and find it beneficial
and engaging. Thus, understanding students’ expectations of online instructors in
particular could provide a means of developing and integrating efficient teaching
strategies. Accordingly, this study explored students’ and faculty’s expectations of
instructors’ behaviors in face-to-face and online settings. It further compared what a
younger generation of students expects of instructors with faculty’s expectations of
instructors in both settings. This study may develop a dialogue between students and
faculty and collaboration toward supporting more engaging and active learning in
both online and face-to-face teaching and learning across generations.

Understanding Generations and What Makes Them Unique
Generally, six generations are identified (Dimock, 2019; generation ages
calculated in 2022):
• The Greatest Generation: born prior to 1928; age 95 and beyond.
• Silent Generation: born 1928–1945; ages 94–77 years;
• Baby Boomers: born 1946–1964; ages 76–58 years;
• Gen-Xers: born 1965–1980; ages 57–42 years;
• Millennials: born 1981–1996; ages 41–26 years; and
• Generation Z: born 1997–2012, ages 25–10 years.
Those of the Silent Generation are now professor emeriti or senior faculty members.
Aaron and Levenberg (2014) noted that members of this group have a strong work
ethic and are loyal to their jobs: “You can count on them” (p. 17). Their work-
life balance is typically all work and no play. The Baby Boomers are generally the
mid-level and senior faculty and have worked their way to serve as the leaders in
a department. Individuals of this group have little work-life balance because they
are considered workaholics. They are dedicated, ambitious, idealistic, competitive,

6 The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin: International Journal for Professional Educators