Wyoming Conference of Municipal Courts

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Wyoming Conference of Municipal Courts

• The Strengths and Challenges of the Next
  Generation Student and Lawyer
• N. Denise Burke
• Assistant Dean
• University of Wyoming College of Law
• Wednesday, May 16, 2007

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Presentation Objective

• Develop knowledge and understanding of the skills
  and challenges presented by todays law students,
  new attorneys and anyone born in the next
  generation.

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• In case youre worried about whats going to
  become of the younger generation, its going to
  grow up and start worrying about the younger
  generation.
• -Roger Allen

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Generational Identifiers

• What are their characteristics?
• What are their expectations?
• How can you meet their expectations?
• How can you better communicate with them?
• Who are they?
• Note time frames are not exact so individuals in
  one generational group may resemble another
  generation

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Remember When You Were Born Affects Who You Are

• VALUES
• Early years mold your values.
• ATTITUDES
• Values shape your attitude.
• CHOICES
• Attitude determines your choices.

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The Generational Cycle

• Represent people moving through time with a
  distinct image of themselves
• Historical events and social perspectives shape
  subsequent generations
• Each generation has a set of common beliefs and
  behaviors
• Each generation has a common location in history

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COMMON GENERATIONAL LABELS

• GI/Veteran 1901 1924
• Silent/Traditionalist 1925 1942
• Baby Boomers 1943 - 1964
• Generation X 1965 - 1979
• Millennials 1980 - Today

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Quick Quiz 1

• How well do you know the generations?
• Which generation are you?

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What generation is this?

• More likely to live in two-income household.
• May have children at home and caring for elder
  parents
• Have the basic feeling of security
• More likely than others to focus on education
• Believe hard work and time will ultimately reward
  you
• 88.8 of this generation completed high school

Baby Boomers
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What generation is this?

• This group was born at a time when it was
  considered natural and appropriate for families
  to have large numbers of children
• This generation married early in life
• This generation are about 95 retired at this
  point in time
• This group was during the Great Depression

Silent/MatureGeneration
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What generation is this?

• This group grew up during the post Watergate era
  and the energy crisis.
• These children experienced a higher rate of
  divorce and nontraditional families
• Many were latchkey kids who were raised on
  electronic media (television, Atari 2600s)
• As parents, they demand accountability

Generation X
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What generation is this?

• Sheltered parents very involved
• Have experienced a positive economy throughout
  school years
• Grew up on kid safety rules, lockdown of public
  schools, national youth safety movement
•  Technological sophistication
• Entering adulthood later in life

Millennial Generation
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Why this subject is so important?

• Academic training and programs
• Impact on the law, law enforcement,
• and judiciary
• Civic programs strategies
• Communication
• Customer service
• Technology
• Parental Involvement at all levels

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Demographics of Todays UW Law Student

• Age range 21-64 Median age 26.4
• Gender split 51 male, 49 female
• 34 different majors Accounting to Zoology
• 38 undergraduate institutions
• Originate from 17 states, 4 countries
• gt800 applications for admission incoming class
  of 75-80
• gt85 take class notes on laptop computers
• gt90 take final exams on computers

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Who are the Millennials?

• Born in or after 1982
• Presently 80 million in number (largest group)
  increased life expectancy
• Oldest entered college Fall of 2000, entered law
  school Fall of 2004, graduated law school Spring
  2007
• 3 most popular names Males Females
• Michael Jennifer
• Jason Jessica
• Christopher Ashley

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Events That Made An Impression

• 9-11
• Columbine
• Oklahoma City Bombing
• Princess Dis death
• O.J. Simpson Trial
• Rodney King riots

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Defining Characteristics

• Team-oriented
• Racially diverse
• Extremely close with parents
• Savvy with technology
• Less interested in humanities

• Conventional
• Confident
• Special
• Sheltered
• Self-Assured
• Stressed
• Achieving

