The Millennial Generation: The Next Generation in College Enrollment Gaston College November 1, 2010 Terri Manning Bobbie Frye A Study Funded by the Workforce Development Board It May Take a Village to Raise a Child, but it Takes a Society to Raise a Generation Economic Conditions Societal Norms Political Events Major Crises Each Generation • Consists of approximately a 20-year span (not all demographers and generation researchers agree on the exact start/stop dates) • Has a unique set of values • Reacts to the generation before them • Looks at their generation as the standard of comparison • Looks at the next generation skeptically “these kids today…” • They are either idealistic, reactive, civic or adaptive Things Have Changed 1950’s 1960’s 1980’s 2000 + The Veterans (Silent Generation or Greatest Generation) 1925–1942 (adaptive) • Raised by the GI Generation (civic) • Large families (3-5 children) • Strong sense of extended family (same town or home) • Grandparents in the home • Average 10-year-old spent 4-6 hours daily with a significant adult role model • Rural society • Apprenticeship businesses and farming • Perception of the world as “safe” Core Values Dedication Hard Work Conformity Law and Order Patience Delayed Reward Duty before Pleasure Adherence to Rules Honor The Veterans • Children of the Great Depression and WWII, this generation decided not to attack the institutions created by the generation before them, but instead, as global thinkers, they chose to focus on improving and refining them so that they could be good for everyone, not just a select few. • The overall goal was not to change the system, but to work within it. • While economically very successful, they were also the inventors of "the midlife crises" probably because they didn't get a chance to enjoy the freedoms of their youth. The Veterans Important Events • Lindbergh Completes First Transatlantic Flight • Stock Market Crash • Depression • The New Deal • Social Security • Pearl Harbor • The End of WWII • FDR Dies • Korean War Cultural Memorabilia • Kewpie Dolls • Mickey Mouse • Flash Gordon • Radio • Wheaties • Tarzan • Jukeboxes • Blondie • The Lone Ranger • The McCarthy Era Veterans - How They Learn • • • • New is not necessarily better Not innovative with new ideas Like structure, schedules and procedures Brain processes new ideas into old mental framework • Some refuse to work with technology (too overwhelming a learning curve, others jump in) • Want clear expectations and guidelines • Must memorize the basics School Experiences for Veterans • • • • • • • • • • • Hard work Respected their elders Children were to be seen and not heard Felt an obligation to make the grade Performance based on individual ability Little feedback unless negative More intrinsic reward for good performance Learned from history (other’s experiences) Small class size, one curriculum for all No special ed (students no where in sight) Virtually never tested with standardized tests – less comparison to others College Experiences • Lucky to be there – few able to attend until the GI Bill then campuses and centers opened all over the place – more competition • Traditional teaching/learning environment • Associate new learning with previous learning • Sequencing of knowledge and skills • Education is a process – must memorize the basics • Seek to become content experts • Faculty = “sage on a stage” • Experience of mentors is relevant • Take time to really understand material • Taught by processing through formulas – have to understand why things work – not that they “just do” Values of Faculty/Staff in this Age Group • Loyal to employer (company man) and expect the same in return • Believe they should be rewarded for tenure • Work ethic = efficiency and hard work • Stable, thorough and detail oriented • Don’t buck the system but work within it • Uncomfortable with conflict and disagreements • Not change oriented The Baby Boomers 1943–1964 (the largest generation, idealist) • Divorce reached a low in 1960 of 9% • Families moved due to GI Bill, GI housing and industrialization • First generation to live miles from Core Values extended family Optimism • Family size smaller (2-3 children) Team Orientation Personal Gratification • Few grandparents in the home Health and Wellness • Moms stayed home, dads carpooled Personal Growth Youth • Children spent significant time with Work adult role models Involvement • Perception of the world as “safe” Baby Boomers Life Events Important Events • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Rosa Parks First Nuclear Power Plant The Civil Rights Act Cuban Missile Crisis John Glen Orbits the Earth Martin Luther King Leads March on