Millennials on Board: Understanding Today’s Student Babson Faculty Workshop August 23, 2012

Millennials on Board:Understanding Today’s Student

Babson Faculty WorkshopAugust 23, 2012

Rachel I. [email protected]

Common Perceptions of Today’s Student

Overachievers

Pragmatic

Optimistic

Innovators

Nurtured

Protected

Confident

SocialPolitically active

Accustomed to structure and order

Socially conscious

CIVIC MINDED

Multi-taskers

Fear boredom Value education

Need instant gratification

Street smart

TENACIOUSValue diversity

Team-oriented

Powerhouses

Well educated

TECHNOLOGICALLY ADEPT

Do-ers

Beloit College Mindset List…Over the Years

Beloit College Mindset List

Fall 1998 Fall 2012Have no meaningful recollection of the Reagan era, and did not know he had ever been shot

Have little knowledge of the Clinton presidency; know Bill as “a senior statesman” […and Hillary’s husband]

Bottle caps have always been plastic, and they have no idea what a pull-top can looks like

Have never seen an airplane “ticket”

They have always had cable They watch television in other places than an actual television

They have never feared a nuclear war; “The Day After” is a pill to them – not a movie

“Star Wars” has always been a movie [now with prequals and everything!], not a defense strategy

There have always been VCRs, but they have no idea what a Beta is

They have to remind their parents not to refer to their CDs and DVDs as “tapes”

They were born the year Walkmen were introduced by Sony […and who remembers the Discman?!]

Having grown up with MP3s and iPods, they really have no use for radio at all

The “Baby on Board” Generation• Born: 1982-2002• The first generation to have been identified from

their beginnings• Large population – on par with Baby Boomer

Generation• Racially and ethnically more diverse than any

previous generation• Initial Millennials raised by Boomers/Latter

Millennials Raised by Generation X-ers• Came into the world at a time when children and

family received new levels of attention• Nurtured and protected to be kept from harm• Pressured to achieve and highly programmed• Very tech-oriented

http://froogle.google.com/froogle_cluster?q=baby+on+board+signs&pid=4738721869626320896&oid=10825599647815538642&btnG=Search+Froogle&oi=froogler&lmode=&addr=&scoring=mrd&hl=en

Seven Core Millennial Traits

1) Special2) Sheltered3) Confident4) Team-Oriented5) Conventional6) Optimistic7) Achieving

Concepts derived from the research of Neil Howe and William Strauss

Who Are The Millennials?Other Lenses on this Generation of

Students

1) The Programmed Generation

2) The Celebrated Generation

3) Generation Optimistic4) The Hovered Generation5) Generation 2.06) Generation Rx

Who is Today’s Student?The Programmed Generation?

Have more experience than ever learning in groups, working in groups, and being evaluated in groups 53.7% of new college freshmen in 2011 “frequently”

worked with other students on group projects 58.1% spent at least one hour in a typical week during

their last year in high school participating in student clubs/groups

Of these, 15.8% spent at least six hours in a week This compares with 23.8% watching at least six hours of TV

in a typical week List their top work skills as those relating to working

well with others, including those from different races and ethnicities A full 70% of “frequently” socialized with someone of

another racial/ethnic group in the previous yearThe American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2011. Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) at the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA (2011)

Who is Today’s Student?The Programmed Generation?

Millennials: Confident. Connected. Open to Change. Pew Research Center (2010)

The Celebrated Generation? Believe it is “cool” to be smart They are achieving

Millennials are more formally educated than previous generations

They see themselves as a generation of high achievers, causing significant personal pressure and making them fearful of falling behind their peers

Have very high expectations for others and will lose trust in those who do not live up to those expectations

“This high-achieving, conventional, but pressured generation enters the college and university setting with higher expectations and greater opportunities for disillusionment.” – Technology in the 21st Century Classroom:Key Pedagogical Strategies for Millennial Students in University Business Courses, February 2012.

