Fast Facts: 1.Born between (Encompasses all traditional undergraduates) 2.More racially and ethnically diverse than past generations of college students 3.Many have never known life without computers or the internet in education 4.Some are more technologically savvy than the professors that teach them 5.They are egocentric and are labeled the Entitlement Generation 6.Strong parental relationships, but many have one parent and know less about the Nuclear Family 7.In their life time AIDS has always existed 8.Barbie has always had a job during their childhood 9.Attending a Coming out party is celebrated more than southern debutantes 10.Yugoslavia has never existed in their geography texts

They rarely read newspapers – or, for that matter, books. They are impatient and goal oriented. They hate busywork, learn by doing, and are used to instant feedback. They want it now. They think it is cool to be smart. They want flexibility – in the classroom and in their lives. – Richard T. Sweeney Millennial Terms Blogs (web logs): online journals that are sometimes accessible to the public SPAM: unsolicited bulk messages Facebook.com/Myspace.com: online social networks Text Messaging: short messages sent between mobile phones Instant Messaging (IM): form of real-time communication between two or more people based on typed text via computer Podcasts: media file that is distributed by subscription (paid or unpaid) over the Internet using syndication feeds, for playback on mobile devices and personal computers Virtual Classrooms: traditional classroom that integrates technology through the creation of online classrooms or simulations Listserv: electronic mailing list that institutions use to send mass s. A listserv identifies members of a specific group for mass communication

Institutional SPAM: The millennial generation requires fast, efficient, and direct communication. Millennials are dependent on as a form of communication and institutions must do their best to reach them at their level. BLOGS: Millennials use many outlets as forms of communication online. Higher education professionals need to be aware of how students are using BLOGS, and how they can use them to promote student communication. Online Social Networks: Facebook.com and Myspace.com are synonymous with campus culture today. Socializing is increasingly being done online, which impacts campus culture and community due to a shift in the communication style of students. Technology and Identity Theft: Potential for identity theft impacts the entire campus, from faculty to students. As a result of increased access to personal information, institutions must take preventative measures to ensure the safety of confidential data. Classroom and Campus Wide Technology: Opportunities to develop current practices encourage a university atmosphere that promotes the growth of programs and accessibility for students and faculty. Students have changed dramatically, and practices must be evaluated and addressed to ensure current student needs are met.

The millennial generation is connected to the internet constantly, and it is important for the campus community to be extended via technology. Emergency Alerts: Oklahoma State utilizes institutional spam to inform students and faculty about pressing concerns for the campus community. Recent examples include a meningitis warning, inclement weather preparations, and peanut butter recalls. This fall, an requesting assistance after an apartment fire left 27 students homeless was sent and immediate needs were met, including housing, books and computers. Institutional spam would have been beneficial during the tragic plane crash involving members of the Oklahoma State mens basketball team in Emergency alerts via the internet are a productive system that allows information to rapidly reach vast numbers of people.

Weekly headlines: Campus organizations, faculty, staff and students submit event information which is then distributed via institutional spam system Message from the President: These are ed weekly to students, staff, and faculty as needed for public relations Public Information Office: This office coordinates all mass s to the campus community. It acts as a filter for appropriateness of messages in distribution. The office also approves listservs that identify specific groups of students. All listservs must be requested by faculty or staff who typically serve as a moderator.

Class assignments: Blogging communities can be utilized by faculty to create an online collaborative learning environment. Students can publish written works online and other peers can review and comment on these projects. Also, faculty can use these comment options to provide feedback for students work that is in progress. Study abroad students: Students are able to remain in contact with peers and their institution. By posting online journals and assignments via the web, continuous educational needs are met that improve the study abroad experience for those involved. Blogging about travel and education improves the recruiting efforts of study abroad programs, providing an excellent opportunity for millennial students. Recruiting for the institution: A week in the life of a successful OSU Student would be a useful BLOG to post on the website to incorporate with an already effective marketing plan. By providing tips and information specific to OSU, students who are connected to the virtual campus community are able to learn in an innovative way by reading peer experiences.

Online communities are opportunities for social networking where individuals create profiles providing personal information to enormous global networks of friends and strangers. Networking: Students can identify friends, classmates, and roommates allowing them to form a small community before stepping foot on campus Marketing/Advertising: Events and announcements are created in online communities, reducing cost to individuals and organizations, as well as meeting students at their desired form of communication Virtual Clubs/Subcultures: Formal student organizations can create separate groups within these networks. This provides another form of distribution of information to club members. More informal organizations can also be created, grouping students with common interests and allowing them to discuss and share information.