Washington, D.C. President John F. Kennedy Assassination National Organization for Women Founded Martin Luther King Assassination Robert F. Kennedy Assassination Watergate Kent State Massacre Vietnam War Woodstock Cultural Memorabilia • Television • The Ed Sullivan Show • Barbie Dolls • Fallout Shelters • Poodle Skirts • Pop Beads • Slinkies • TV Dinners • Hula Hoops • The Peace Sign • Laugh In How Boomers Learn • Want things to fit into the “big picture” • Want recognition for how well they have done • Team oriented, work well in groups • Like to explore and analyze, look at different views • Follow instructions well • Good with content Boomer’s Educational Experiences • • • • • • • Overwhelmed the school system, large class sizes Ability grouped (red birds and blue birds) Question authority but respect position See life as an adventure (and school) Emphasis on team work (cohort education) Need silence to concentrate Were told “you are lucky to be here, others are standing in line to get in.” • Want to feel valued • No special ed students in school but honors courses in a few subjects • Rarely tested and not for school performance (PSAT, SAT) College Experiences • Attending more common – boom in 60’s and 70’s • College campuses a reflection of turbulent times – faculty often rebels – Kent State Massacre, etc. • Emphasis on self-exploration, mind expansion, lots of philosophizing in classes - content over-explained and overanalyzed – deep thinkers (not necessarily critical thinkers) • Aspire to intellectualism • Some career emphasis but still heavy general education and classics-based • Left home and never looked back • Emphasis on memorization and skill built upon skill • Taught by process and to be content experts • No technology – print by mimeograph machines Boomer Faculty/Staff Values • Majority of faculty and significant number of students (age 45-66ish) • Always share personal experience – “what has happened to me is relevant to you” • Value stability and respect • Like to see their successes • Tend to “workaholism” and have difficulty balancing their lives, working 40 hours is “slack.” • Are competitive • See themselves as the standard of comparison • Appreciate technology because of how easy it makes their work – still fear they might “break it” and may have a “back-up plan” The Late Veterans and Early Boomers Gave Birth to the Next Generation • The Gen Xers 1965–1982 • A Lost Generation… A Nomadic Generation….. • Half the Size of the Baby Boom (reactive) Gen X Life Events Important Events • Women’s Liberation Protests • Watergate Scandal • Energy Crisis begins • Tandy and Apple Market PCs • Mass Suicide in Jonestown • Three Mile Island • US Corporations begin Massive Layoffs • Iran Hostage Crisis • John Lennon Shot and Killed • Ronald Reagan Inaugurated • Challenger Disaster • Exxon Valdez Oil Tanker Spill • HIV Cultural Memorabilia • • • • • The Brady Bunch Pet Rocks Platform Shoes The Simpsons Evening Soaps (Dallas and Dynasty) • ET • Cabbage Patch Dolls • Super-hero Cartoons on TV (He-man) How Gen Xers Learn • Task oriented – like to learn new skills • Speed is important • Self-paced learning, independent learning • Want to have fun while they learn • Informal learning environments are best • Hate group work • Want feedback from teacher Educational Experiences • • • • • • • • • • • Learned to rely on self (don’t like group work) Distrust authority Seek challenging environment (career education emphasis) Want feedback on progress Want to do things their way – like no rules and freedom on assignments Had special ed classrooms in school but separated Had honors programs Funding cut to education Testing “mania” began with them First daycare centers arose with them Many latch-key kids College Experiences • Numbers dropped from 60’s and 70’s • More emphasis on career education • Technology began to emerge (Eric Silver Platter, FAX machines, PCs [Apple and Tandy], calculators) • More extracurricular activities • Some self-paced learning • Costs increased, more financial aid • More structure and group activity • Experiential exercises emerged • Began “learning on my own” due to technology Gen Xers as Faculty/Staff • Significant number of faculty and significant number of students (age 28-44ish) • Cynical and pessimistic, impatient with poorer people skills • Want work-life balance, want control of self, time and future • Think globally and seek independence • Like technology and want an informal work environment • Don’t want the boomers’ work ethic • Communication is important and talk to adults as friends/peers (not impressed with authority) • Believe reward should be based on productivity not hours worked, loyalty