The me generation
Year level: 9
Unit of work contributed by Lara Croucher, Wanniassa School, ACT
L297 Fashion design: advertising. Copyright Education Services Australia Ltd.
About the unit
Unit description
In this unit of work students explore what it means to be part of the ‘me generation’ through
looking at identity, what defines the ‘me generation’, the influence of the media, advertising, new
technology, and social and political issues that are considered personally relevant. Students
compare these influences and issues with those of other generations and cultures. The unit is
cross-curricular, includes independent task-setting and reflective learning and culminates in a
large self-motivated project with a round-table assessment.
Knowledge, understandings, skills, values

Students understand that consistent and persistent messages can lead to stereotyping that
can be negative.

Students learn that their thoughts and actions are influenced and shaped by many external
factors.

Students investigate how issues that concern them also concern others now and have
concerned others in the past.

Students learn that understanding influences and issues will enable them to deal with them
appropriately.
Focus questions

What are the main influences in the life of this age group at this time?

What are the main issues in the life of this age group at this time?
© Education Services Australia Ltd, 2010, except where indicated otherwise
The me generation by Lara Croucher, Wanniassa School, ACT
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
What were the issues and influences that affected the lives of previous generations at the
same age?

What issues and influences are affecting the next generation?

What issues and influences might affect future generations after that?

Are these issues and influences specific to Australian students or are they global?
Resources
Digital curriculum resources
L1010 Changing faces: three interviews
L414 Selling: chocolate
L413 Selling: soft drinks
L415 Selling: biscuits
R2790 Gough Whitlam's policy speech in 1972
'I Think ...' series R6065–R6085, eg R6065 'I Think ...' - That's not fair; R6071 'I Think ...' - I
can
R6318 'I Think ...' - Beneath the skin
R6319 'I Think ...' - No entry
R8392 'I Think ...' - Is there a creator?
R8395 'I Think ...' - Cycle of life
Internet sites

ALP: ‘It’s Time’: http://aso.gov.au/ (enter ‘it’s time’ in search engine)
Software


Access to equipment and software suitable for making:

audio and video recordings

multimedia presentations

animations
Blogs or wikis
Other resources
Work is completed in a visual diary for the unit, and may be in the form of a blog or a wiki or
other appropriate medium. This should contain text, images, and audio and video files, including
copies of those made with other students.
Students are required to present their diaries at a formal round-table discussion at the end of
the project. The panel will include teachers, peers, parents and a member of the public.
Attached printable resource
The following teacher-created learning resource referred to in the unit of work is available
for you to modify, print and use in your own teaching and learning context:

Generation Y characteristics: quotes
© Education Services Australia Ltd, 2010, except where indicated otherwise
The me generation by Lara Croucher, Wanniassa School, ACT
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Teaching the unit
Setting the scene
Resources

L1010 Changing faces: three interviews

Generation Y characteristics: quotes (page 9)
Teaching and learning activities
Labels
Discuss the concept that each generation is labelled to define it in some way, such as the ‘baby
boomers’. The current generation has been labelled ‘generation Y’ (following ‘generation X’), but
is often referred to as the ‘me generation’ because it appears that it is more self-centred and
self-absorbed than those who came before it.
Is this true?
Discuss the concept of labels and how these can establish stereotyping. Discuss stereotypes
that the students know and list the characteristics associated with each. Use L1010 Changing
faces: three interviews to explore how preconceived ideas can be both negative and damaging.
Explain to the students that their generation is often referred to as ‘generation Y’ or the
‘me generation’ and share the descriptions that have been painted of the generation and
generally regarded as true. Have groups examine each of the quotes (page 9) and
determine whether they are positive, negative or impartial. Have them search the internet
for other descriptions to analyse.
Have them interview members of other generations to collect and compare the words and
phrases that are used to describe the current generation.
Is there evidence of stereotyping?
Is it positive or negative?
List the common characteristics and discuss what evidence or examples might exist to support
them and how they might contribute to a stereotypical image.
How does the stereotype of ‘generation Y’ influence the perceptions of other generations?
How might these perceptions affect that generation generally and the students particularly?
Have students record their observations in a format suitable to include in their diaries.
Assessment
Have students demonstrate their understanding of stereotypes by having them list the
perceptions they have of either ‘generation X’ (their parents) or the ‘baby boomers’ (their
grandparents) and then provide evidence or examples to support these perceptions. This could
be in text or image format.
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The me generation by Lara Croucher, Wanniassa School, ACT
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Ask students to analyse and evaluate how their perceptions of these generations influence their
thinking and actions towards them.
Have them write a formal reflection about what they have learned about stereotypes and their
impact on thoughts and actions, including anecdotal evidence if appropriate.
Investigating
Resources

L414 Selling: chocolate

L413 Selling: soft drinks

L415 Selling: biscuits

ALP: ‘It’s Time’: http://aso.gov.au/ (enter ‘it’s time’ in search engine)

R2790 Gough Whitlam's policy speech in 1972

'I Think ...' series R6065–R6085, eg R6065 'I Think ...' - That's not fair, R6071 'I Think ...' - I
can

R6318 'I Think ...' - Beneath the skin

R6319 'I Think ...' - No entry

R8392 'I Think ...' - Is there a creator?

