The following are presentation notes by Kathy Koch, Ph.D., President – CELEBRATE KIDS, Inc., Fort Worth, TX – used by permission
Culture affects everyone. A generation is shaped by the nurture it receives in childhood and the challenges it faces coming of age. Here is a listing of the generations 1900-present.
| Seniors/The GI Generation: Born before 1925; 86+ years old |
Builders/The Silent Generation Born between 1925-1945; 65-85 years old |
| Busters/Generation X Born between 1961-1981 29-49 years old |
Millennials/Mosaics Born between 1982-2002 8-28 years old |
| ?? Born after 2002 7 years old and younger |
The Technological and Digital Culture affects especially our children. The Millennials are surrounded by, participate in, and are seemingly “absorbed” in the following:
Computers/Laptops (PC was invented in 1982)
More affordable, word processing, spell check, copy-paste, cheating is easier.
Internet/World Wide Web
Search engines and websites make it easier to find information and to cheat; email makes instant and constant communication possible, high-speed/wireless connections everywhere, YouTube.
Social Networking
Facebook, Blogs, Twitter, Skype, online dating, … Stay connected to many people, illusion of many more friends than we really have, illusion that everyone cares, encourage instant gratification, make people more self-centered, shorten attention spans.
Cell Phones/Blackberries/Etc. (First crude cell phones were available in 1982)
Can be constantly connected even to the Internet, safety benefits, “free”/convenient calling, texting (unlimited), can use to take pictures.
Computer/Online/Video Games (Video games became more affordable in 1982)
Competition against others and self, winning is important, become addicted to scoring points, learn that rules change.
DVDs/Movies/TV/Cable (Cable – 1982)
No authority figures or inept examples of authority, MTV influence, competition and reality shows are popular, immediate access with Movies on Demand, Netflex, RedBox.
I-Pods and I-Tunes (I-pod – 2001; I-tunes – 2003)
Immediate access to all kinds of music, inexpensive, illusion that they can always get what they want when they want it (possible to buy individual songs and not entire CD), parents may not know what kids are listening to, easier to ignore what’s going on around them, easier to become self-absorbed.
Digital Cameras
More affordable, instantly delete or edit pictures you don’t like, illusion that we and our lives can be perfect, email pictures to anyone, less privacy.
SOME KEY ISSUES:
- Millennials decide quickly that they’re bored. (First impressions really matter.)
- Millennials tend to be impatient.
- Millennials prefer to multi-task, they need choice, and they struggle to focus and persevere.
- Millennials value competition and need frequent objective feedback. They aren’t skilled at self-evaluation.
- Millennials prioritize relationships. Therefore, they may pay more attention to their friends than to what teachers are saying. Teachers must relate to their students to be heard by them.
- Millennials have high/unrealistic expectations.
- Millennials and parents often disagree about what’s the best future for them.
MANY MILLENNIALS ADMIT TO:
- Using intuition, control-alt-delete, delete-a-friend, and cut-and-run problem-solving methods.
- Expecting knowledge to be current, instantly available, and personally relevant.
- Being curious about many things, especially about improving the world. Model/teach why and how to dig deep (beyond the first hit on a search engine).
- Not being opposed to investigating a variety of ideas and can easily hold diverse ideas.
- Preferring to discover/construct knowledge rather than receiving lots of instruction about what you want them to know. Think of yourself as a facilitator of learning rather than a transmitter of ideas.
- Needing help processing knowledge. They must learn why and how to sift/sort, synthesize, and share.
A BOOK FAVORITE ON THE TOPIC
Degraffenreid, S. (2008). Understanding the millennial mind: A menace or amazing? Dallas, TX: N2Milliennials.com. (A free download is available here: http://bigbusinesszoo.com/millennials.php).
SELECTED BOOKS – NEGATIVE TOPICS
Bauerlein, M. (2009). The dumbest generation: How the digital age stupefies young Americans and jeopardizes our future (or, don’t trust anyone under 30). New York, NY: Penguin Books.
Jackson, M. (2008). Distracted: The erosion of attention and the coming dark age. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books.
SELECTED BOOKS BEFORE 2007
Hersch, P. (1998). A tribe apart: A journey into the heart of American adolescence. New York, NY: Fawcett Columbine.
Tapscott, D. (1998). Growing up digital: The rise of the net generation. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
OTHER RELEVANT RESOURCES
Ham, K., & Beemer, B. (2009). Already gone: Why your kids will quit church and what you can do to stop it. Green Forest, AR: New Leaf Publishing Group.
Kinnaman, D., & Lyons, G. (2009). unChristian: What a new generation really thinks about Christianity… and why it matters. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