to people not a company Generation X • This is the conscientious, extremely pragmatic, self-sufficient generation that has a ruthless focus on the bottom-line. • Born and raised at a time when children were at the bottom of our social priorities, Gen Xers learned that they could only count on one thing themselves. As a result, they are very "me" oriented. • They are not active voters, nor are they deeply involved in politics in general. The Gen X Childhood • Divorce reached an all-time high • Single-parent families became the norm • Latch-key kids were a major issue of the time • Children not as valued – looked at as a hardship • Families spread out (miles apart) • Family size = 1.7 children (many only-children) • Perception of the world as “unsafe” • Average 10 year old spent 14 ½ minutes a day with a significant adult role model • Parents looked around and said – we need to do this better Core Values Dedication Hard Work Conformity Law and Order Patience Delayed reward Duty before pleasure Adherence to rules Honor Generation Next (civic) The Echo Boom/Millennials… The Millennials are almost as large as the baby boom-some say larger - depending on how you measure them (approx. 81M). The Millennials are the children born between 1982 and 2002 (peaked in 1990), a cohort called by various names: Echo Boom Generation Y Millennials Net Generation Things Began to Change for This Generation • Abortion rates peaked in 1980 and began a slow decline. • Poverty rate for children peaked in 1983 and began a slow decline (Medicaid began). • US divorce rate peaked in 1981 and began a decline. • Homicide rate against children peaked in 1982 and began a decline. • They were born into a better world, a more optimistic world than the generation before them. Millennial School Experiences • Many private schools, charter schools, magnet schools – all to meet the needs of the individual child –many, many choices • School uniforms, child safety, high performance standards, character education, cooperative learning and community service • Goal oriented – outcome based education (what’s in it for me) • School is a means to an end – one must endure until the next level • Interactive, participatory and engaging – are consulted by adults • Everything 24/7 and available electronically Millennial School Experiences • No “grunt work” - must do “meaningful work”, participate in decisions • International flavor, celebrate diversity, different is okay • Motivated by working with bright, motivated and moral people • Student makes judgments about truth and believability of what is taught • Classroom mainstreamed – multiple levels based on ability and interest • Constantly tested and compared to peers (learned to take tests so now of little use for college admissions) • Feel pressure for high achievement How Millennials Learn • Try it their way – always looking for better, faster way of doing things • Prefer graphics before text, reading of excerpts • Like small and fast processing technology – best when networked • Want instant gratification and frequent rewards (spot) How Millennials Learn • Focus on skill development – not memorization of what they perceive they don’t need to know • Productivity is key – not attendance – so make class worthwhile or they won’t come • Have different critical thinking skills based on their high tech world not thought processing (need help here) • Rely on teacher to facilitate learning • Group think and interaction Millennial College Experiences • Multiple options – state, private, proprietary schools, community colleges, dual and concurrently enrolled, middle college, etc. (Where does one start and another begin?) make the choice by “what’s best for me.” • Fast paced learning • Group activities (learning communities, peer tutoring, service learning, supplemental instruction) • More assumed responsibility from colleges for the social issues of students (before, faculty weren’t concerned) • Don’t want or need silence to concentrate – freaks out the librarians Millennial College Experiences • All possible content is on the internet – need process and skills-based • Get out as fast as you can • Stay home as long as you can – are protected and mentored • Get “do-overs” often • Lots of technology, no tolerance for delays • Are not hardy, drop out and quit easily • Dislike ambiguity – “just tell us what we need to know” Millennials • This generation is civic-minded, much like the previous GI Generation. • They are collectively optimistic, long-term planners, high achievers with lower rates of violent crime, teen pregnancy, smoking and alcohol use than ever before. • This generation believes that they have the potential to be great