Technoconstructivism and the millennial generation: Creative writing in the foreign language classroom

The Millennial Generation is different from the generations of foreign language students who have preceded them. In the classroom, Millennial students prefer collaborative learning, the use of technology, a peer review/support/connection, structure, hands-on learning, and opportunities for personal creativity. This contemporary generation needs teachers to adopt a more relevant methodology to reflect their understanding of and respect for the information mindset that students bring to the classroom. Given these traits, the most effective methodology for their learning environment is one that blends the pedagogical practices advocated by social constructivism with the benefits of educational technology that speaks directly to the learning styles of Millennial Generation students: technoconstructivism. This style of teaching effectively engages Millennial Generation students in creative writing in the target language by incorporating assignments such as Web-based pre-writing activities, computerized multiple-draft assignments, peer reviews, and individual multimedia presentations.