R8395 'I Think ...' - Cycle of life
Teaching and learning activities
The real ‘me generation’
If the real ‘me generation’ is not the stereotype, then what is it? Have students investigate what
really defines their generation.
What are the main influences in the life of this age group at this time?
Have students investigate areas such as:

education

money

music

body image

lifestyle

fashion

leisure activities

technology

sport

peer pressure

people

language
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The me generation by Lara Croucher, Wanniassa School, ACT
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
spirituality

literature

movies.
They need to identify and investigate:

what the influence is

why they are influenced by it

how it influences their lives

the consequences of having it in their life (or not).
They need to provide explanations, evidence and examples to support their investigations.
Discuss the ways that investigations might be conducted and presented within their visual diary.
Have students carry out a similar investigation to identify the main issues in the life of this age
group at this time, including such things as:

education, including further study

peer influence

physical and mental health

‘rite of passage’ concerns, such as access to drugs and alcohol, obtaining a driver’s licence,
birth control and voting

dealing with conflict

finance

employment choices and prospects

technology and being a ‘digital native’

local, national and global issues.
Have them investigate:

what the issue is

why it concerns them

how they can deal with that concern

what they can do about the issue.
Who decides?
Discuss and determine who decides that a particular item or fashion is going to be ‘the next big
thing’ for this generation.
How do sections of the media shape your choices?
Identify the various strands of the media that most influence the students, including
newspapers, magazines, radio, television, movies and the internet, and then identify the specific
aspects of these that particularly influence their thoughts and actions.
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The me generation by Lara Croucher, Wanniassa School, ACT
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Have the students gather a collection of examples of how the media attempts to influence them
and analyse:

how this is done in each instance

why it is done

whether it is successful.
Students are to include these samples in their diaries.
As either individuals or in small groups, have students select a specific topic and investigate
how the media has been used to influence or manipulate responses. They will need to prepare
an oral explanation to present to their audience, as well as supporting evidence and examples.
As a class or in smaller groups choose an issue of concern within the school or local community
and plan a campaign that would exploit the media to raise awareness and put a solution in
place.
The power of advertising
Brainstorm and list all the opportunities that advertisers have and use to reach the ‘generation
Y’ market.
Why do they choose these media?
As a class, explore L414 Selling: chocolate to understand the processes advertisers undertake
and the strategies and techniques they consider when devising an advertising campaign.
What do advertisers know about their audiences when they place their advertisements?
How do they find this out?
Why do particular advertisements appear at certain times and in certain places?
Consolidate this understanding using L413 Selling: soft drinks and L415 Selling: biscuits.
Have students select an advertisement aimed at their age group from at least three areas of the
media, including print and digital examples. Examine and analyse each of these to determine
the strategies used, including the language used to entice them to take some action as a result
of the advertisement. Compare and contrast the different techniques for each medium using a
Venn diagram so that commonalities become apparent.
How are these common strategies used to influence choices?
Have students prepare a report, with examples as evidence, to demonstrate what they have
learned.
Have students create a print and a digital advertisement for a product. They need to include an
explanation for each step, including:

product selection

identification of audience

techniques used within the advertisement
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The me generation by Lara Croucher, Wanniassa School, ACT
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
advertisement placement