and they probably do. We are looking to them to provide us with a new definition of citizenship. Demographic Trends The Baby Boomers chose to become older parents in the 1980s while Gen X moms reverted back to the earlier birth-age norm, which meant that two generations were having babies. More parental education: 1 in 4 has at least one parent with a college degree. Kids born in the late ‘90s are the first in American history whose mothers are better educated than their fathers by a small margin. Demographic Trends – Changing Diversity Increase in Latino immigration Latino women tend to have a higher fertility rates than nonLatino women. Nearly 35% of Millennials are nonwhite or Latino. Twenty percent of this generation has at least one parent who is an immigrant. Millennials have become the most racially and ethnically diverse generation in US History. Safety Issues The Safest Generation • This generation was buckled up in car seats, wore bike helmets, elbow and knee pads when skating, and were the inspiration for “Baby on Board” signs. The Well-Being of U.S. Teens • Mortality Rate for US teens aged 15–19 declined from 1960 to 1997. -Teens are having fewer accidents than Boomers Major Influencing Factors 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Their parents The self-esteem movement The customer service movement Gaming and technology Casual communication Parenting Millennials • This generation is being parented by welleducated, over-involved adults who participate in “deliberate parenting.” They have outcomes in mind. • Boomers were the first generation to be thrown out in to an unsafe world as adolescents. • The 60’s and 70’s were very scary and many of us felt unprepared for it. • We were naïve and didn’t have enough tools in our tool box to deal with it. Baby Boomers as Parents • Boomers rebelled against the parenting practices of their parents. • Strict discipline was the order of the day for boomers. • They made conscious decisions not to say “because I told you so” or “because I’m the parent and you’re the child.” • Boomers became more “friendly” with their children. They wanted to have open lines of communication and a relationship with them. Baby Boomers as Parents • They explained things to their children, (actions, consequences, options, etc.) – they wanted them to learn to make informed decisions. • They allowed their children to have input into family decisions, educational options and discipline issues. • We told them “just because it is on television doesn’t mean it’s true” or “you can’t believe everything you read.” • We wanted them to question authority. The Result • Millennials have become “a master set of negotiators” who are capable of rational thought and decision-making skills at young ages. • They will negotiate with anyone including their parents, teachers and school administrators. • Some call this “arguing.” Helicopter Parents • Helicopter Parent (n) A parent who hovers over his or her children. • Or Snowplow parent: Parents who clear the way for their children • ……these (echo) boomers are confident, achievement-oriented and used to hovering "helicopter" parents keeping tabs on their every move. (Anthony DeBarros, "New baby boom swamps colleges," USA Today, January 2, 2003) Helicopter Parent go to College • A new generation of over-involved parents are flooding campus orientations, meddling in registration and interfering with students' dealings with professors, administrators and roommates, school officials say. • Some of these hovering parents, whose numbers have been rising for several years, are unwittingly undermining their children's chances of success, campus administrators say. Now, universities and colleges are moving rapidly to build or expand programs aimed at helping parents strike a better balance. Colleges Ward Off Overinvolved Parents By Sue Shellenbarger From The Wall Street Journal Online Issues for Discussion - Dealing With Parents • The last group of millennials will begin college in 2020. • We need to begin to be proactive now. – Orientation for parents – Materials for parents – Communication with parents via newsletter or emails – Help them learn how to help their student – Help them understand what it takes for a student to become independent and help themselves Dealing With Parents • FERPA only limits us from talking to parents about student progress, attendance, grades, etc. but nothing else. • We feel we shouldn’t have to deal with parents – because our history indicates our average student age has been about 30. • Not so today – most rapidly growing group is under 25 and will continue to be so for a while (in 07-08, 50% were under 30) • Parents need to