Serving Millennial Students: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Methods for a New Generation

1. Serving Millennial Students: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Methods for a New Generation Terri M. Manning, Ed.D. Central Piedmont Community College

2. The Echo Boom/Millennials… • The Millennials are the children born between 1982 and 2002 (peaked in 1990), a cohort called by various names: • The Millennials are almost as large as the baby boom-some say larger - depending on how you measure them (approximately 81 million). Echo Boom Generation Y Millennials Net Generation

3. 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.

4. What We Know • 35% are non-White • 1 in 5 has at least one parent who is an immigrant • Have the best educated mothers in history • Have better educated parents • Came out of the infertility era – were very wanted as children • Grew up during a monumental financial boom • Safest generation we have seen

5. What We Know • Born to older parents and raised in smaller families (lots of only children) – many have never shared a room • Been plugged in since they were babies • Expect technology to be free • Think it is cool to be smart • Have had cell phones since they were children • Expect to have 4 or more jobs in their lifetime • Are as interested in where they live as what they do – so cities are working to attract them

6. Millennials – What We Know • This generation is civic-minded, much like the GI Generation (WWI). • 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.

7. Their Generation Will Be Needed to Fill a Worker Shortage (Millennials) (Boomers) (Xers)

8. Entering a Different Work World

9. Who Is Working Today? 1,000 die per day Youngest are 5 years old Half the size of the generations on either side of them 7,198 turned 60 every day in 2006

10. Influenced by Customer Service Movement • Expect what they paid for • Everyone should be concerned that they are satisfied and happy • If they are not happy with your answer, they will go over your head • Expect colleges to bend over backwards to please them • Not the way it works in higher education • Savvy consumers and will stay under your radar as long as possible

11. Parents Are Different • This generation is being parented by well-educated, 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.”

15. 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)

16. Baby Boomer Parents have been their Biggest Cheerleaders • Millennials expect and need praise. • Will mistake silence for disapproval. • Millennials expect feedback. • They want it from teachers and bosses. • They want mentoring.

17. Talk to All Adults as Peers • Spent a lot of time interacting with adults as children • Aren’t afraid of adults and consider themselves equal • Faculty think they lack respect • Won’t hesitate to state their position and attempt to negotiate for a grade, to redo an assignment, etc.

18. 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 ParentsBy Sue ShellenbargerFrom The Wall Street Journal Online

19. 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

20. Perceptions of Parents • This generation loves their parents • Thinks they were great parents • Share their values, like their music • Have no desire to “get away” from their parents when they go to college like other generations. • When they need something – they ask the parents first – go to them for help • Parents want to help them and protect them • College is a new “unknown” and parents are nervous – we need to waylay their fears

21. Now We Find Ourselves Having to Deal With Parents in Ways We Never Have Before • 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

22. 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 • Parents need to know about FERPA

23. 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

24. Millennials - Not Very Hardy • Our parents told us “when the going gets tough, the tough get going” and “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” • Their philosophy “when the going gets tough, it means you should try another route” and “if at first you don’t succeed, maybe you shouldn’t be here.” • They have trouble staying in classes with rigid teachers who offer them no flexibility or encouragement.

25. Millennials - Not Very Hardy • Seems like the tougher you are, the quicker they quit • Have no preconceived ideas about expectations • See a lack of consistency among faculty • Have to tell them more than the generation before them and we resent it

26. 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. Cell phone wrist watch

27. 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

28. 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 • Other casual communication devices • Connectivity and communication are two of their strengths and areas they abuse • You are your own worst enemy

29. Issues for Discussion • Handwriting • Lost art “cursive” • They have been typing papers on computers since they learned to read • Have horrible handwriting • May have never turned in a handwritten paper • How much time does the average person spend writing things down by hand today • Outlook, text messaging, email, calculators, iPods, etc.

30. 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

31. Methods of Teaching • Teamwork – play to their strengths • Lifelong learning – critical for them to survive • Ability to have input into assignments and grading (they are negotiators) • Team oriented assistance – learning communities, supplemental instruction, peer tutoring, mentoring • Culture of civic engagement – this is a civic generation – get them involved

32. Methods of Teaching • 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

33. Methods of Teaching • Too much reliance on technology (spell check, Excel formulas, calculators, grammar check, etc. (is this really a big deal?) • Poor basic skills • Less prepared from K-12 • Poor technology skills in 30-40% • First generation students (gen 1.5) • Immigrant families (language issues)

34. Instead of Complaining – Do Something • Complaining about their lack of preparedness helps no one – we have to develop an approach • Some are gifted students – smarter than we can believe, others need serious help • May need to: • Create special programs • Modularize some courses to work a step at a time • Special labs for skills we used to take for granted • Workshops and tutorials as certain course requirements • Typing help (don’t learn it in high school now)

35. Focus on Retention • “Ambitious yet aimless” characterizes this generation • They work for a while until they save enough money to live for a while, then quite – play for several months and then look for work again. • They know at the age of 21 that they may have to work until they are 70 – 75. So why hurry into a career job now. • They have the same attitude with school. • They stop out regularly and see if things work out. They appear to be in “no hurry.”

36. They Want to Experience Life • Four friends (24 years old, college graduates) have jobs – all are saving money to go live in Costa Rica next year. • Graduates in pre-med in June (22 years old) – plans to spend next year living in Hawaii …. surfing.

37. Things That Work • They like technology and understand it but don’t expect everything to be delivered via technology. • They do like things posted so they can access it and being able to communicate with their teacher via technology. • Remember they are civic and like to do things in groups – get along well with other generations. • They like to do “real” work” – things that relate to the real world – authentic assignments

38. 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.

39. 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

40. 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 about 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.

41. 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 25-6). • But soon they will be the least of our problems because someone is already coming behind them…

42. 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 (like the veterans) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strauss_and_Howe

43. 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

44. For a copy of this presentation: http://www.cpcc.edu/planning Click on: “studies and reports” Contact: terri.manning@cpcc.edu