COMMUNICATING WITH TODAY'S STUDENT-ATHLETES

1. COMMUNICATING WITH TODAY'S STUDENT-ATHLETES The Millennials

2. California Community College Athletic Association Spring Conference Doubletree Hotel Ontario, CA March 31, 2009 3:15-5:15 pm

3. Presenters: James Forkum Dean and Athletics Director - Santa Rosa Junior College Sherry Forkum English Professor - William Jessup University Principal Consultants: Generational Differences Consulting gendiff.com

4. OUTCOMES: • Understanding the Generational Divide and Importance in the Community College Education and Athletics Environments • Foundational Impacts on the Millennials • Knowledge of Millennial Characteristics (Technology) • Tools and Applications for Your Use

5. Why Should You Broaden Your Knowledge of Self and Others? • “6” in the Societal Settings • Know Our Own Generation to Understand Other Generations • Change, Motivation, Recruitment, Team-Building, and Maintaining/Increasing Growth • Retention of Relationships: Students, Employees, Members of Various Organizations

6. GENERATIONAL GROUPS • G. I. Generation – 1901-1924 (ages 85-108) • Silent Generation – 1925-1942 (ages 67-84) • Boomers – 1943-1960 (ages 49-66) • Generation X – 1961-1981 (ages 28-48) • Millennials – 1982-2002 (ages 7-27) • Homeland – 2003 - (Ages 6 and under)

7. GENERATIONAL COMPARISONS

8. Continued…

9. Culture Has Changed • One of the top rappers is white • The number one golfer is black • The tallest player in the NBA is Chinese • The President of the United States of America is bi-racial • Millennials are culture-blind

10. Learning Environment of the Future • Paperless Environments but…Psychologically people are tactile Like to hold, handle, open something/Kindle • Telecommuting/Virtual Worlds but…Social, need to work in groups Meet physically Interact

11. PERCEPTIONS Silents – view Boomers as self-absorbed, share too much information, question authority Boomers – view Silents as rigid/dictatorial, company men, accept party line Boomers – view Gen Xers as too impatient, throw out tried and true, not “company”/fickle Gen Xers – view Boomers as inflexible to change/ say the right thing to the right person, don’t have a life Gen Xers – view Millennials as too spoiled/self-absorbed, too “Me”, entitled Millennials – view Gen Xers as cynical/negative, no fun Millennials – view older Boomers and Silents as worth listening to, “buddies”, models

12. A team that allows choices and openly explores ideas, and whose members value learning, will better accommodate the needs and values of members of different generations. Constance Patterson, Ph.D.

13. Activity 1. How would you describe your generation, in general? 2. How would you describe a Millennial, in general? Don’t forget physical characteristics. Share with a neighbor.

14. Getting Inked and Pierced

15. In the Rear View

16. 10 Attributes of an Information-Age Mindset (J. Frand) • Computers are not technology • The Internet is better than TV • Reality is no longer real • Doing is more important than knowing • Learning more closely resembles Nintendo than logic • Multitasking is a way of life • Typing is preferred to handwriting • Staying connected is essential • There is zero tolerance for delays • Consumer and Creator are blurring

17. Wired/Wireless • Digital Natives • Cell Phones, Blackberry, iPhone • MP3 Players/iPods • Texting/Sexting • Web Surfing • Facebook/MySpace (Social Networks) • Twitter • Finger on the pulse of the World • Right Here/Right Now Generation

18. The Millennial World(Our World) • Average teenager spends more than 72 hours a week using electronic media (2006) • In 2007, Millennials watched 35 movies for every book they read (many books made into movies) • Pew Internet research – nearly 80% of 28 and younger regularly read blogs/ 30% of 29-40 • 40% of teenagers and 20-somethings have created their own blogs

19. Learning Characteristics • Teamwork Activities • Cooperative Grouping • Experiential Activities • Structure • Use of Technology (SIDs, TM, IRDs) • Email/Instant Messaging are Natural Communication and Socialization Mechanisms • Authenticity, honesty, and humility are more important than an authoritarian leader

20. More Characteristics • A cult of groupthink - collaborative and team-oriented • The Volvo Experience • Obama Phenomenon • 10% retain what is heard, media use raises the average to 25%, direct experience raises the average to 80-90%

21. Some Negatives • Multi-tasking • Poor Communication Skills (writing) • Oral Communication • Math Skills • Mass Stimulation • Lack of Critical Thinking/Problem Solving as an individual • Plagiarism/Cheating (turnitin.com) • Problem Discerning Truth (Wikipedia)

22. Learning Paradigm

23. Experiential • First person learners • Learn by doing rather than by being told what to do • Prefer to express their views and incorporate their experiences instead of being told • Learn through discovery, exploring for themselves or with peers • Learning in this manner enables them to retain the information and use it in creative and meaningful ways • Persistent with trial and error

24. Strategies • Awareness of new Technology (Textspeak) ‘Dismaks my teacha cry’ • Different methods of reporting information: podcasts, vodcasts, blackboard, forums, use of PowerPoint, RSS (Really Simple Syndication), LCS (Lecture Capture System), Students • Setting Parameters • Websites • Recruiting

25. Strategies Continued … • Make learning a social activity that engages and interacts. • Do not use TTT (Talk, Text, Test). • Challenge them – They care about what matters and use responsibility as a reward. • Ask them their opinion – Collaboration (including web-based) and being part of a team is important to them. • Find them a mentor – They have great respect for Silents. • Provide timely (worthwhile) feedback – At the touch of a button. Little tolerance for delay. E-mail is “so yesterday!” • Cell phones, PDAs, and laptops are becoming mandatory classroom extensions. • Remember they are mobile nomads that process at twitch speed.

26. CURRENT NEGATIVE TRENDS and PROBLEMS • Underage Drinking • Marijuana Use (High)(Boomers) • Rave Culture (Ecstasy Use) • Sexually Promiscuous (Hooking Up) • Technology Use Etiquette (Misuse/sexting) • Time Management (Sleep Patterns) • Poor Communication Skills (Texting=Speaking/Writing) • Media Oriented (Self-Image) • Multi-tasking • Mass Stimulation • Lack of Critical Thinking/Problem Solving as an individual (Groupthink) • Plagiarism/Cheating (turnitin.com) • Problem Discerning Truth (Wikipedia)

27. 7 Tools for Communicating with Millennials 1. Understand Yourself and Your Beliefs 2. Engage Them (Intentionally) 3. Listen 4. Ask Questions 5. Clarify What Has Been Said (Eligibility) 6. Impart Tools of Decision Making 7. Affirm Lavishly and Correct Sparingly (Adapted from McAllister’s Saving the Millennial Generation)

28. The Millennials Are: • Optimists • Rule Followers (Thrive on Structure) • Volunteers and Servants (Mandatory Draft) • Accepting of Authority (If honest and humble) • Most Protected in History (up to this point) • Bright • Loyal (brands) • “Heroes” • Accepting of ALL (Diversity)

29. SUMMARY • Provide Structure • Provide Leadership and Guidance • Encourage the Millennial’s Self-Assuredness, “Can-Do” Attitude, and Positive Personal Self-Image • Take Advantage of the Millennial’s Comfort Level With Teams. Encourage Them To Join • Listen to the Millennial • Millennials Are Up For The Challenge and Change

30. Food for Thought It’s not the first half of the game that counts, but how you leave the court at the end of the game.

31. Time for You

32. To Contact Us… Email: contact@gendiff.com Phone: 707.837.5582 Website: gendiff.com