how the medium influenced their choices.
Going before
Have students investigate issues and influences that affected the lives of their parents and
grandparents when they were the same age, including the ways transistor radios, television,
and the internet have made what was once remote more immediate. Conduct interviews and
from these construct reports to be added to their diaries.
Many of today’s grandparents were voting for the first time in 1972, so use the ‘It’s Time’
advertising campaign by the Australian Labor Party to examine the techniques that were used
to persuade them to vote Labor. R2790 Gough Whitlam's policy speech in 1972 shows an
image from the campaign.
Investigate other advertising campaigns that have been remembered and analyse why they
were so successful.
Coming after
View selected items from the ‘I Think ...’ series to identify the issues and influences affecting
students at the end of the last century.
Interview and record current year 5 students to investigate what, if anything, has changed. Use
an animation technique similar to those in the ‘I Think …’ series to create a summary of the key
influences and issues of this group for inclusion in the diary.
Wider horizons
Are the identified issues and influences specific to Australian students or are they global?
Have students select a country with a different culture to compare and contrast the lifestyles of
the teen generation in that country and in Australia.
Bringing it all together
Teaching and learning activities
Common threads
Construct a diagram that shows the key influences and issues of each of the generations
surveyed and examine this to identify common threads.
Why are these so enduring?
How have they changed over time?
Have any previous major concerns had solutions?
Are there likely to be any solutions for the key concerns of the present generation?
Have the students examine the common threads and predict what their own children might say
if they were presented with the same task.
What advice will they offer their children to deal with these issues?
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The me generation by Lara Croucher, Wanniassa School, ACT
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Drawing conclusions
Teaching and learning activities
Tell students they have each been given the responsibility for collating a collection of 15 to 20
items for future researchers that encapsulate the interests, influences and issues of the current
generation of high school students.
Items need to be in a variety of formats, including images, audio, video and text. Each item
needs to be accompanied by an annotation explaining what it is, why it is representative of the
generation and why it was selected in preference to other examples. Full citation of
bibliographic details will be required for each item.
This collection will form part of their presentation at the end of the unit.
Communicating
Teaching and learning activities
Generation Y
Either as a class, in a group or as an individual, put together a presentation that teaches the
previous generations about the essence of ‘generation Y’ based on what they have learned
throughout this investigation.
Writer: Lara Croucher
The material in this unit of work may contain links to internet sites maintained by entities not
connected to Education Services Australia Ltd and which it does not control (‘Sites’).
Education Services Australia Ltd:

provides the links for ease of reference only and it does not sponsor, sanction or approve of
any material contained on the Sites; and

does not make any warranties or representations as to, and will not be liable for, the
accuracy or any other aspect of the material on the Sites or any other matter connected to
the use of the Sites.
While the material in this unit of work is not remunerable under Part VB of the Copyright Act
1968, material on the Sites may be remunerable under Part VB of the Copyright Act 1968. It is
your responsibility to read and comply with any copyright information, notices or conditions of
use which apply to a Site.
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Generation Y characteristics: quotes
Quote 1: Y Facts
4.5 million Australians born between 1978 and 1994 make up Generation Y. They are
ambitious, hardworking, transitional, technically savvy and reward driven. Basically, these
workers want more and they want it faster. Gen Y expects perks like higher salaries, constant
challenges and a changing and diverse workplace environment. This has been caused by a
range of societal factors including the skills shortage and their privileged upbringing.
A significant proportion of this generation comes from single-parent families, which has taught
them a high degree of independence from an early age. However, while many have accused
this generation of being selfish, they are also the highest achievers of any generation we’ve
seen so far.
Reproduced courtesy of Australian Experiential Learning Centre
Quote 2: Understanding Generation Y
They generally have no financial commitments, thus over 70% of their income is spent
arbitrarily, with the majority going on entertainment, travel, and food.
They have different recreational pursuits to other generations with their top 3 spare time
activities being: ‘go to a party’ (74%); ‘listen to the radio’ (74%); and ‘go to a movie’ (72%)
Rather than making independent decisions based on core values, they live in a culture
encouraging them to embrace community values, and to reach consensus. Our research has
further confirmed that the biggest factor determining the choice a teenager will make is the
experiences of their core group of 3 to 8 friends.
Young people today are less idealistic than generations past due in part to the media and pop
culture that fills their life. The influence of music is second only to the influence of TV and
movies in Gen Y culture. In addition to the growing Internet and video games use, they are now
approaching 4 hours screen time per day
At the same time Generation Y are increasingly worried by an array of factors from youth
unemployment rates and increasing housing costs, to body image and crime rates. The result is
that they have an increasingly short-term focus. Our research shows that their top life
expectation is to complete their education (94%) with not too many plans after this.
The concept of absolute and inherent truth has been banished as truth is deemed to be relative
to one’s own background and understanding. The culture today asserts that any philosophy,
religion, or practice is as valid as any other as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else, and it is
tolerant of the beliefs of others.
Gen Y is seeking after more than just friendships. They want community: to be understood,
accepted, respected, and included. Our research shows that while they spend most of their
spare time with their peers, they often fail to experience real unconditional love and connection
when with them. Their self-esteem often rests on how well regarded they are in their group or
sub-culture.
Gen Y has benefited from this being the most materially endowed, and entertained generation
of teenagers ever. Gen Y have been left disillusioned with the materialism they have enjoyed
and boredom remains a big problem for them (57% state that ‘never being bored’ is of highest
importance to them).
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The me generation by Lara Croucher, Wanniassa School, ACT
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The young people of this generation do not live to work – but rather they work to live. A job
merely provides the income to do what they want to do. They are on a search for fun, for quality
friendships, for a fulfilling purpose, and for spiritual meaning. There are more voices than ever
trying to win over a cause-seeking generation. Whether it is environmentalism, social issues,
human rights, or volunteering, young people are getting increasingly involved.
The third strongest-felt need Australian teenagers have is for guidance or direction in their life
that is trustworthy. This generation wants guidance in the form of a navigator, not a street
directory. However, most Gen Y’s are unsure of where they are now, let alone where they are
going, and so they are seeking specific direction from someone who knows them, their situation,
and has even travelled that way themselves. They are looking for real-life role models and
mentors who not only know the way, but also go the way, and can show the way.
Reproduced courtesy of McCrindle Research Pty Ltd
Quote 3: Generation Y profile
Generally described as impatient, demanding and self-interested with little job loyalty, it raises
the question of why values are so different today. Generation Y, which has grown up among
global terror threats and corporate downsizing, is driven by duty, independence and stability. To
them life is foremost and above all about choices. This generation has developed during one of
the most expansive economies in the past 30 years.
Generation Y is the world’s first global generation. They are the most educated, entertained,
materially endowed, entrepreneurial yet supported and protected generation in history.
Generation Y experienced the ‘working mum trend’ first hand, so it is no wonder this generation
places more emphasis on quality of life rather than standard of living and puts family and friends
first …
The social and environmental contexts highlighted above have shaped a generation different to
any other before. While everyone has their own perception of this group of people and
individuals in it, there are some general observations of Generation Y that seem to be
prominent in academic and popular literature.

