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Teaching Millennial Students. Bridget Arend University of Denver TELECOOP Conference, April 2008. Where were you…. on VJ Day? when John F. Kennedy was assassinated? when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded?. Generational Studies. Generational cohorts Peer Personalities. Life Views.
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Teaching Millennial Students Bridget Arend University of Denver TELECOOP Conference, April 2008
Where were you… • on VJ Day? • when John F. Kennedy was assassinated? • when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded?
Generational Studies • Generational cohorts • Peer Personalities
Life Views Traditional generation = Loyal • Born before mid-1940s • World Wars, the Great Depression, racial inequalities, GI Bill • Faith in institutions, military style of management • Conformity = success
Life Views Baby Boomers = Optimistic • Born early 1940s - early 1960s • Space race, Civil Rights, Vietnam War, political assassinations, Watergate, sex & drugs, television • Self-indulgence and inward focus • Competitive
Life Views Generation X = Skeptical • Born early 1960s - 1980 • Destruction of the Berlin Wall, rise of AIDS, Chernobyl disaster, Tiananmen Square, consumerism, divorce, personal computer • Era of at-risk & latchkey kids, Reality bites economy • Criticized, critical, slackers
Life Views Millennials = Realistic • Born after 1981 • Computers, Internet, real wars on TV, extreme violence in schools, change is the norm • Era of • The wanted child –Adoption, fertilization technologies • The protected child – Tylenol scare, Columbine • The worthy child – Mr. Rogers/Barney “you are special” • The perfected child – Highly-homeworked & tested
Millennials The Beloit College Mindset List http://www.beloit.edu/~pubaff/mindset/
In their own words… A Vision of Students Today Digital Ethnography Project Kansas State University
Core Traits • Special/Sheltered • Confident • Pressured • Achieving • Technologically savvy • Team-oriented • Anti-autocratic
References • http://portfolio.du.edu/ctlcoffeebreaks • Millennials Go to College, Neil Howe & William Strauss, 2003. • Generation ME, Jean M. Twenge, 2006. • When Generations Collide, Lynne C. Lancaster & David Stillman, 2002. • Millennials Rising, Neil Howe & William Strauss, 2000.