You are What You TECH: Generational Learning and Technology

You are What You TECH:Generational Learning and Technology Carol Schwartz,

Ph.D.Lourdes University

June 4, 2013

Marlington Local Schools

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Key Concepts and Questions Generational patterns repeat in

cycles What influences each generation’s

development? Who are the students currently in our

classrooms ? What role does technology play in

generational development? SchwartzJune 4, 2013

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The Influence of Our “Generation”

Much of the way we look at the world and how we relate to it is a function of when we were born and the formative experiences that influenced our development

William Strauss and Neil Howe identified four

“turnings” (event patterns) and four “generations” that

continue to repeat in the same cyclic patterns

SchwartzJune 4, 2013

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Strauss & Howe Define Generation

Members of a generation share An age location in history

People experience key historical events & social trends at the same development stage

Common beliefs and behaviors A sense of common perceived

membership in that generation Generational definition based on the work of Comte,

Littré, Gasset, Mannheim, Mentre, and Mill

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Four Archetyes

Hero Becomes team-oriented and self-reliantBorn after an Awakening or in an Unraveling

Nomad Becomes pragmatic leader

Born during an Awakening

Prophet Becomes crusaderBorn at the end of Crisis or in a High

Artist Becomes consensus builder

Born during a Crisis

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Four “Turnings” or Event Patterns

Crisis (1929-

44)Institutional

life destroyed

rebuilt

Move toward common purpose

“Founding moments” redefine identity

High (1945-

64)STRONG

Institutions

Weak Individuali

sm

Social Stability

Awakening

(1965-80)

Search of Autonomy

and Authenticity

Emphasis on Individualism

Unraveling

(1981-2005)

Weak institutions; distrusted

Flourishing Individualis

m

Evident Social or Political Splits

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Generations Repeat Over Time

Arthurian (1433–1460) (H) Humanist (1461–1482) (A) Reformation (1483–1511) (P) Reprisal (1512–1540) (N) Elizabethan (1541–1565) (H) Parliamentary (1566–1587) (A) Puritan (1588–1617) (P) Cavalier (1618–1647) (N) Glorious (1648–1673) (H) Enlightenment (1674–1700)

(A) Awakening (1701–1723) (P) Liberty (1724–1741) (N) Republican (1742–1766) (H) Compromise (1767–1791) (A)

Transcendental (1792–1821) (P) Gilded (1822–1842) (N) Progressive (1843–1859) (A) Missionary (1860–1882) (P) Lost Generation (1883–1900) (N) G.I. Generation (1901–1924) (H) Silent Generation (1925–

1942) (A) Boomers (1943–1960) (P) Gen X (1961–1981) (N) Millennial (1982–2004) (H) Homeland/Gen Z (2005-?) (A)

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Turnings and Age Groups

•Crisis: Institutions destroyed & rebuilt

•Artist: Consensus builders1925-1943

•High: Strong Institutions•Prophet: Questions authority 1944-

1964

•Awakening: Individualism & Autonomy

•Nomad: Alienated pragmatics1965-1980

•Unraveling: Individualism & Splits

•Hero: Overprotected advocates 1981-2004

June 4, 2013 Schwartz

Silent Generation BoomersGen XersMillennial

s

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Our Colleagues and our Students

June 4, 2013 Schwartz

Silent Generat

ionBorn 1925-1943

Team Player

s

Artists

Boomer Generat

ionBorn 1944-1964Questio

n Authority Make

a Differenc

eProphets

Gen X

Born 1965-1980

Self-ReliantFlexibl

eNomad

s

MillennialsBorn 1981- 2002

Eclectic

Connect

Globally

Heroes

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Generations’ Formative Influences

June 4, 2013 Schwartz

Silent Generation (1925-1943)Sacrifice; be heroic; consider the common good1929 Stock Market Crash1937 Hindenburg Crash1941 Pearl Harbor Attack; Hitler Invades

Russia1945 World War II ends1947 Jackie Robinson joins the major leaguesRADIO was the technology that shaped them

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Generations’ Formative Influences

June 4, 2013 Schwartz

Boomers (1944-1964)Be anything you want to be; change the world1962 John Glenn orbits the Earth

1963 M.L. King marches on WDC; J.F. Kennedy assassinated

1965-73

Vietnam War—part of the nightly news broadcast

1967 First heart transplant1969 Moon landing and Woodstock1970 Women’s liberation movementTelevision was the technology that shaped them

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Generations’ Formative Influences

June 4, 2013 Schwartz

Gen Xers (1965-1980)Take care of yourself; heroes don’t exist; always ask “why?”1973 Global energy crisis1979 Three Mile Island and corporate

downsizing/layoffs1980 John Lennon killed1981 AIDS identified1986 Chernobyl and Challenger disasters1989 Fall of the Berlin Wall Personal computer was the technology that shaped them

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Generations’ Formative Influences

June 4, 2013 Schwartz

Millenials (1981-2004)You are special; leave no one behind; serve your community1990 & 1993