know about FERPA What Do Universities Do With Parents • • • • Parents organization – great help with fundraising Parent orientation Parents’ weekend (or other events) Mail to parents to purchase care packages during finals week, etc. • Parents pay for services for their children • Could be a great group of volunteers for us • But it takes staff to coordinate them Baby Boomer Parents have been their Biggest Cheerleaders • Millennials expect and need praise. • Will mistake silence for disapproval. • Millennials expect feedback. Who are your heroes? • An Associate Press/MTV poll asked millennials who they looked up to as heroes? – 50% said their parents (29% mom, 21% dad) – 11% named a friend – 10% said God – 8% named a grandmother – 7% a brother – 5% a teacher or professor CNN 8/20/07 Focus on Self-esteem • This generation was the center of the “self-esteem” movement. • 9,068 books were written about self-esteem and children during the 80s and 90s (there were 485 in the 70s). • The state of California spent millions studying the construct and published a document entitled “Toward a State of Self-esteem.” • Yet they can’t escape the angst of adolescence – they still feel disconnected, question their existence, purpose and the meaning of life. They want to feel valued and cared about. Focus on Customer Service • Expect access (24/7) • Expect things to work like they are supposed to • If they don’t “that is your problem” • They want what they have paid for • Everything comes with a toll-free number or web address • Want “Gateway Go Back” in classes Add the Impact of Gaming • Gaming has impacted children – The game endings changed based on the decisions children made (Role Playing Games [Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, Chronotrigger]) impacting locus of control. – Involves a complex set of decisionmaking skills. – Teaches them to take multiple pieces of data and make decisions quickly. – Learning more closely resembles Nintendo, a trial and error approach to solving problems. We navigated our way through….. They navigated their way through….. Technology • This generation has been plugged in since they were babies. • They grew up with educational software and computer games. • They think technology should be free. • They want and expect services 24/7. • They do not live in an 8–5 world. • They function in an international world. Cell Phone Technology • 39% had cell phones in 2004 – 66% by 2009. Expect to be in contact 24/7. • Not a phone – a lifestyle management tool • Staying “connected” is essential. • Communication is a safety issue for parents. • Communication has become casual for students (IM, email and cell phones. Children and Teens and Technology Children and Teens on the Computer Source: Los Angeles Times Cell Phone Usage Texting • The typical American teen sends 50 messages a day or 1,500 a month. • 31% of teens send and receive more than 100 messages a day (3,000 a month.) • 65% of high school students use cell phones in school, 25% text in class. • 86% of adults have cell phones. Source: www.techcrunch.com (Feb. 2010) Mobile Devices • 25% of Americans 12 and older have listened to audio from an iPod. • 18% of 8-18 year-olds have iPods/MP3 Players in 2004 – 76% by 2009. • 26% of people read news on a mobile device. The average American digests 34 gigabytes of information outside of work daily, • More than 100 million access Facebook from a mobile device Daily Technology/Media Use Kaiser Generation M2-Kids/Youth/Media Survey (Jan. 2010) Social Networking • The world spends 110 billion minutes on social-media and blog sites. This equates to 22% of all the time online or 1 in every 4 ½ minutes. • These sites were visited by 75% of the global consumers who go online. The average visitor spends almost 6 hours a month. • Facebook passed the 500 million user mark in July 2010. • 50% of Americans have profiles on social networking sites. Source: www.web-strategist.com Common Sense Media Poll (Aug. 2009) Teen social networking by the numbers 51 Percentage of teens check their sites more than once a day. 22 Percentage check their sites more than 10 times a day. 39 Percentage have posted something they later regretted. 37 Percentage have used the sites to make fun of other students. 25 Percentage have created a profile with a false identity. 24 Percentage have hacked into someone else's social networking account. 