In 2011, 68.2% of high school graduates went to college immediately after high school graduation, up from 63% in 2002, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Education Department; Bureau of Labor Statistics (2005)

Who is Today’s Student?

Education Department; Bureau of Labor Statistics (2005)


The Celebrated Generation? Students show a slight positive change in several

behaviors and attitudes consistent with academic success More students report that as high-school seniors they

“frequently” took notes in class: up to 69.2% in 2011 from 67.0% in 2010

More incoming college students expect that they will discuss course content with other students outside of class: up to 48.8% from 46.9% in 2010

Those who report that they studied six or more hours a week on average as high school seniors is still less than 40%: 39.5% in 2011 (compared to 37.3% in 2010)

Students identify that the most important reason to attend college is to get a better job 91.7% of business majors indicate “to be able to get a better job”

as a “very important” reason for going to college 76.3% cite “to learn more about things that interest me” 69.9% cite “to gain a general education and appreciation of ideas”

The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2011. Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) at the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA (2011)

Generation Optimistic? Raised with strong messaging about their value and worth

for the world around them Want to make a difference

Want to do well by doing good Approximately nine-in-ten either say that they

currently have enough money or that they willeventually meet their long-term financial goals

They respond to customized “service” Tailored academic programs Smaller class size and more faculty interaction

“Large class sizes and higher student loads are correlated with less critical and analytical thinking, less clarity in class presentations, and lower ratings on the instructor’s ability to stimulate student interest. In turn, these course and instructor attributes are positively related to students’ course assessments.”

“Students from the Millennial Generation are increasingly interested in jobs where they feel they can make a positive difference – whether that's building solar panels, running a food bank, or making microfinance loans in Africa” Geoff Gloeckler, “The Millennials Invade the B-Schools,” Business Week, November 13, 2008

The Impact of Class Size and Number of Students on Outcomes in Higher Education. James Monks and Robert Schmidt, Robins School of Business, University of Richmond (September 2010)


Generation Optimistic?Though the recession has been hard on young

people, it has not dimmed optimism 68% of Millennials say they are not earning enough money to

live the kind of life they want BUT…88% of those say they expect to earn enough in the

future to “live the good life”On the other hand, “Quit telling us we’re not

special…believe us, we bloody well know.”

Millennials: Confident. Connected. Open to Change. Pew Research Center (2010)

“Here’s the rub: this speech is misplaced. It doesn’t belong in an address to the generation graduating into an economy that wipes its rear end with their high school diplomas. It doesn’t belong in an address to the generation who began running the rat race at age 4. It doesn’t apply to the generation that knows hard work guarantees nothing, that can’t hope to own a home before we have our own children, that pours coffee for other people’s parents for free in the name of gaining “work experience” through “internship.” David McCullough ought to have given that speech not to the graduates, but to their parents. We have not yet begun to shape the world: we are living in the one you created. And it’s killing us.”

Open Letter from a Millennial: Quit Telling Us We’re Not Special. Phoenix and Olive Branch blog (June 25, 2012)

Generation Optimistic?Though the recession has been hard on young

people, it has not dimmed optimism 68% of Millennials say they are not earning enough money to

live the kind of life they want BUT…88% of those say they expect to earn enough in the

future to “live the good life”On the other hand, “Quit telling us we’re not

special…believe us, we bloody well know.” “No generation has suffered more from the Great Recession

than the young. Median net worth of people under 35, according to the U.S. Census, fell 37 percent between 2005 and 2010”

Median net worth for younger-age households is down 68% from 25 years ago

The unemployment rate for people between 18 and 29 is 12 percent in the U.S., nearly 50 percent above the national average

“Are Millennials the Screwed Generation” Newsweek Magazine (July 16, 2012)

The Hovered Generation? Have “helicopter parents” – termed by Wake

Forest Dean Mary Gerardy Very close to their parents and families Have more difficulty making decisions without

parental input However, a March 2012 study by the association

for Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA) indicated that parental involvement does not hinder progress Analyzed fall 2007 and spring 2011 surveys conducted with

70 student-parent pairs Considered four key areas in personal development: life

purpose; mature interpersonal relationships; academic autonomy; and healthy lifestyle

“In our sample, we see that closeness is not necessarily dependence, and students in our sample who are close to their parents seemingly ostensibly show development that is consistent or on par with national norms.”

