Why Can’t We All Why Can’t We All JUST GET ALONG?JUST GET ALONG?

PART IPART I

An Exploration into An Exploration into GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES

in the Junior College in the Junior College EnvironmentEnvironment

Who We Are:Who We Are:Presenters:Presenters:

James ForkumJames ForkumDean and Athletic Director: Santa Rosa Dean and Athletic Director: Santa Rosa

Junior CollegeJunior CollegeSherry ForkumSherry Forkum

Director of Writing & English Professor: Director of Writing & English Professor: William Jessup UniversityWilliam Jessup University

Principal Consultants: Advanced Knowledge Principal Consultants: Advanced Knowledge ConsultingConsulting

gendiff.comgendiff.com

Presentation AgendaPresentation AgendaI.I. IntroductionIntroductionII.II. Review the GenerationsReview the GenerationsIII.III. MillennialsMillennialsIV.IV. Practical ApplicationsPractical ApplicationsV.V. SummarySummaryVI.VI. Questions and AnswersQuestions and Answers

OutcomesOutcomes Understanding of the Generational Understanding of the Generational

Divide and Importance in the Two-Year Divide and Importance in the Two-Year College EnvironmentCollege Environment

Understanding the New Generation of Understanding the New Generation of StudentsStudents

Knowledge of Millennial Characteristics Knowledge of Millennial Characteristics (Technology)(Technology)

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

► ““4” in the Junior College Academic Setting4” in the Junior College Academic Setting

► Know Them to Understand ThemKnow Them to Understand Them

► Recruitment, Team-Building, Change, Recruitment, Team-Building, Change, Motivation, and Maintaining/Increasing Motivation, and Maintaining/Increasing ProductivityProductivity

► RetentionRetention

GENERATIONAL YEARSGENERATIONAL YEARS► G. I. Generation – 1901-1924 (ages 83-106)G. I. Generation – 1901-1924 (ages 83-106)

► Silent Generation – 1925-1942 (ages 65-82)Silent Generation – 1925-1942 (ages 65-82)

► Boomers – 1943-1960 (ages 47-64)Boomers – 1943-1960 (ages 47-64)

► Generation X – 1961-1981 (ages 26-46)Generation X – 1961-1981 (ages 26-46)

► Millennials – 1982-2002 (ages 5-25)Millennials – 1982-2002 (ages 5-25)

► Homeland – 2003 - (Ages 4 and under)Homeland – 2003 - (Ages 4 and under)

GENERATIONAL GENERATIONAL COMPARISONSCOMPARISONSSILENTSILENT BOOMERBOOMER GEN XGEN X MILLENNIALMILLENNIAL

SizeSize 52 Million52 Million 78 Million78 Million 70.2 Million70.2 Million 78-100 Million78-100 Million

Other NamesOther Names TraditionalistsTraditionalists Consciousness Consciousness GenerationGeneration

Me GenerationMe Generation

Modern “Lost” Modern “Lost” GenerationGeneration

Slacker GenerationSlacker Generation

Generation YGeneration YEcho BoomEcho Boom

Generation NextGeneration NextDigital GenerationDigital Generation

HeroesHeroes GI GenerationGI Generation ThemselvesThemselves Anti-HeroesAnti-Heroes ParentsParents

Family LifeFamily Life Earliest marrying Earliest marrying and babying and babying generation generation

Silent women Silent women divorces in record divorces in record

numbersnumbersLarge numbers of Large numbers of

women in the women in the workforce later in workforce later in the generational the generational

cyclecycle

Religious and/or Religious and/or spiritually orientedspiritually oriented

Health orientedHealth orientedWaiting until later in Waiting until later in life to have childrenlife to have children

Have become Have become “helicopter” parents“helicopter” parents

Adult oriented from Adult oriented from an early agean early age““Anti-child” Anti-child” movementmovement

Less parental Less parental supervision than supervision than

ever beforeever beforeLittle peer Little peer

interaction in interaction in childhoodchildhood

““Special” – eagerly Special” – eagerly anticipatedanticipated

Lowest parent to Lowest parent to child ratio everchild ratio ever

Universally Universally protectedprotectedShelteredSheltered

Continued…Continued…SILENTSILENT BOOMERBOOMER GEN XGEN X MILLENNIALMILLENNIAL

WorkWork Large increase in Large increase in number of people in number of people in “helping “helping professionals” in professionals” in 1960s1960s

WorkaholicsWorkaholicsCareer focusedCareer focused

First to seek work/life First to seek work/life balancebalanceNot constrained by Not constrained by time and/or placetime and/or place

3 out of 4 work more 3 out of 4 work more than 31 hours per than 31 hours per weekweekMore discretionary More discretionary income than any income than any previous groupprevious group

Significant Life Significant Life EventsEvents

DepressionDepressionSexual revolution Sexual revolution occurred while this occurred while this generation was in generation was in mid-lifemid-lifeKorean WarKorean War

VietnamVietnamSexual revolutionSexual revolutionKent StateKent State

Gulf WarGulf WarBerlin Wall comes Berlin Wall comes downdownChallenger explosionChallenger explosion

ColumbineColumbineSeptember 11September 11Second Gulf WarSecond Gulf War

*Notes*Notes Generation of Generation of jealousies and role jealousies and role reversalsreversalsFocused on previous Focused on previous generation while generation while young and young and subsequent subsequent generation in generation in adulthoodadulthood