13 Percentage have posted nude or seminude pictures or videos of themselves or others online. Characteristics of Today’s Children • 76% want to learn more about the world (much smaller for them). • 28% of high school students access foreign news sources via the Internet. • 90% percent of children between ages 5 and 17 use computers. • Teens spend more time online using the Internet than watching television. From: A Nation on the Move, http://www.ed.gov What About 1st Generation Students? • Not all students will be proficient; first-generation and students from low income or working class families may have less experience. • Their experience with technology has been minimal in school (poorer districts.) • They have not had the exposure to educational uses of technology – software that does WORK for them. • We need another placement test – remedial keyboarding and technology. • Huge digital divide between the “haves” and the “have nots” based on income levels (class). Greatest Challenge • Content experts teaching content to students – in a day when all possible content is on the Internet. • They can find what you know in how many seconds? Quote…. • “Once being a professor meant (among other things) possessing, by dint of years immersed in library mineshafts, refinements on knowledge that were effectively inaccessible to the unlearned person. Now, most of that esoterica is available instantly on Wikipedia.” – Louis Menand, Harvard Professor, 2010, The Marketplace of Ideas: Reform and Resistance in the American University. Quote…. • “A pressing pedagogical challenge right now is the problem of adapting a linear model for transmitting knowledge – the lecture monologue, in which a single line of thought leads to an intellectual climax after fifty minutes – to a generation of students who are accustomed to dealing with multiple information streams in short bursts.” • Louis Menand, Harvard Professor, 2010, The Marketplace of Ideas: Reform and Resistance in the American University. What world are we preparing them for? – The one we grew up in??? – A future world unknown to many of us – Critical topics • Information literacy • Language (bilingual a necessity) • Technology that does work for them • Critical decision-making • Dealing with change • Globalism, world economy • Rapid disbursement of information around the globe • Get ahead with process skills, applied knowledge Top Ten Skills for the Future • Work ethic, including self-motivation and time management. • Physical skills, e.g., maintaining one's health and good appearance. • Verbal (oral) communication, including one-on-one and in a group • Written communication, including editing and proofing one's work. • Working directly with people, relationship building, and team work. • The Futurist Update (Vol. 5, No. 2), an e-newsletter from the World Future Society, quotes Bill Coplin on the “ten things employers want [young people] to learn in college” Top Ten Skills for the Future, cont. • Influencing people, including effective salesmanship and leadership. • Gathering information through various media and keeping it organized. • Using quantitative tools, e.g., statistics, graphs, or spreadsheets. • Asking and answering the right questions, evaluating information, and applying knowledge. • Solving problems, including identifying problems, developing possible solutions, and launching solutions. The Futurist Update (Vol. 5, No. 2), an e-newsletter from the World Future Society, quotes Bill Coplin on the “ten things employers want [young people] to learn in college” Learning Outcomes for the 21st Century Students in the 21st Century will need to be proficient in: • • • • • • Reading, writing, speaking and listening Applying concepts and reasoning Analyzing and using numerical data Citizenship, diversity/pluralism Local, community, global, environmental awareness Analysis, synthesis, evaluation, decision-making, creative thinking (The League for Innovation’s 21st Century Learning Outcomes Project.) 21st Century, cont. Students in the 21st Century will need to be proficient in: • Collecting, analyzing and organizing information • Teamwork, relationship management, conflict resolution and workplace skills • Learning to learn, understand and manage self, management of change, personal responsibility, aesthetic responsiveness and wellness • Computer literacy, internet skills, information retrieval and information management (The League for Innovation’s 21st Century Learning Outcomes Project.) Quote… • “Sheer information is no longer a major piece of the value-added of higher education.” • Elizabeth Renker, The Origins of American Literature Studies: An Institutional History, 2007. Millennial Expectations • They have grown up in an outcomes-based world – have the attitude “what’s in it for me?” • Clear expectations, explicit syllabi, and well structured assignments. • They expect detailed instructions and guidelines for completing assignments. • They have come from K-12 systems