Genteels’ conference focuses on new generation of students

UB faculty who want to bridge the generational gap with their students’ ever-increasing reliance on technology should plan to attend this year’s Genteels’ conference.

The conference, titled “iGen: How to Connect, Engage and Inspire the Newest Generation of Students,” will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 20 in the Student Union, North Campus.

Bringing together educational professionals to share ideas on how teachers can connect, engage and inspire students, the conference will look at the ways technology and media have influenced how students interact and learn.

The iGen, or Generation Z, refers to students born between 1996 and 2012, a generation that has witnessed tremendous technological expansion, commercialization of the internet and the increasing popularity of social media. Students growing up in the iGen have always used technology and media in order to communicate, learn and engage. As a result, the ways in which teachers interact with and educate these students have become complicated.

Andrew McPeak, a millennial speaker and co-author of “Marching Off the Map: Inspiring Students to Navigate a Brand New World,” will deliver the conference’s keynote speech. McPeak will share his insights on reconnecting with the iGen during a time of technological expansion, and how this gap affects communication and learning.

The keynote is open to all UB faculty and staff, as well as the broader community.

The conference is named for the Genteels, the stage name of educators J. Ronald Gentile and Kay Johnson-Gentile. Together, they composed, performed and recorded music and conducted workshops promoting the integration of music into education curriculum.

“We were constantly trying to put together programs and workshops for how faculty could expand their repertoire and teaching skills,” says Gentile, SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus in the UB Department of Counseling, School and Educational Psychology. “Even before technology came into play, the question remained how to broaden a teacher’s ability to interact with their students.”

The annual conference, which supports excellence in teaching at UB, is made possible through an endowment by Gentile and his wife, UB alumna Kay Johnson-Gentile, who taught elementary education and reading for many years at SUNY Buffalo State. They both are recipients of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.

“Teachers get into ruts and get comfortable with what they are doing,” Gentile says. “This conference is going to show that these teachers don’t necessarily hook into every student; you have to provide students with the tools.

“These conferences allow teachers to try different means of reaching out to their students and are useful in teaching new ways to engage.”

The cost of the conference is $25 and covers the keynote, breakout sessions, lunch and refreshments. Those interested should register online by March 12.

A detailed conference schedule can be found on the conference  website.

For more information, contact the Center for Educational Innovation at 716-645-7700 or ubcei@buffalo.edu.