Exploring the Millennial Generation
Children who have grown up since the emergence of the World Wide Web and the assortment of related digital technologies (e.g., cell phones, text messaging, video games, and instant messaging) are now being referred to as the Millennial (Howe & Strauss, 2000). This generation is different from previous generations in important ways. For an excellent primer see the Howe and Strauss website Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation.
In this section, we will review what is known about the Millennials, particularly in terms of their use of Information Communication Technology (ICT). A theme of this review is the paradox that this generation presents to educators. Because of ICT, Millennials have access to more information, than any generation in history (Foehr, 2006; Lenhart, Arafeh, Smith, & Macgill, 2008; Lenhart & Madden, 2005; Lenhart, Madden, & Hitlin, 2005; Rideout, Roberts, & Foehr, 2005). These technologies have created an increasingly complex environment that Millennials must navigate. In addition, their extensive use of ICT often creates a false sense of competency, as well as the misperception among many adults that contemporary youth are “media savvy.” Hands on is not the same as heads on.
The problem affects both girls and boys. For example, when 9- to 17-year-old girls encounter advertising about weight-loss products they are “cognitively vulnerable” with limited ability to recognize “persuasive construction strategies, including message purpose, target audience and subtext” (Hobbs, Broder, Pope, & Rowe, 2006, p. 1). As for boys, the media typically portrays male characters as stereotypically aggressive and violent. Commenting on the report Boys to Men: Media Messages About Masculinity, Lois Salisbury, president of Children Now, stated, “our study shows that boys are exposed relentlessly to a narrow, confining picture of masculinity in America, one that reinforces anger and violence as the way to solve problems” (Children Now, 1999, para. 2).
The defining factor that leads to the Millennials distinctive character is that they are the first generation to be immersed in ICT for their entire lives. Because computers and the Internet have generally been part of today’s adolescents’ home and school lives, Prensky (2005/2006) termed them digital natives. Digital natives are fluent in the language and culture of ICT, adjusting easily to changes in technology and using ICT in creative and innovative ways. Digital immigrants, those born before the rapid infusion of digital technology, always speak with an accent and struggle to learn and apply new ICT.
Digital natives seem to have boundless interest and curiosity about emerging technologies. As part of the Pew Internet & American Life Project, Lenhart et al. (2005) interviewed a representative sample of 1,100 American 12- to 17-year-olds and a parent or guardian. They found that 84% of the teenagers reported owning one or more personal media device, and 87% use the Internet; 51% reported going online daily. These data portray Millennials as highly engaged in ICT and provide convincing evidence that their use of telecommunications exceeds every other generation. The report makes the case that Millennials are more likely to use the new technology as a means of communicating with their friends and peers, contrary to commonly held attitudes of their elders.
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