where students are actively involved in learning and classroom activities change often. • Teachers are helpers/facilitators of learning. Satisfaction with Online Courses 70% 60% 50% 63% 55% 40% 38% 30% 26% 20% 10% 0% Veterans Source: Educause Boomers Gen X Millennials Ambitions Most popular college majors: • • • Medicine Education/teaching Business and marketing • • • Engineering Law and politics Computer science Most sought after qualities in careers: • • • Responsibility Independence Creativity • Idealistic and committed co-workers Most common job trends : • • Source: Industry Week, March, 1998. Multi-taskers Change Careers • • Seek security & benefits Stay with company that offers a challenge Difference in Values • They have witnessed their baby boomer parents coming home from stressed jobs, exhausted, falling asleep at the dinner table; and don’t want that for themselves. • They are a generation who is interested in a life with value and meaning – they do not aspire to what the “boomers” aspire to – they want something different. True Multi-taskers • Millennials have lived programmed lives and are already quite capable of learning several jobs simultaneously and performing them admirably. • Millennials will change careers many times. • Retooling and recycling their skills and talents will become common. • To retain them, smart employers will encourage Millennials to try out different careers within the same company. Characteristics They Look for in Teachers • At least 50% said: – – – – – – Enthusiastic about the course/teaching Are fun to be around Provide intellectual challenges Have flexible class policies Are sensitive to your needs/feelings Emphasize preparing for future career Working in Teams • How do you feel about working in teams? – I like it – Have no feelings about it – I don’t like it 44.7% 25.9% 29.4% Working in Teams • In the classroom, do you do the following? 1 = never 2 = rarely 3 = sometimes 4 = often Mean (sd) Are given “team grades” on working with others Write papers/do projects with others Study/do research in teams 2.62 (.89) 2.41 (.79) 2.35 (.80) Salary Expectations • Realistically, what do you expect your starting salary will be when you begin working? – – – – – – $15-20K $21-30K $31-40K $41-50K $50K+ Not sure Millennials 7.7% 29.3% 27.0% 15.9% 7.0% 12.5% Approximately 65% felt they would learn $40K or less Jobs in Lifetime • How many jobs do you think you will hold in your lifetime? – 1-3 35.7% – 4-6 41.5% – 7-10 16.5% – Over 10 6.2% 64% expect to have 4 or more jobs Future Odds • The following % felt it was very likely that they would someday: Work for themselves/own business Have lifestyle they grew up with 21% 63% • 79% felt a two income household would be somewhat to very important in reaching their lifestyle goals? Quality of Life? Rank order of items that contribute to a good quality of life (% ranking item in top 3 on a scale of 1-8) – – – – – – – Having a secure future for my family Time to enjoy family/children Having family/children Having a great job Having good friends Having plenty of money Having plenty of free time 71.5% 68.7% 63.2% 60.4% 55.2% 45.5% 40.2% Your Generation in the Future • Someday, your generation will be raising kids, running corporations and occupying high political office. When that day comes, which areas of American life will be better, the same or worse than today because of your generation? – 3 = better – 2 = same – 1 = worse Areas they felt they would do better: Technology Race Relations Areas they felt they would do about the same: Economy Schools Arts/Culture Foreign Affairs Areas they felt they couldn’t improve on: Government Family Life Religion Crime/Public Order Issues for Discussion • Cheating – vague meaning for students – Much easier now, we had to work to cheat. – Electronic toys. – Online sites (paper mills, etc.). – Too much focus on the end point (grade in class) than learning. Have to help refocus them. Issues for Discussion • Plagiarism – What is it – Don’t assume they understand it – Be careful with sites like “turn it in.com” – Create materials for them with samples – Discuss ownership of creative works – Get the library involved – An issue for all ages Issues for Discussion • Communication policies – How soon can they expect a response from you – When are you available for email – What will you accept emails about – Email is official communication between the student and the teacher – should look like official communication – Other casual communication devices – Connectivity and communication are two of their strengths and areas they abuse – You are your own worst enemy Issues for Discussion • Cell phone policies – Faculty are divided down