Intense attention Intense attention focused on this focused on this group for the entire group for the entire Boomer lifespanBoomer lifespanSelf-aware and self-Self-aware and self-centered (largest centered (largest number of self-help number of self-help books)books)

Mired in an age of Mired in an age of deathdeath*AIDS*AIDS*Homicides drug-*Homicides drug-related deaths related deaths increasedincreased*Suicidal (at a near *Suicidal (at a near record rate of almost record rate of almost 5000/year in mid 5000/year in mid 1980s)1980s)

OptimisticOptimisticConventionalConventionalRacially diverseRacially diversePressuredPressured

Demography of the FutureDemography of the Future►Paperless Learning EnvironmentPaperless Learning Environment

Psychologically people are tactilePsychologically people are tactileLike to hold, handle, open somethingLike to hold, handle, open something

►Telecommuting/Virtual ClassroomsTelecommuting/Virtual ClassroomsSocial need to work in groupsSocial need to work in groupsMeet physicallyMeet physicallyInteractInteract

Important FactsImportant FactsThe Two-Year College Environment is no The Two-Year College Environment is no

longer about age:longer about age:

27% under age 26 preferred working with 27% under age 26 preferred working with colleagues of similar agecolleagues of similar age

32.7% preferred a mix of different ages32.7% preferred a mix of different ages 35.1% stated age does not matter at all35.1% stated age does not matter at all

COHESIVENESSCOHESIVENESS Intergenerational Conflict – hinders Intergenerational Conflict – hinders

plans, products, and ideas from plans, products, and ideas from moving forwardmoving forward

Detrimental Effects – communication, Detrimental Effects – communication, working relationships, underminingworking relationships, undermining

Cohesiveness Continued…Cohesiveness Continued…Team Conflicts –Team Conflicts –

Boomers – view Gen Xers as too impatient, throw out tried Boomers – view Gen Xers as too impatient, throw out tried and true and true

Gen Xers – view Boomers as inflexible to change/ say the Gen Xers – view Boomers as inflexible to change/ say the right right thing to the right person thing to the right person

Silents – view Boomers as self-absorbed, share too much Silents – view Boomers as self-absorbed, share too much information information

Boomers – view Traditionalists as rigid/dictatorialBoomers – view Traditionalists as rigid/dictatorial

Gen Xers – view Millennials as too spoiled/self-absorbedGen Xers – view Millennials as too spoiled/self-absorbed

Millennials – view Gen Xers as cynical/negativeMillennials – view Gen Xers as cynical/negative

““A team that allows choices and A team that allows choices and openly explores ideas, and openly explores ideas, and

whose members value learning, whose members value learning, will better accommodate the will better accommodate the

needs and values of members of needs and values of members of different generations.”different generations.”

Constance Patterson, PhDConstance Patterson, PhD

Is this the image that came to Is this the image that came to mind?mind?

Wired/WirelessWired/Wireless►Cell PhonesCell Phones►MP3 Players/iPods (iPhone)MP3 Players/iPods (iPhone)►TextingTexting►Web SurfingWeb Surfing►MySpace/FacebookMySpace/Facebook►Finger on the pulse of the WorldFinger on the pulse of the World►Right Here/Right Now GenerationRight Here/Right Now Generation

Learning CharacteristicsLearning Characteristics Teamwork ActivitiesTeamwork Activities Cooperative GroupingCooperative Grouping Experiential ActivitiesExperiential Activities StructureStructure Use of Technology (SIDs, TM)Use of Technology (SIDs, TM) Email/Instant Messaging are Natural Email/Instant Messaging are Natural

Communication and Socialization Communication and Socialization MechanismsMechanisms

Suggestions for SuccessSuggestions for Success► Tell the Truth Tell the Truth ► Let Them Know: What They Do MattersLet Them Know: What They Do Matters► Explain the “Why” and What Is In It For Explain the “Why” and What Is In It For

ThemThem► Learn Their Language, Communicate In Learn Their Language, Communicate In

Their TermsTheir Terms►Make the Competitive Environment FunMake the Competitive Environment Fun►Model The “Way”Model The “Way”► Build RelationshipsBuild Relationships► Challenge To Find Technological Solutions Challenge To Find Technological Solutions

To Everyday IssuesTo Everyday Issues

Some NegativesSome Negatives Multi-taskingMulti-tasking Poor Communication Skills (writing)Poor Communication Skills (writing) Oral CommunicationOral Communication Math SkillsMath Skills Mass StimulationMass Stimulation Lack of Critical Thinking/Problem Solving as Lack of Critical Thinking/Problem Solving as

an individualan individual Plagiarism/Cheating (turnitin.com)Plagiarism/Cheating (turnitin.com) Problem Discerning Truth (Wikipedia)Problem Discerning Truth (Wikipedia)

StrategiesStrategies►Awareness of new TechnologyAwareness of new Technology►Different methods of reporting information Different methods of reporting information

podcasts, blackboard, forums, use of podcasts, blackboard, forums, use of PowerPoint, RSS (Really Simple PowerPoint, RSS (Really Simple Syndication), LCS (Lecture Capture Syndication), LCS (Lecture Capture System)System)

►Setting ParametersSetting Parameters►WebsitesWebsites►RecruitingRecruiting

Time for YouTime for You

QuestionsQuestionsandand

AnswersAnswers

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