The Millenial Student
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Transcript The Millenial Student
Understanding the
Millennial Student
MASFAA CONFERENCE
May 2005
Presented by
Searcy Taylor
Mississippi Gulf Coast
Community College
Nancy MacNeil
American Student Assistance
AGENDA
Who
are they?
What are their characteristics?
What are their expectations?
How can you meet their expectations?
How can you better communicate with
them?
When You Were Born Affects:
VALUES
(early years mold your values)
ATTITUDES (values shape your attitude)
CHOICES (attitude determine your
choices)
The Generational Cycle
Represent
people “moving through time”
with a distinct image of themselves
Each generation has a set of common
beliefs and behaviors
Each generation has a common location in
history
COMMON GENERATIONS
GI/Veteran
Silent/Traditionalist
Baby
Boomers
Generation X
Millennials
1901 – 1924
1925 – 1942
1943 - 1960
1961 - 1981
1982 - Today
WHO are the MILLENIALS?
Children
of late boomers and early
GenXers
“Babies on Board” of the early Reagan
years
“Have You Hugged Your Child Today” sixth
graders of the early Clinton years
Teens of Columbine
What has SHAPED their times?
Focus
on children and family
Scheduled, Structured Lives
Multiculturalism
Terrorism
Heroism
Patriotism
Parent Advocacy
Globalism
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
MILLENIALS ARE:
SPECIAL
SHELTERED
CONFIDENT
TEAM-ORIENTED
ACHIEVING
PRESSURED
CONVENTIONAL
MILLENIALS ARE SPECIAL
Generation
of “wanted” children
Central to their parents’ sense of purpose
Many Boomer parents delayed having
children until financially secure
MILLENIALS 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
MILLENIALS 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
MILLENIALS ARE TEAMORIENTED
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
MILLENIALS 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
They are subject to mandatory testing
MILLENIALS 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
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
OTHER CHARACTERISTICS
Technology and Multitasking are a way of life
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
Ways to Equip Yourself for the
Millennial Student
WEB USAGE
Informational
vs. Transactional
Our usage vs. Students’ usage
ONLINE HABITS AND BEHAVIOR
The
younger the student, the more
internet and computer savvy
82% are online daily
Average 12 hours per week
THE CLASS OF 2008 ~
Preferences
Information
must be individually tailored
Portability of information is critical
Content must be dynamically generated
‘Lag Time’ is a foreign concept
Web Surfing is passé
WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH THIS
INFORMATION?
Know
your students
- trend watching; polls
Determine your solution
Can your web site compete?
- mobility, uniqueness, interactivity
1 - Mobility
Mobile
Web Sites
Personal Digital Assistants (PDA)
Palm
Pocket PC
Smart phones
2 - Uniqueness
Look
no further than your own
browser…
Content delivery must be relevant
Yahoo & Amazon changed everything for the better
3 - Interactivity
Interactive
award letters
Interactive calculators and estimators
Interactive forms and electronic
signatures
http://www.formsite.com
Adobe Acrobat
interactive
(.pdf) forms are not
3 – Interactivity (cont’d)
Engage
with technology – teach with
content
Extend your customer service model
(FAQs, email, phone, instant
messaging)
Virtual Counseling Tools
http://www.liveperson.com /
http://www.humanclick.com
Summary…
Comparison
of Generations
Millennial Students’ Expectations
Understanding YOUR Students
Areas of concentration for web sites:
Mobility, uniqueness, interactivity
QUESTIONS?
CONTACT INFORMATION
Searcy Taylor
Nancy MacNeil
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community
College
[email protected]
228.897.3886
American Student Assistance
(ASA)
[email protected]
617.728.4677
REFERENCES
Generations
Millenials Rising: The Next Great Generation
Millenials Go To College
“Look to the Web to Increase Recruitment”
http://www.universitybusiness.com
“The Information-Age Mindset, Changes in
Students and Implications for Higher Education”,
Jason L. Frand, EDUCAUSE Review
“Understand the Millenial Generation to Manage
Them Successfully”
http://www.digitu.com/enews/012millenials.html
REFERENCES
“Managing the Millenials”
http://www.generationsatwork.com
“Whassup? A Glimpse Into the Attitudes and Beliefs of
the Millenial Generation”
http://www.collegevalues.org/seereview.cfm
“Digital Community Colleges and the Coming of the
‘Millenials’”
http://www.thejournal.com
“The Millenial Generation Comes to College”
http://www.itc.virginia.edu/fall02
“Boomers, Gen-Xers, and Millenials: Understanding
the New Students”, Diana Oblinger, EDUCAUSE
Review