The Expectations of Adulting: Developing Soft Skills through Active Learning Classrooms

Abstract

The technologically enhanced classroom assists students in developing their interpersonal, or soft skills, and helps them strengthen needed competencies as they move into their careers. This may be particularly helpful for millennial students, who have grown up interacting with others electronically, via text message, Instagram, and the like. Once on campus, students must adapt to increasing expectations of adulthood: along with becoming more responsible and independent critical thinkers, they must also be able to speak effectively with others face-to-face and to negotiate relationships in groups, skills that they often noticeably lack.