NASPA Survey Finds Parental Involvement Isn’t Always a Bad Thing, “Inside Higher Ed” March 28, 2012


“Major aspects of their lives – social interactions, friendships, civic activities – are mediated by digital technologies. … Most notable, however, is the way the digital era has transformed how people live their lives and relate to one another and the world around them.”John Palfrey and Urs Gasser,

Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives


Generation 2.0?They have been defined by their technology!

From Pew Internet & American Life Project, 2001

“I multi-task every single second I am online. At this very moment, I am watching TV, checking my email every two minutes, reading a newsgroup about who shot JFK, burning some music to a CD and writing this message.” – 17-year-old boy

“I do so many things at once. I’m always talking to people through instant messenger and then I’ll be checking email or doing homework or playing games AND talking on the phone at the same time.” – 15-year-old girl

“I get bored if it’s not all going at once, because everything has gaps – waiting for an IM, waiting for a website to come up, commercials on TV, etc.” – 17-year-old girl


Generation 2.0?How does usage differ with the generations…?

73% of wired American teens use social networking websites 72% of young adults (aged 18-29) use social network sites As compared to 39% of online adults aged 30+

81% of adults between the ages of 18 to 29 are wireless internet users This compares to 63% of 30 to 49 year-olds And 34% of those 50 and older

83% of Millennials have placed their cell phone on or right next to their bed while sleeping

88% of Millennials use their cell phones to text They are very articulate about the fact that e-mail is the way

“adults” communicate with each other and with them – they have little interest in e-mail

Social Media & Mobile Internet Use Among Teens and Young Adults. Pew Research Center (2010)

Generation 2.0?

How are we responding…?

Generation 2.0?How are we responding…?

Approximately 80% of college faculty report using social media in some aspect of their teaching Over 60% have used social media in class

Online video most commonly used, followed by podcasts and blogs Over 40% have assigned students to read or view as part of course assignment 20% have assigned students to comment on or post to social media site

Only 19% of faculty agree that “social networks take more time than they are worth” Lack of training and the amount of time that using social media takes are seen as

barriers to usage 70% of faculty agree that video, podcasts, blogs, and wikis are valuable tools

for teaching 58% of faculty agree that social media can be valuable for collaborative

learning Electronic portfolios as “the new book”: can be accessible from anywhere,

including from mobile technology – the whole campus and nearby community

Teaching, Learning, and Sharing: How Today’s Higher Education Faculty Use Social Media.Babson Survey Research Group and Pearson Learning Solutions (April 2011)

The Myth of eLearning: There Is No ‘There’ There,” Campus Technology (January 2011)

Generation 2.0?

The price of multi-tasking?Cognitive processing skills

Discerning relevance and importanceManagement of working memoryAbility to shift from task to taskProductivity losses PatienceReflectionDealing with uncertainty

“Cognitive Control in Media Multitaskers,” Eyal Ophir, Clifford Nass, and Anthony D. Wagner (August 2009)

Generation RX?Emotional and psychiatric issues are

rising in importance35 percent of college students had reported experiencing “feeling so depressed it was difficult to function” between one and ten times in the past year

6.7 percent had experienced that level of depression more than 11 times during the year

2006 survey by the American College Health Association



rising in importance

For the past few years, self-reported mental health of college freshmen remains at all-time low: those reporting that their emotional health was in the “highest 10%” or “above average” remaining at only about 50%

The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2011. Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) at the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA (2011)



rising in importance80 percent of students said they felt stressed

March 2008 poll of 2,253 undergraduates at four-year institutions

16 percent of students stated that their friends had talked about suicide and 11 percent had made an attempt




On average 12 students per college hospitalized for psychological problems in 2007 versus 5 per college in 2001

