Survey says...
Original Artifact #8: Survey Results
60 students and 30 adults were surveyed on four questions:
Do you consider yourself religious?
Do you think you could go a week without technology?
Which political ideology do you identify with?
Do you think that the millennial generation's reputation is deserved?
60 students and 30 adults were surveyed on four questions:
Do you consider yourself religious?
Do you think you could go a week without technology?
Which political ideology do you identify with?
Do you think that the millennial generation's reputation is deserved?
Adults Results (I.e. participants were over 20 years old)
|
Student Results (I.e. participants were under the age of 18)
|
Infographics hold the key...
Found Artifact #9: Infographic
This infographic highlights some important facts about Millennials and how they interact with politics. |
Found Artifact #8: Infographic
This infographic shows statistics relating to Millennials and how they get their news. Often, Millennials are stereotyped as having little interest in the news or facts because they get most of their information from social networking sites. |
Original Artifact #6: Infographic
This infographic highlights some of the positive aspects of Millennials, such as competitive education levels and diversity. |
Original Artifact #5: Infographic
On the other hand, this infographic shows some more negative facts about this generation. For example, dependency and little job preparedness. |
What the scholars say:
Found Artifact #3: Research Paper
This paper offers many statistics and facts to support Millennial stereotypes related to the workplace, such as the need for recognition, health standards, and development.
This paper offers many statistics and facts to support Millennial stereotypes related to the workplace, such as the need for recognition, health standards, and development.
Found Artifact #5: NPR Article, "Amid the stereotypes, some facts about Millennials"
This article brings up many common stereotypes associated with Millennials and some evidence that either confirms or rejects these conceptions.
This article brings up many common stereotypes associated with Millennials and some evidence that either confirms or rejects these conceptions.
What the teachers say:
Original Artifact #1: Teacher Interview
This is an interview conducted with a teacher from Freedom High School.
This is an interview conducted with a teacher from Freedom High School.
Name: Dr. Mason
Subject: Physics
Years teaching: 6
What three adjectives sum up the class of 2015 the best?
Technology-obsessed, savvy, adaptive, tolerant, connected, innovative (he notes that none of these are necessarily positive or negative)
Why do you say the senior class is technology-obsessed?
This generation is so attached to technology because it’s all they've ever known. Adults remember the days of only having a land line and don’t understand why young people can’t go without texting or tweeting. However, if you've spent your entire life around technology like the Millennials have, it’s simply the norm to constantly be looking at a screen. Dr. Mason doesn't consider this a specifically positive or negative trait, just a fact of life for the younger generation.
What factors do you think influence this class the most?
Dr. Mason attributes much of this class’ behavior to the “South Riding bubble.” He argues that the majority of teenagers living in South Riding don’t see far behind the “cookie cutter community” and, as a result, are unaware of the world around them. This ignorance prompts many kids to take advantage of the free education they are given. Dr. Mason notes his frustration at trying to teach kids who simply don’t care. He believes that, if this class knew the incredible opportunity for free education isn't given to everyone, then maybe they would be more active in the classroom.
How do you think the class of 2015 will handle life outside of high school?
Dr. Mason states without hesitation that life outside of high school, and south riding, will be a huge culture shock for the class of 2015. He says that students in Freedom High School are complacent in general, as they lack the motivation to set higher expectations than ‘good enough.’ Everything from the environment (no supervision) to the people will be a struggle for the sheltered majority. He discusses the fact that many college professors only teach so they can further their research at a university, and thus aren't there to serve you. Dr. Mason argues that life outside of the ‘bubble’ is sink or swim, and he believes that many children won’t float by like they thought they would.
Subject: Physics
Years teaching: 6
What three adjectives sum up the class of 2015 the best?
Technology-obsessed, savvy, adaptive, tolerant, connected, innovative (he notes that none of these are necessarily positive or negative)
Why do you say the senior class is technology-obsessed?
This generation is so attached to technology because it’s all they've ever known. Adults remember the days of only having a land line and don’t understand why young people can’t go without texting or tweeting. However, if you've spent your entire life around technology like the Millennials have, it’s simply the norm to constantly be looking at a screen. Dr. Mason doesn't consider this a specifically positive or negative trait, just a fact of life for the younger generation.
What factors do you think influence this class the most?
Dr. Mason attributes much of this class’ behavior to the “South Riding bubble.” He argues that the majority of teenagers living in South Riding don’t see far behind the “cookie cutter community” and, as a result, are unaware of the world around them. This ignorance prompts many kids to take advantage of the free education they are given. Dr. Mason notes his frustration at trying to teach kids who simply don’t care. He believes that, if this class knew the incredible opportunity for free education isn't given to everyone, then maybe they would be more active in the classroom.
How do you think the class of 2015 will handle life outside of high school?
Dr. Mason states without hesitation that life outside of high school, and south riding, will be a huge culture shock for the class of 2015. He says that students in Freedom High School are complacent in general, as they lack the motivation to set higher expectations than ‘good enough.’ Everything from the environment (no supervision) to the people will be a struggle for the sheltered majority. He discusses the fact that many college professors only teach so they can further their research at a university, and thus aren't there to serve you. Dr. Mason argues that life outside of the ‘bubble’ is sink or swim, and he believes that many children won’t float by like they thought they would.
What the students say:
Original Artifact #2: Student Interview
This is an interview conducted with a student from Freedom High School.
This is an interview conducted with a student from Freedom High School.
Name: Rebecca Olson
Grade: 12
What three adjectives sum up the class of 2015 the best?
Apathetic, has potential, and changeable
Why do you say the senior class is apathetic?
Rebecca said the senior class is apathetic because they are less motivated to get good grades and put forth effort to be spirited, as a whole class. She also said that the senior class has potential because she thinks that, with the right attitude, the class could be amazing. Lastly, she said that the class is changeable, because they seem to flip between wanting to be spirited and trying really hard at pep rallies, and just wanting to sit down and do nothing.
What factors do you think influence this class the most?
Rebecca answered that the class of 2015 has experienced a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Since they were told throughout elementary, middle, and high school that they were the worst class, and that they couldn't understand why all the other classes were so much better academically and with spirit, they started to believe it. This led to the class of 2015 to not even try to change peoples’ perceptions of our them.
How do you think the class of 2015 will handle life outside of high school?
Rebecca believes that the class of 2015 will be fine outside of high school. She concedes that there will always be a few people that will not thrive outside of high school, but overall there are some wonderful people in the class and it will be good for a lot of them to get away from the reputation of the senior class.
Grade: 12
What three adjectives sum up the class of 2015 the best?
Apathetic, has potential, and changeable
Why do you say the senior class is apathetic?
Rebecca said the senior class is apathetic because they are less motivated to get good grades and put forth effort to be spirited, as a whole class. She also said that the senior class has potential because she thinks that, with the right attitude, the class could be amazing. Lastly, she said that the class is changeable, because they seem to flip between wanting to be spirited and trying really hard at pep rallies, and just wanting to sit down and do nothing.
What factors do you think influence this class the most?
Rebecca answered that the class of 2015 has experienced a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Since they were told throughout elementary, middle, and high school that they were the worst class, and that they couldn't understand why all the other classes were so much better academically and with spirit, they started to believe it. This led to the class of 2015 to not even try to change peoples’ perceptions of our them.
How do you think the class of 2015 will handle life outside of high school?
Rebecca believes that the class of 2015 will be fine outside of high school. She concedes that there will always be a few people that will not thrive outside of high school, but overall there are some wonderful people in the class and it will be good for a lot of them to get away from the reputation of the senior class.