The Marvelous MillennialsA Novella

on the Las Cruces CampusNMSU

Through the eyes of a Baby BoomerThrough the eyes of a Baby BoomerTerry CookTerry Cook

Born between 1946-1964Born between 1946-1964

Act I: Those Who Came Before

Generation X: Born 1965 – 1982

Baby Boomers: Born 1946 - 1964

Matures, Silents: Born 1900 – 1946

Many people are born on the cusps of two

generations, and do not “fit” their

“generational type”

GEN X

Act II: The Marvelous MillennialsBorn 1982 – 2002

also called “Generation M or Y,” “Echo Boomers,” or the NET Generation

roughly 30% of the American population

children of Baby Boomers or early wave members of Generation X

the most diverse generation in our history – 34% are nonwhite or Latino

World Events/World View

Child focus (Sylvan Learning Centers)

Oklahoma City bombing

Busy, over-planned lives (more than 75% of time spent in structured experiences)

Stress

Malfunction at Three Mile Island nuclear power plant caused a near meltdown

Iranian students took 66 people hostage at the US Embassy in Tehran

US boycotts the Olympics in Moscow

President Regan shot

The Equal Rights Amendment passed (though not ratified)

The Space Shuttle Challenger explodes shortly after liftoff, killing all seven astronauts

The Exxon Valdez spills more than ten million gallons of oil into Prince William Sound

World Events/World View

The Berlin Wall demolished

Persian Gulf War

Four white police officers accused of beating Rodney King were acquitted

Shootings at Columbine High School in Colorado left 13 students and one teacher dead

Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 10,000 for the first time

It took more than a month to declare a winner of the presidential election because of ballot ("hanging chad") disputes

Four US planes were hijacked in attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, killing more that 3000 people leading the US into an ongoing fight against terrorism

The Space Shuttle Columbia exploded upon re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, killing all seven astronauts on board.

War is waged against Afghanistan and Iraq

Millennials

The Tree of Your Life

Experiences & Their Results, Fruits, Outcomes

Millennials Priorities

I Wonder?

Act IIINow that we know…

What Should We Do To Facilitate Experiences to

Support Their Success?

How do millennial students prefer to learn?

What strategies promote student learning?

How can we engage and motivate today’s students to promote academic success?

Characteristics of Millennials

used to being consulted in decision-making by their parents

typically strong bonds between these students and their parents, particularly with their mothers, and they stay very connected even when they go away to school

expected to excel by their parents

highly scheduled and sheltered in childhood

Characteristics of Millennials

identify with their parents’ values are fascinated by new technologies 1 in 5 have at least one immigrant parent gravitate toward group activities grew up in a time of economic prosperity went to “play groups” and played soccer from the age

of 3 the most protected generation in terms of

government regulations on consumer safety often indulged as a result of changing child-rearing

practices

Diana Oblinger (Understanding the New Students, EDUCAUSE Review, July/August 2003)

Digital NativesToday’s college grads have spent less than 5,000 hours of their lives reading, over 10,000 hours playing video games and 20,000 hours watching TV

Now that we know…What Should We Do To Facilitate Experiences

to Support Their Success?

Actively engage them with material we are trying to teach

Find ways to help students create meaning between their life experience and the material

Foster a sense of a learning community

Build rapport with students

Promote student to student connections

Facilitate student participation

Create a safe, welcoming, inclusive classroom atmosphere

Provide High, Clear Expectations

Offer individual feedback

Engage with/through technology where appropriate

Utilize group work: collaborative learning techniques

Incorporate self-reflection

Major Challenge Ahead

Encore

Encore

WHY HAVEN’T YOU FRIENDED ME ON MYSPACE OR POKED ME BACK ON FACEBOOK, AND HOW COME YOU’RE NOT FOLLOWING ME ON TWITTER?

BECAUSE I REALLY DON’T LIKE YOU.

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES THAT MAKE?