Reaching the Millennial Generation in the Classroom

Abstract

The millennial generation (Generation Y) is the age group of children born between 1982 and 2002. Students aged 15 to 16 were asked to answer questions regarding their classroom experience. Sixty eight students were asked to participate in the survey and 63 gave consent for their participation. A qualitative survey approach was used asking three open ended questions, which yielded some fascinating findings, which complement the research that has been done on millennials. When a saturation point was reached, transcribing the same issue multiple times, the results were compiled and listed in narrative form. From this open-ended survey, and transcription of data, the results yielded that this group has a preference for order, safety and security, expect to talk more, and have engaging experiences while learning at the same time. Millennial students say they want to use the creative side of their brain. In the context of assisting teachers in the classrooms and future courses, instructors must realize that this millennial generation needs to be nurtured, mentored, developed, and released to grow in their own learning.