Migration to Campus-Wide-Identification (CWID) Numbers: With identity theft at an all-time high, institutions of higher education are no longer able to track students through the use of social security numbers. As a result, CWID numbers are being used to identify students with no risk of virtual identity theft. This was placed into the IT spotlight at OSU, after a laptop with hundreds of social security numbers was stolen after a career fair. Ability to pay institutional bursar bills on-line: Oklahoma State University has now made it possible to pay all bills online. This means the creation of secure software, that prevents internet theft. We must protect our students and families from credit card identity theft. Administrative concerns: All technology theft issues will fall on the administration of a university. Our university has a Chief Information Officer which oversees all IT security engineering and other concerns with technology.

iPod usage: Students can be seen walking around campus wired into headsets. University personnel should take advantage of this as a way to communicate with students. Faculty need to be educated on how to use this resource and thus be able to incorporate it into coursework. Virtual Classroom: Through programs such as Blackboard, WebCT, and Desire2Learn, faculty can create numerous opportunities for students outside the classroom. They have the ability to create classroom discussion boards, have students turn in work online, and download course documents. Tech Savvy Classrooms: Todays classrooms contain the ability to take students anywhere in the world. Through tools such as webcams and virtual simulations, students can gain practical knowledge and resources without leaving their seat. Examples include virtual archaeological digs, tracking weather systems, and virtual trading floors. This truly creates a global classroom community. Also, Oklahoma State University has steered away form the traditional course catalog. All student now receive this document on CD format, and have the ability to flip through in a more efficient manner.

Action Items According to Clara Lovett, former President of Northern Arizona University, the challenge for higher education is to refocus energies and priorities in ways that fit the views and behaviors of the Millennials, especially their refusal to conform to stereotypes about traditional college students. Imagine… A university that is supplying its community, and the worlds, with profcasts of classes and presentations delivered by its talented instructors- not to give away intellectual property but to plant seeds of interest and to demonstrate the lively and engaging intellectual community created by its faculty in each course (Campbell, 2005).

Action Items Duke University iPod Partnership Oklahoma State University should partner with Apple Computers to provide iPods to students when they enter the university. Duke University has applied this practice and is seeing vast improvements in several aspects of the student experience. Duke found that students had generated more work by composing a report through podcasting, than traditional methods. Also, they found a higher quality of work due to the increase in peer reviews and collaboration through the iPod system. The iPod includes a university calendar, fight songs, information regarding campus life, residence halls and messages from administrators and faculty. iPods assist millennial students by reinforcing the learning experience through emotionally and intellectually preparing them for class. By listening to a podcast of the professors lecture, or to peer journals, students learning and engagement increases. Funding is made possible through partnership with Apple Computers and attaching a $99 student fee to cover the cost of each individual iPod.

Action Items Improve ways the President and Administrators Address Students Through podcasts and reaching Millennial students via technology, Oklahoma State University is able to improve the student experience. Podcasts from the President are a way to expand beyond the weekly s and alerts, and is another method of entering the virtual world of the millennial. In addition to current practices, if faculty and administrators are involved in the technological world the campus community would be more accessible. Vice Presidents and other administrators producing a monthly podcast would encourage positive change in the atmosphere and improve dissemination of information throughout the university.

Action Items Facebook University Freshman orientation needs to include a Facebook-U component to incoming students at OSU. Teaching safety precautions and cyber civility will encourage current students to develop their own culture online that includes safe decision making and holds students accountable for what information is posted to their virtual campus. Officers within the community need training in how to handle harassment and cyber stalking associated with social networking websites. While the majority of students are aware of privacy settings for their profile, most do not change the settings and are unaware of the consequences of posting all information. Cyber civility is a pressing concern for campus communities. The virtual world has brought about new ways of threatening or potentially harming another individual, and it is important to address the appropriate measures to ensure safety of users. Students who engage in social networking online must be aware of legal implications of conducting any form of harassment over the internet.

Action Items Professional Development and Technology Support for faculty Current University faculty need to be aware of the new generation of students on campus and the technology they will encounter. Therefore, Oklahoma State University should begin offering professional development opportunities for faculty and staff regarding the new tech savvy wave of students in America. By taking a proactive response Oklahoma State University is providing the necessary resources regarding changes in technology and higher education. Also, this is a way to increase student involvement and leadership on campus. Undergraduate students could participate in professional development design and even present to faculty members on campus. This also relates to the community outreach mission of a land grant institution by making these workshops available to area school teachers and the surrounding community.

Summary We need to create a new context for learning. The space betweenbetween the raw technology and the new tools, between the way that things have traditionally been done and the way that things can possibly be done, between the offline and the online causes the most tension but also offers the most opportunities. -J.C. Herz By providing a sense of the millennial generation, college and university faculty and administration are able to facilitate a meaningful educational experience and provide accurate services. Admissions processes have shifted to online accessibility, course delivery and multimedia designs in the classroom allow for millennial students to utilize practical approaches to specialized learning. Oklahoma State University is able to be at the forefront of similar institutions by understanding the millennial generation and adopting practices that recognize the need for collaborative efforts to improve the university environment for all involved.

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