Generation of Choice

Top three things they want in a job are positive relationships with colleagues, interesting
work and continuous opportunities for learning.

When accepting a job, salary ranks sixth after training, management style, work flexibility,
staff activities and non-financial rewards.

Internationally flexible (overseas recruitment)

Community/Social driven: be respected, included, understood and accepted

Decisions based on peers

Increasingly short term focus (finish education)

High disposable income (no financial commitments)

Deferring adulthood

Top three leisure activities being: go to a party, listen to radio, go to a movie

Communicating mainly through SMS and web
© Education Services Australia Ltd, 2010, except where indicated otherwise
The me generation by Lara Croucher, Wanniassa School, ACT
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Negative conceptions of Gen Y
There can be no doubt that not everyone believes that (perhaps apart from their own kids) the
youth today is the greatest, most beautiful and smartest generation that has entered this world.
In fact, there are countless articles that tackle the problems of Generation Y and aim to explain
why today’s youth is just not up to the standards of its predecessors. Common words and
phrases associated with Gen Y are shown below. Need more be said?

Impatient

Lazy

Want to be nurtured (constant feedback, immediate recognition) at work

Demand workplace flexibility

Unresponsive to motivational tactics

Motivated not only by money, but also fun and social (Maslow’s hierarchy)

Easily bored (less consumerism, more engagement and stimulation)

Unwillingness

No job or brand loyalty

Focus on live rather than work (work to live)

Ignorance of politics

No ‘sucking up’ but questioning and challenging employers

Appearance

From a workforce perspective: they are difficult to attract, harder to manage and are proving
near impossible to retain.

Increased sensitivity to economic class

Image conscious

Materialistic

Demand rationale behind any request
Positive conceptions of Gen Y
While some negative press about Generation Y has been predominant lately, it has to be
realised that not all change is evil. In fact, positive aspects of this generation need to be
highlighted, to decrease generational barriers and create a more cohesive workforce with more
satisfied employers and employees. And there are plenty of positives about these individuals.
Furthermore, times are changing. Generation Y is here to stay and will be a major part of the
Australian workforce. And they can be beneficial to any organisation, bringing youthful idealism
and energy, a fresh view to the industry, new qualifications and a 21st century perspective to
life. In addition, there are other positive associations for Generation Y, which are shown below:

Knows technology

Ideally placed to be key drivers of product development and sales

Entrepreneurial

Ambitious

Mature

Practical

Tolerant, accepting of differences in terms of race, gender and ethnicity

Well travelled
© Education Services Australia Ltd, 2010, except where indicated otherwise
The me generation by Lara Croucher, Wanniassa School, ACT
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
Purposeful

Fast learners

Very education-minded

Concerned about environment

Multi-taskers and fast thinkers

Creative and independent thinkers

Financially smart
Reproduced courtesy of Queensland Tourism Industry Council
© Education Services Australia Ltd, 2010, except where indicated otherwise
The me generation by Lara Croucher, Wanniassa School, ACT
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