the middle on this – Don’t make such a big deal out of it – Be fair but don’t let them disrupt class – Connectivity is very important to them – They will not turn them off but will silence them So How Do We Work With Them? • Because they have grown up in a different world, never assume that they know certain things like: – You don’t want to talk to their mother when they are having problems. – You don’t get points for showing up or an A for effort. – The definition of plagiarism and cheating. – It’s not appropriate to call the professor at home after 9pm. – They can’t use IM language in papers. – It’s not okay to email the professor 10 times a day. – That when they email you at 3am, you’re not sitting on the other end waiting to respond to them. – The business office (and most others) close at 5pm. Some Major Issues Worth Addressing • Some of them have been performing below grade level all their lives… and they may not know it (age of social promotion). • You may be the first strict grader they have encountered (will discourage them). • Many are not very “hardy.” Will quit or drop out because “it’s hard.” • They are very good consumers and will figure out a way to stay “under the radar.” • They are not good planners and will do everything late if allowed. What Should Institutions Do (In the Classroom)? • Develop policies and practices around appropriate communication. • Give them electronic access to as much as is philosophically possible. • Draw a line on negotiations. • Give them definitions, boundaries and rules. What Should Institutions Do? • Stop existing in an 8-5 world. • Establish prerequisites for reading and writing intensive courses. • Force them to take developmental courses the first semester (don’t set them up to fail). • Stop letting them register late, hand in late work and procrastinate. • Have an orientation to online classes that measures their technical abilities. They take them thinking they will be easier. Things That Work – Teaching Thinking • Students need the ability to sift, analyze, and reflect upon large amounts of data in today's information age. • Use scenarios where they must reach a conclusion, determine what flaws and limits might be embedded in their approach, what they know with certainty, what do they not know. • Give students a controversial problem that can and should be approached from several perspectives. Help them to come to a reasoned conclusion. • Put the students in charge, allow them to lead and don’t butt in too much. Things That Work • Mini learning communities in class – Break up first time and in the same group for the entire semester – Exchange phone numbers, emails, etc. – When one is absent, someone from the group calls – Engages them in the group and thus in the class • Teacher conferences – Get to know the student and student get to know the faculty – makes a difference Teaching How to Be a Student • We assume students know “how to be here, how to be a college student.” • Their K-12 experience was different – more active learning, changing of activities. Every thing was done for them. • They don’t know how things work – withdraw from classes, when to enroll, how to apply for financial aid, take notes, study for tests, etc. • We need to make sure they have these skills. Interested in Things That Matter • Want to have an impact on the world • Interested in careers that matter • Show them aspects of a field or career that has an impact on society • Will be attracted to the mission of the community college as faculty – are beginning to join our faculty ranks (oldest are 26-7). • But soon they will be the least of our problems because someone is already coming behind them… Gen Z Who Are They? • A new “Silent Generation” referred to as Generation Z, Generation Alpha or the Homeland Generation. • Starts mid-2000’s until about 2017 to 2020 and will be considered an artist generation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strauss_and_Howe Generation Z • Will be raised on technology, they will not be scared of anything, they will be open to new ideas. • They will be into truth and loyalty and they will not be not afraid to voice their opinion. • They will be flexible and open to change. • They will be fearless and fun. • They will be the ‘new’ hope for our own future. • Their great-grandparents belong mostly to the Silent Generation and the Baby boomers form the core of their grandparents. • Their parents are seen as being roughly evenly divided between Generation X and Generation Y. http://www.generationzbaby.com/generation-z.html For a copy of this presentation: http//www.cpcc.edu/millennial Click on: “presentations and workshops” Contact: terri.manning@cpcc.edu