91 percent of counseling center directors reported a trend toward more severe cases at their colleges; the number of urgent student mental health cases has significantly increased for at least the past 10 years

Gallagher and AUCCCD Surveyof Counseling Center Directors College Counseling Association’s 2010 national survey



rising in importanceThe number of students diagnosed with more than one mental disorder rose from 3 percent to over 40 percent between 1998 and 2009

In contrast to depression, cases of severe anxiety showed a drop over the last three years of the study, which could indicate that students are learning more effectives strategies for dealing with anxiety

A study of 3,256 undergraduate and graduate students at a private universitybetween September 1997 and August 2009




Five times as many students in 2007 “surpassed thresholds” in one or more mental health categories compared with students in 1938

“Birth cohort increases in psychopathology among young Americans, 1938–2007:A cross-temporal meta-analysis of the MMPI”; Clinical Psychology Review


Society for College and University Planning, Trends in Higher Education, August 2008

Generation RX?

“The mental health of students attending college is increasingly becoming a cause for concern, in both the US and Canada. The number of students who seek and need mental health services is only likely to rise. Increased awareness and decreased stigmatization for treatment contribute to this trend, but don’t explain it all.”

Bi-annual report on “Trends to Watch in Higher Education” Considered mental health as demographic

issue Cited rise in mental health concerns amongst

college students as the number one issue related to changing demographics

Harper, R. & Peterson, M. (2005). Mental health issues and college students. NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources. Retrieved from http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/Mental-Health.htm

Generation RX?

How are we responding…? Understand the issues Know the signals of distress Excessive procrastination Decrease in the quality of work Too frequent office visits (dependency) Listlessness, sleeping in class Marked changes in personal hygiene Impaired speech or disjointed thoughts Threats regarding self or others Marked changes in behavior

• Flat affect (failure to show emotions) • Under-responding to academic notice • Absence from class• Too much or too little time spent in the residence hall • Crying • Incongruous affect (smiling while crying) • Lack of follow-through • Unable to describe own emotions

Merlino, N. & Rhodes, R. (2012). “Technology in the 21st Century Classroom: Key Pedagogical Strategies for Millennial Students in University Business Courses.” Journal of Supply Chain and Operations Management, Volume 10, Number 1, February 2012

Teaching Today’s Student…a Few More Thoughts

Have clear pedagogical strategy Use real-world examples Create participatory activities such as applied learning,

projects, and group work Provide clear structure Provide feedback

Consider online enhancements Use blended course strategies as a best practice Apply online tools particularly social media –employ

variety Provide feedback

Challenge students adult development Address concerns with them, not parents Encourage reflective thinking Provide realistic and comprehensive feedback

Be observant of and sensitive to personal issues

Suggested Readings

Carlson, S. (2005). The Net Generation Goes to College. The Chronicle of Higher Education, October 2005

Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) at the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA (2011). The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2011.

Howe, N. & Strauss, W. (2003). Millennials Go To College. LifeCourse Associates Kadison, R., MD (2004). College of the Overwhelmed: The Campus Mental Health Crisis

and What To Do About It. California, Jossey-Bass Levine, M. PhD (2006). The Price of Privilege: How Parental Pressure and Material

Advantage Are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids. New York, HarperCollins Publishers

Merlino, N. & Rhodes, R. (2012). “Technology in the 21st Century Classroom: Key Pedagogical Strategies for Millennial Students in University Business Courses.” Journal of Supply Chain and Operations Management, Volume 10, Number 1, February 2012

Moran, M., Seaman, J., & Tinti-Kane, H. (2011). Teaching, Learning, and Sharing: How Today’s Higher Education Faculty Use Social Media. Babson Survey Research Group and Pearson Learning Solutions

Pew Research Center (2010) . Social Media & Mobile Internet Use Among Teens and Young Adults

Pew Research Center (2010) . Millennials: Confident, Connected, Open to Change

http://www.tomifobia.com/pix/rene16.jpg

Documents

Millennials on Board: Understanding Today’s Student Babson Faculty Workshop August 23, 2012