eng Science and Education Publishing American Journal of Educational Research 2327-6150 2015-05-03 3 5 624 630 10.12691/education-3-5-15 EDUCATION20153515 article Renata Holubova renata.holubova@upol.cz 1 Department of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic The main issue of this study is the analysis around strategies how to engage generation Y learners. The aim of the study was to find out the contribution of various teaching and learning methods that teachers and learners can use in the twenty-first-century classroom. This study is a continuation of the previous research provided in 2010. During the study various methods were used: problem based learning, project based learning, team work, inquiry based learning, interdisciplinary approach, experiments - from very simple and low cost experiments to computer based experiments and remote laboratories. It was found out that generation Y learners can be motivated by various instructional methods based on their own activity. Their own doing seemed to be more important for them than learning itself. It is then more than useful to use educational materials including charts, graphic presentations and cartoons. The main goal of the study was to analyze the effectiveness of the use of mind maps and concept maps, which are not common during students' instruction at secondary and high schools in the Czech Republic. A set of concept maps on the basis of high school physics textbooks was prepared. http://pubs.sciepub.com/education/3/5/15/education-3-5-15.pdf generation Y motivation concept maps activating methods