XYZ and U!

Jeremy's post on GenXers reminded me of Mark McCrindle whom I heard speak on inter-generational differences almost one year ago to the day. He appealed to us as educators to reach Gen Y through understanding their different attitudes and values:

• Rather than making independent decisions based on core values, they live in a culture encouraging them to embrace community values, and to reach consensus.
  
• …their attitude is one of practicality, short-term focus, and utilitarianism.
  
• The culture today asserts that any philosophy, religion, or practice is as valid as any other as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else, and it is tolerant of the beliefs of others.
  
• They want community: to be understood, accepted, respected, and included.
  
• They are on a search for fun, for quality friendships, for a fulfilling purpose, and for spiritual meaning.
  
• They are looking for real life role models and mentors who not only know the way, but also go the way, and can show the way.

According to McCrindle, communication with Gen Y needs to be:

1. Real—bombarded daily with 1600 marketing messages, Gen Y are well practiced at sniffing out an insincere message or messenger.
   
2. Relevant—to be relevant means that you are adapting to the needs and wants of the people with whom you interact.
   
3. Relational—as a very relationally focused cohort, considering the relational dynamic when communicating with Gen Y is essential. This is particularly topical given current calls for immediacy in online learning.

Gen Y is also the subject of an Australian professional development project to assist teachers better understand the support needs of their students.

Update: For more background read Mark's paper The ABC of XYZ: Generational Diversity at Work, or for a more education focused article Diana Oblinger's Boomers, Gen-Xers & Millennials: Understanding the "New Students".