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MILLENNIALS ARE

• SPECIAL
• SHELTERED
• CONFIDENT
• TEAM-ORIENTED
• ACHIEVING
• PRESSURED
• CONVENTIONAL

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MILLENNIALS ARE SPECIAL

• Generation of wanted children
• Central to their parents sense of purpose
• Many Boomer parents delayed having children until
  financially secure
• Boomer parents helicoptor parents- swoop in
  to save the day for their special child
• Gen-X parents stealth-fighter parents
• You may not see them, but always one text away
  from changing the childs choice

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MILLENNIALS ARE SHELTERED

• Baby on Board signs were created for this
  generation
• Their well being has dominated legislation (child
  restraints, home products, movie/video ratings,
  campus security)
• Boomer parents tend to be over-protective GenX
  parents want accountability

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MILLENNIALS ARE CONFIDENT

• Raised by parents believing in the importance of
  self-esteem
• Optimistic yet practical
• Hopeful of the future
• Enjoy strong connections with their parents
  delaying entering the adult workforce

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MILLENNIALS ARE TEAM-ORIENTED

• They are used to being organized in teams
• They have spent much of their time working and
  learning in groups
• They have established tight peer bonds
• They are inclusive less concerned with sexual
  orientation, socio-economic status, racial/ethnic
  boundaries

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MILLENNIALS ARE ACHIEVING

• They are very much into setting and meeting goals
  
• They have the benefit of best-educated parents
• They are the smartest ever with rising
  proficiency in math, science and standardized
  tests some experts challenge their depth of
  knowledge
• They are subject to mandatory testing

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MILLENNIALS ARE PRESSURED

• They are pushed to study hard
• They are pushed to succeed
• They are pushed to attend college
• They are pushed to choose careers that pay off
  nicely
• They want to get the grade regardless of the
  knowledge acquired
• Parents want them to have perfect set of courses,
  degrees, skills, contacts for material
  advantage.

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MILLENIALS ARE CONVENTIONAL

• They identify with their parents values
• They feel close to their parents
• They are rule followers (if we give them clear
  rules they can understand)
• They accept authority
• Whatever passive approach to dissent

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OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

• Technology and Multitasking are a way of life
• cell phone, instant message, I-pod tunes, and
  computer research all while doing homework.
• Trial and error is the key learning strategy
  (Nintendo logic)
• They are used to bits and bytes, flash and color
• They are racially and ethnically diverse
• They want their parents involved (really
  involved)
• There is zero tolerance for delays

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The Millennial Student

• Technology proficiency
• Part-time employment
• Ambitious but unrealistic expectations
• Aware of campus and community rules, regulations
  and political correctness. However, see it as a
  challenge to find a way around the rule.

• Exposure and/or experimentation with grown up
  activity
• Exposure to vast information but less in-depth
  understanding
• Different patterns of social connection and
  intimacy
• Increasingly high levels of stress and anxiety

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Growing Up Messages

• Be smart you are special (Nickelodeon, Baby
  Gap, Sports Illustrated for Kids)
• Leave no one behind (taught to be inclusive and
  tolerant of other religions and sexual
  orientations)
• Connect 24/7 (learned to be interdependent-on
  family, friends, and teachers)
• Achieve now! (right college, right preschool)
• Serve your community think of the greater good
  but not necessarily politically active

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What is your MIQ?

• Who are Posh, Scary, Ginger, Baby and Sporty?
• SPICE GIRLS
• Who got Jiggy wit it?
• WILL SMITH
• In what sport does Tony Hawk compete?
• SKATE BOARDING

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What are the real names?

• Shaq
• SHAQUILLE ONEIL
• MJ
• MICHAEL JORDON
• Stone Cold
• STEVE AUSTIN
• J-Lo
• JENNIFER LOPEZ
• P. Diddy
• SHAWN COMBS

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Can you speak Millennial?