Mandela released from prison; Apartheid ends in South Africa

1995 Oklahoma City bombing1997 Princess Diana died1999 Columbine shootings2001 9/11

Internet is the technology that shaped them

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Millennials at School and Work Tend to be goal- and achievement-oriented Exhibit high levels of social concern and

responsibility Have higher expectations than any earlier

generation Data show that they are also incredibly “smart”

by traditional measurement Count on the ability to connect with cohorts

immediately Share ideas and values over a broad

audienceJune 4, 2013

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How Can We Engage Millennials Create activities that build sense of

community Provide clear expectations and

detailed, explicit instructions Help with time management, study

skills, and conflict resolution Provide cutting-edge technology,

interactive web services, and opportunities for virtual communities

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Helping Millennials Learn

Teacher-Learner engagement Remember their parents have been very “present”

Collaborative learning works for them They are very comfortable with peer engagement

Active learning in the classroom Flipped classrooms for discussions, group projects and

cooperative problem-solving Feedback is important

Prompt, frequent, and constructive feedback works for them

Keep high expectationsJune 4, 2013 Schwartz

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Communicating with Millennials

Be positive Send a text message or meet face-

to-face Tie the message to the Millennial’s

personal goals or to team goals Don’t be condescending; avoid

cynicism and sarcasm

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Expansive Change

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Schwartz 19June 4, 2013

The NEXT Generation:What can we

infer about the youngest

student in our classrooms?

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The “Next Generation”

Born (2005-2020) Homeland Generation

Name favored by Strauss and Howe from a web-based contest in 2005▪ Also called Gen Z, Net Generation, Wii

Generation A generation's identity is shaped in

the first 16 years of life Generation of a “Crisis” turning

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Characteristics of “Crisis” Turning Institutional life is redesigned in response

to a perceived threat Civic authority and community purpose

are revived Fourth Turnings are “founding moments” Thom Hartmann interviews Neil Howe on

the Fourth Turning http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZp0-DOC

7Ko

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The “Next Generation”

Born (2005-2020) Frank N. Magid Associates created a

partial profile for Pluralists▪ Incredible ethnic diversity and socially

diverse mixing▪ Last American generation that will be

predominantly white ▪ Least likely to believe in the American Dream

due to economic crisis

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Political Formative Events

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2000

SCOTUS intervenes in presidential election

2001

World Trade Center and Pentagon Terrorist Attacks War on Terror

2001

No Child Left Behind Act passed

2003

The invasion of Iraq

2008

GWBush signs the $700 billion Emergency Economic Stabilization Act bailout

2008

Barack Obama elected president

2009

Tea Party begins protests against government

2011

Osama bin Laden killed

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Social /Cultural /Natural Formative Events

June 4, 2013 Schwartz

2003 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster

2004 Massachusetts legalizes same gender marriage

2004 Asian tsunami2005 Hurricane Katrina2007 Virginia Tech massacre2011 Tucson, Arizona massacre

2012 Aurora, Colorado movie theater massacre

2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre

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Technological Formative Events

June 4, 2013 Schwartz

2001 Web 2.0 (interactivity)

2004 Facebook is launched

2005

YouTube is launched; USB replaces floppy disks

2006 Twitter is launched

2006

Wii launched, followed by similar systems

2006

1,000,000th song is downloaded from iTunes

2007

iPhone and proliferation of other smart phones

2009

Kindle followed by other e-reader devices

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Next Generation: Artist Archetype What should we expect of them if the

archetype and pattern hold true? Good at process Promote civility Leadership through institutional structure

▪ Will this be a generation of politicians? Know lean times to have a positive work

attitude Team players

▪ Will they have the Silent Gen’s respect for authority?

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Next Generation: Artist Archetype What else should we expect of them?

Resilient and adaptive Self-Reliant and self-directed

Balanced by tremendous individualism Given unique names Over-protected because their world is scary

May be a generation of “late-bloomers”June 4, 2013 Schwartz

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Next Generation: Artist Values What will formative experience(s)

include? May be a “small” generation due to economics May value safety, security, conformity, and

consistency May emphasize fairness, inclusion, and social

justice May have a strong work ethic Will likely see blended social constructs: roles,

families, etc.

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Technology’s Impact Technology is “Mobile, Global Connectivity”

Global community Constantly connected—any time, any place Total “Digital Natives” Their parents will be also be technologically

adept

Greater access to more information Will see less need to “remember” things Greater need for info access and processing

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What Are Our Best Guesses? Homelanders will be create stability

in new, diverse, social structures They will be more accepting of—or

possibly not recognize—traditional differences

They will use technology to connect to globally, though they may stay close to home In some ways, the world can come to

them through technologyJune 4, 2013 Schwartz

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What Are Our Best Guesses? They are destined to be the

“rebuilders” of political, social, and cultural structures The structures and institutions that they

rebuild will probably reflect a more broad-ranging, global view and be accessed through technology

They are more likely to work within systems and structures than outside of them Those systems will probably be

significantly different than we know them today

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Advice from the Boomers:Teach your children well,

Their father's hell did slowly go by,

And feed them on your dreams

The one they picked, the one you'll know by.

June 4, 2013 Schwartz

Crosby, Still, Nash, and Young

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Questions?

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For more information…

Key Terms, Tags, and Titles Generation(al) Theory Strauss and Howe

The Fourth Turning Generations: The History of America’s Future,

1584-2069 Millennials Rising

Jean Twenge (on Millennials) Generation Me The Narcissism Epidemic

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Books You Might Want to Read

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Contact Information

Carol Schwartz, Ph.D.Lourdes University

cschwartz@lourdes.edu

June 4, 2013 Schwartz