Mini Handbook - VWC: Faculty/Staff Web - Virginia Wesleyan College

Possibilities for Collaboration under construction for Version 2 of
this handbook:
Career Services Center
Batten 220/Lisa Fentress /233-8713/lfentress@vwc.edu
Office of International Programs
Batten 22/lena Johnson / # 3116/ljohnson@vwc.edu
Further reading
Neil Howe and William Strauss, Millennials Rising: The Next Great
Generation (2000)
George Kuh et aL, Student Success in College: Creating Conditions
That Matter (2005)
Virginia Lee, Teaching and Learning through Inquiry: A guidebook
for Institutions and Instructors (2004)
Linda B. Nilson, Teaching at Its Best: A Research-Based Resource for
College Instructors (2003).
Library Research Module: Case Study: University of Alberta
is just a beginning. Please send your bibliographic discoveries to
jbhowell@vwc.edu)
Factors to Consider when dealing with Millennials
1. Societal Changes: More than other generations, Millennials are the
"special" and "sheltered generation, who, since childhood have gotten
awards and trophies for simply showing up.
2. Technology-savvy: All their lives there has been the Internet, cell phones,
and IPODs; they frequent Social networking sites & blogs, Email, Text,
Twitter; play Video games, watch Cable/satellite TV, etc,
3. "New" consumer: first generation marketed to directly beginning in
childhood.
4. Mental health issues: more likely than previous generations to have had
counseling, a medication history, self-injury and suicidal ideation/attempt.
5. Changing parents: "helicopter" or hovering parents; Millennials' parents
often challenge reports of poor academic performance or conduct.
6. Pressured, with lower ItThresholds of Violence", resulting in definitions of
Itstress" and Itstressorslt different from previous generations. Without
appropriate practiced coping techniques they often react with (seemingly)
disproportionate responses.
7. Achieving and conventional: responsive to explicit expectations and
structure.
8. Team-oriented, group affiliated.
(schematic compilation drawn material from Denise Wilkinson's 2010 Tass
PowerPoint and W. Scott Lewis's Webinar PowerPoint for itA Perfect Storm:
Understanding and Managing Millennials," (Magna Online Seminars, Mar.
16, 2010). Both draw on the work of Howe and Strauss (see bibliography).
the Generations
• The Silent Generation: b. 1922 to 1942 (67+ years
• The Baby Boomers: b 1943 to 1960-64 (45 - 66 years old)
• Generation X: b. 1961-4 to 1980-82 (29 to 46 years old)
• Millennial Generation: b. 1980-82 to 2001-05 (29 and younger)