The Greatest, Boomers, GenXers, and Millennials:

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• The Greatest, Boomers, Gen-Xers, and Millennials
  
• Creating Intergenerational Understanding

Terri A. Tarr, Ph.D. Megan M. Palmer,
Ph.D. Indiana University Purdue University
Indianapolis May 2007
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Howe, N., Strauss, W. (2000). Millennials
rising The next great generation. New York
Random House.
3
Generations Quiz

• To which generation do I belong?
• A. Greatest Generation
• B. Baby Boomers
• C. Gen X
• D. Millennials

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Generations Quiz

• To which generation do I belong?
• A. Greatest Generation
• B. Baby Boomers
• C. Gen X
• D. Millennials

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Generations Quiz

• To which generation do we belong?
• A. Greatest Generation
• B. Baby Boomers
• C. Gen X
• D. Millennials

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Generations Quiz

• To which generation do I belong?
• A. Greatest Generation
• B. Baby Boomers
• C. Gen X
• D. Millennials

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Overview of Session

• Introduction
• Generational Perspectives
• Understanding and Motivating Millennial Students

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Introduction What is a Generation?

• In addition to coincidence of birth, a
  generation is also defined by common tastes,
  attitudes, and experience.Those times encompass
  a myriad of circumstances economic, social,
  sociological, and, of course, demographic.

Zemke, R. Raines, C., Filipczak, B. (2000).
Generations at work Managing the clash of
Veterans, Boomers, Xers, and Nexters in your
workplace. New York Amacon.
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IntroductionCautions

• Generations overlap
• Based on mainstream America
• Danger of stereotyping

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IntroductionWhy is this topic important?
They cant problem solve! Theyre just a bunch
of spoiled brats.
My professor told me to email her. I wondered,
Dont you know about IM?
I need to get information on my research paper. I
better Google it.
If I hear We already tried that and it didnt
work one more time, I think Ill scream.
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Generational Perspectives
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Generational PerspectivesBreakdown of Current
Population

• Greatest
• Boomers
• Gen X
• Millennials

Source 2000 US Census Data
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Generational PerspectivesBreakdown of Current
Population
Greatest
Millennial
Boomer
Gen X
Source 2000 US Census Data
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Generational PerspectivesThe Greatest
Generation, Born 1922 to 1943
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Generational PerspectivesBaby Boomers, Born
1943 to 1960
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Generational PerspectivesGeneration X, Born
1960-1980
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Generational PerspectivesMillennials, Born
1980-2000
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Generational Perspectives
Howe, N., Strauss, W. (2000). Millennials
rising The next great generation. New York
Random House.
20
Generational Perspectives

• Complete the worksheet about characteristics of
  your assigned generation with others sitting near
  you.

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Generational Perspectives

• Defining Events
• Heroes
• Technology
• Core Values

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GenerationsThe Way They See the World
Millennials
Generation X
Baby Boomers
Greatest Generation
Skeptical
Driven
Respectful
Pulling together
Expected
Do with help
Chambers, D.W. (2005). Generations. Journal of
the American College of Dentists, 72(3),
27-36. Zemke, R. Raines, C., Filipczak, B.
(2000). Generations at work Managing the clash
of Veterans, Boomers, Xers, and Nexters in your
workplace. New York Amacon.
23
Understanding and Motivating Millennial Students
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Understanding and Motivating Millennial Students
Howe, N., Strauss, W. (2000). Millennals
rising The next great generation. New York
Random House.
25
Millennial StudentsCharacteristics
Stressed
Protected
Self-Focused
High Expectations
Socially Oriented
Confident
Direct Informal
Suspicious
Howe, N., Strauss, W. (2000). Millennials
rising The next great generation. New York
Random House. Taylor, M. (2006). Generation NeXt
comes to college 2006 updates and emerging
issues. A Collection of Papers on Self-Study and
Institutional Improvement, 2, p.48-55. Twenge,
J.M. (2006). Generation Me Why todays young
Americans are more confident, assertive,
entitled, and miserable than ever before. New
York Free Press.
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Millennial StudentsCharacteristics

• Which of the characteristics do you believe is
  most prevalent?
• Self-Focused
• Confident
• Direct Informal
• Protected
• Stressed
• High Expectations
• Suspicious
• Socially Oriented

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Millennial StudentsCharacteristics

• Which of the characteristics do you believe is
  least prevalent?
• Self-Focused
• Confident
• Direct Informal
• Protected
• Stressed
• High Expectations
• Suspicious
• Socially Oriented

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Millennial StudentsCharacteristics of the
Millennial Learner

• Digital Literacy
• Experiential and Engaging
• Interactivity and Collaboration
• Immediacy, Connectivity, and Communications

Skiba, D.J., Barton, A.J. (2006). Adapting your
teaching to accommodate the net generation of
learners. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing,
11(2).
29
Digital Literacy

• Image-Rich vs. Text
• Post course notes with relevant web links
• Direct students to discipline specific databases
• Course site could include notes, slides,
  webliography, and pertinent multimedia
• Hybrid courses
• Podcasting
• Image-rich text books and readings (CDs, DVDs)

Skiba, D.J., Barton, A.J. (2006). Adapting your
teaching to accommodate the net generation of
learners. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing,
11(2).
30
Experiential and Engaging

• Construction of Knowledge
• Simulations (online, field experience, in-class)
• Visualizations
• Case Analysis
• Fieldwork
• Blogging
• Interactive Web Environments

Skiba, D.J., Barton, A.J. (2006). Adapting your
teaching to accommodate the net generation of
learners. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing,
11(2).
31
Interactivity and Collaboration

• Learning is a social activity
• Collaborative Learning Online (Oncourse CL)
• Wikis
• Discussion Forums
• Chat
• Email
• Group Space
• Audio and Video Conferencing
• Classroom Response Devices (clickers)
• Group work (small teams, pairs, presentations)
• Class Discussion
• Role Playing

Skiba, D.J., Barton, A.J. (2006). Adapting your
teaching to accommodate the net generation of
learners. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing,
11(2).
32
Immediacy, Connectivity, and Communications

• 24 x 7 x 365 World
• Set expectations early about feedback and
  communication
• Consider ways to use all three forms of
  communication
• One-on-One
• One-to-Many
• Many-to-Many
• Online services (gradebook, clinical scheduling,
  advising)

Skiba, D.J., Barton, A.J. (2006). Adapting your
teaching to accommodate the net generation of
learners. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing,
11(2).
33
Balance
Action
Reflection
Text
Visual
Social
Individual
Process
Content
Speed
Deliberation
Peer-to-peer
Peer review
Oblinger, D. (2005, September/October). Learners,
learning, and technology. Educause Review, 67-75.
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Questions to Consider

• Do you know your students and their preferences?
• Once you know their preferences how (and to what
  degree) will you adapt or accommodate?
• What balance between the physical and virtual
  worlds of learning is appropriate for your
  students, faculty, and setting?
• How do you engage your learners?
• What are the best methods for incorporating
  technology in your teaching and learning
  environments?

Skiba, D.J., Barton, A.J. (2006). Adapting your
teaching to accommodate the net generation of
learners. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing,
11(2).
35

• Terri A. Tarr, Ph.D.
• tatarr_at_iupui.edu
• [phone]
• Megan M. Palmer, Ph.D.
• mmpalmer_at_iupui.edu
• [phone]