Characteristic of Millennials Generation
Generation Millennials are a group of people who born after Generation X, between the year of 1980 in the 2000s. The main characteristic of this generation is they understand technology much better compared to the previous generation, as they were born in the era where the technology is very developed. In the early stage of their life, they have already watched TV in color, the phone provided with the internet, many of them prefer to get the latest information from the handphone rather than TV, they will buy e-book rather than the book, and not to forget almost all of them have a social media.
They are the people who will dominating the market this day. In the next several years, Generation Millennials is the group of people who will take charge in the crucial field of the world. Economy, Business, Politics, etc.
Challenges and Present Issues of Millennials Generation in term of Education.
Prince Ea, an American spoken word artist, poet, rapper and filmmaker has his own opinion about the education system as he stated in the video below :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqTTojTija8&t=6s
He criticizing the method of education in this day is not change compared to the development of the technology. As he said, ”If you judge a fish by his ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid”. He quipped that the education still focusing on the curriculum that telling the students what to do, make them compete to get an A, and not guiding the students to find their real ability and talents, it’s killing their creativity.
A very interesting scene where he compares the phone from 100 years ago with today and there is a lot of changes, but not with the education where the student today are still raising the hand, the same method that they already used many years before.
As the Generation Millennials have its own unique character, it is important to reflect and to understand the ideal method of education where it suits their type and can be adapted. The world needs a new generation with a better critical thinking, creative ideas, and massive action.
Characteristic of the Ideal Education for Millennials Generation
The key point of this idea is an ability to understand the overall characteristic of Generation Millennials. By understanding it, the most effective education method for them where they will achieve a great success can be created. Below is a method of ideal education that can be adapted by Generation Millennials.
- Less Theory, More Practice. It is proven that a theory without implementation is ineffective. Education these days, often prioritizing a method to deliver a theory only. While giving more chance to the students for experiencing that, will create natural instinct for them as it will be a reflection because of the previous experience that they have. By psychology, people remember better if they can feel it. For instance, a suitable method for business students to become a mature entrepreneur is by creating a real business rather than studying a theory to make a good business.
- Maximum Using of Technology. Millennials identic with the internet, where it plays a major role in their life. Providing the school with advanced technology will help them prepare themselves for their future careers, where the use of technology will be more frequent. Millennials prefer to receive information from their phone, searching in Google or from conversations in Whats App group, which allowed this generation to keep up-to-date with the surroundings. They also prefer a picture rather than a theory in the book. A simple method is by using a projector to teach more often and the using of android for education purpose. An access to digital textbooks will be easier rather than heavy books. It is also constantly updated, cheaper, more creative and helpful.
- A Better Understanding of Technology by Parents on Raising Generation Millennials. Ideal education begins from parents. Many parents of Generation Millennials become confused and frustrated as their kid relies on technology and it has become a lifestyle. It impacts on their behavior as well, and they are afraid there will be a shift in the general norm. The difference that triggered by technology is very drastic, and it’s very different from the norms that they have known. Parents Ignorance on technology is causing anxiety and fear. Because of this, many negative assumptions and misconception about the Internet, that it will cause something bad, so it needs to be restricted and prohibited. Parents need to learn and able to predict the future, by analyzing its need and challenges so that they can educate their children to prepare themselves to face their own lives. Parents may start to teach their children with simple technology such as android and allow them to use digital devices. Below is an Inverted Pyramid Parenting for Parents :
Photo from : http://bit.ly/2nr5NSg
The world is changed rapidly, and by improving a knowledge about technology, parents will aware about its function and how to fully control it. It can reduce the anxiety of them, at the same time, they able to guide the children to use the technology wisely. Becoming a role model for them by using the gadget.
- Applying Proper Method by Teacher on Educating Their Students. Ideal education concentrates on teaching quality and not quantity. A student will love the subjects in the school not because of his book, but because of his teacher. Education is a transfer of knowledge from generation to generation. The teacher must realize, teaching means that they are part of developing new generation, they are creating the future. The educators are role models for the students so that they must maintain a positive good character. To be a good teacher and can be remembered by the students, every teacher should learn to develop an interaction with them, whether it is to create fun to learn method arts. Especially using a technology.
- Open Opportunity to Build Start Up and Being Entrepreneur. In the era where Creative Industries dominating, people use the problems that exist as the opportunity to create a solution, where from this solution the idea of building start-up will comes. Being an entrepreneur and building a start-up is one of the alternatives among Millennials. When they graduate, they no longer looking for a job but they want to find business opportunities and enter the entrepreneurial world.
So, during the early stage of their life, by encouraging them to have a business without giving bad impact to their academic grade by the school or parents, it will give them a beneficial experience where they can use it to make a bigger business when they are ready to enter the ” real world”.
Generation Millennials in every part of the world are very lucky and powerful at the same time. They can understand technology faster, more creative and open minded. The platform to learn and grow is everywhere. People today can learn from the e-book, from the YouTube, from the influential public figure where they share their thoughts through social media. Compared to the previous generation, the self-development of Generation Millennials is more effective and efficient. As part of them, using this momentum to become success early is crucial, in order to give a significant contribution to the country.
END
Author :
Josandy Maha Putra – @j_mahaputra. Bachelor of International Business Management Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), a former President of International Students Society (UUM) who was elected as the first President from the Asia Continent, Vice Chairman of Ikatan Kekeluargaan Mahasiswa Minang in Malaysia, alumni of Forum Indonesia Muda 15 and Asean Future Leader 4.
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Comments (1)
Austin Picasays:
June 6, 2019 at 1:48 pmThanks for sharing.