2. Generational Differences
Theory that people born
within an approximately 20
year time period share a
common set of characteristics
based upon the historical
experiences, economic and
social conditions,
technological advances and
other societal changes they
have in common
3. Generational Boundaries
• GI Generation
– Born between 1901 and 1924
• Silent Generation
– Born between 1925 and 1945
• Baby Boomers
– Born between 1946 and 1964
• Generation X
– Born between 1965 and 1980
• Today’s Student
– Millennials: Born between 1981
and 2000
– Edge Generation: Born between
2000 and 2020
4. Historical Influences
Boomers:
Gen X:
Today’s Student:
• Civil Rights
• Sexual
Revolution
• Cold War
• Space travel
• Assassinations
• Fall of Berlin
Wall
• Watergate
• AIDS
• Desert Storm
• Energy Crisis
•
•
•
•
•
School shootings
Oklahoma City
Internet
9/11
Iraq
5. This Generation’s Numbers
• 60 million - largest
group since the Baby
Boomers (72 million)
• 3 times larger than
Generation X
• Teen population is
growing at twice the
rate of the rest of
America
• Make up ~1/3 of U.S.
population
6. Today’s Student: Which Fit Your
Students?
Gamers
Digital Natives
Socially
Conscious
Disdain Previous
Generations
High Expectations
Spoiled Rotten
Respect
Intelligence
Value Diversity
Expect Incomes
Experiential
Exceeding Parents Learners
Optimistic and Family Oriented
Positive
Collaborative
Nomadic
Inclusive
Have More Friends
Healthy Lifestyle
Clueless
Direct
More Liberal
Achievement
Oriented
Media
Consumer
Patriotic
More Conservative
Value Balanced
Lives
Multi-tasker
Confident
Entitled
7. Today’s Student
• Generation Y
• Echo
• Net Generation
• Neomillennials
• Generation
NeXt
• Millennials
• Generation Me
• Digital Natives