• Flashy or Glitzy
• Bling Bling
• Hot Rod
• Ride or Hooptie
• Sneakers
• Shox
• Hunk/Stud/Babe
• Hottie
• Girlfriend/Boyfriend
• Boo
• Cool/Awesome
• Sweeeeet!
• Thongs
• Flip Flop

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The Greatest Influence

• PARENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Millennial Parent Characteristics

• Knowledgeable about college experience
• Sense of entitlement
• high cost of attendance
• regard for student as children, not adults
• Basic concerns are priority
• Expect to be involved from admission to
  graduation (to infinity and beyond)

• Idealist
• Passionate
• Protective
• Involved
• Concerned
• Intelligent
• Demanding
• Prioritize education
• Want structure,supervision, and feedback

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Parental Affect

• Reflect parent values
• Trust their parents
• Programmed
• Decisions are made for them
• Aim to please authority figures
• Celebrated

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Ways to Equip Yourself for Millennials

1. Be aware of generational differences and
   influences. Know your generations strengths and
   weaknesses as well as those of the other
   generations.
2. Become more computer savvy.
3. Seek their technical expertise.
4. Acknowledge the value and limitations of
   multi-tasking.
5. Set reasonable timelines and stick with them.
   Things do not have to be immediate in spite of
   their demanding such.
6. Acknowledge differing communication styles.

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INTERNET USAGE

• Informational vs. Transactional
• Our usage vs. Millennials usage
• -we use internet for info they use it for
  recreation, connectivity and transactions
• Legal research and writing
• -interesting issues re plagiarism, attribution,
  and credibility of sources

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ONLINE HABITS AND BEHAVIOR

• The younger the student, the more internet and
  computer savvy
• 82 are online daily
• Multitasking is routine.
• Facebook, MySpace and social networks are common
  place.

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Millennials Information Preferences

• Information must be individually tailored
• Immediacy and convenience are top priorities
• Portability of information is critical (web
  portals)
• Content must be dynamically generated
• Lag Time is a foreign concept
• Web Surfing is passé

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WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH THIS INFORMATION?

• Know your clients, personnel
• - trend watching polls
• Determine your solution
• If you have a web site is it up to date?
• - mobility, uniqueness, interactivity

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1 - Mobility

• Mobile Web Sites
• Personal Digital Assistants (PDA)
• Palm
• Pocket PC
• Smart phones

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2 - Uniqueness

• Look no further than your own browserthey want
  at least the appearance of interpersonal
  communication
• Content delivery must be relevant, custom
  tailored, personally welcoming
• Websites should anticipate the questions not wait
  for the inquiry.

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3 - Interactivity

• Interactive communication and letters
• Interactive calculators and estimators
• Interactive forms and electronic signatures
• Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) forms are not interactive,
  but may be first step.
• Remember Millennials value communication and
  time above all else.

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3 Interactivity (contd)

• Engage with technology teach with content
• Extend your customer service model (FAQs, email,
  phone, instant messaging) Do you have a process
  for handling incoming e-mail?
• How can current system be improved by
  incorporating their value system?

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Educational Issues

• Diversity of needs, experiences and backgrounds
• Expectation that education is holistic and
  complete, not just fact-based
• Increased high school drop-out and failure rates
• Poor class participation
• Typically under-prepared for class
• Need specific direction and guidance

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• The number one thing to realize with the
  Millennials is that as a whole they reflect much
  more parental perfectionism than any generation
  in living memory. Colleges and universities
  should know that they are not just getting a kid,
  but they are also getting a parent.
• William Strauss
• Author, Millennials Rising

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Why?

• Violent Crime is down 60-70
• Student crimes shrank from 3.4 million to 1.4
  million from 1992-2004, while teen population
  grew by 5.4 million
• Teen pregnancy is down nationwide
• Teen smoking decreased by 40 in 1995-2005
• Engaged in community service
• Tolerant - everyone is part of community
• See themselves as successful
• Overall attitude of build up not tear down
  bullying not allowed or tolerated

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Contrary to popular belief.

• They will recast the image of youth from
  downbeat and alienated to upbeat and engaged.
• The reason people blame things on previous
  generations is that theres only one other
  choice.
• -Doug Larson

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References and Resources

• Motivating the Whats in it if for Me?
  Workforce (Cam Marston)
• Millennials Rising The Next Generation (Neil
  Howe William Strauss)
• Millennial Child Transforming Education in the
  Twenty-First Century (Eugene Schwartz)
• Parents Relax Time Magazine, April 9, 2007,
  (John Cloud)

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Any Questions ?
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