Essay about New Learning Strategies for Generation X

As generations go by, our predecessors assume we are skipping out on important aspects of life just to get a few extra minutes on our devices. In Catherine Rampell’s “A Generation of Slackers? Not So Much”, it is said the older generations believe Generation Y is “coddled, disrespectful, narcissistic, and impatient” (Rampell 388). In all reality our generation is just doing what it has to in order to thrive in the world we live in, where technology is one of the largest parts of our everyday lives. If the older generations that criticize Generation Y had grown up in Generation Y they would realize the world we live in requires the use of technology. The advancement of society with technology has shaped Generation Y to be the people that they are, relying on technology; however, older generations believe Generation Y is lazy.

The compare and contrast of these two generations; X is merely based on feedback and how the information is received and how the criticism can be used to accomplish goals and advancement opportunities. In regards to generation Y; prefers regulation via social networking websites to sustain firm information being provided to them. The issue in this generation is the multi function capability of basic mediation without higher authority assistance. Technology for the veterans and baby boomers is just a laughing situation to most, my views are they do appreciate change, they have traits of a human with autism; someone who accustom to routine.

Shopping: Shopping for the Generation X started with the trip to the mall. If your local department store didn't have "the cool stuff", you'd have to take a trip to the mall where there are more options for the Gen X'er. Later the rise of E-commerce came into play, so now Generation X members are seasoned enough to know where to physically find the goods they need, but also know where to find a good deal on-line.

Generation X faces many issues unique to their generation, technology was advancing, and computer were becoming more affordable and widespread. They faced both social and ecological issues, with advances in medicine that caused the generation before them to live longer, and being the one of the first generations to be effected by student loan debt. Generation Xers are often known for their high level of skepticism and their “what do I get out of this” attitudes. They are considered to be the first generation of “latchkey” kids, or kids without much boundaries. During the 60’s and 70’s divorce rates were at an all-time high, so many of the children of this generation were exposed to large amounts of divorce (Schroer). Which might explain for the high levels of skepticism and freedom they had. It seemed they also didn’t care much for politics sense they had the lowest voting participant rate of any other generation.

A generation can be defined as the period, cohort or age of a group of people. Age is seen as the age that the persons were when particular transitions or events in life take place. Period can be defined as the overall experience of a person’s lifetime. Lastly, cohort can be seen as the overall grouping of people who have shared events during their formative years that more than likely contribute to like-minded behavior throughout the duration of their lives. There are currently four generations in United States society: Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X and The Millennials. The silent generation was born between the years of 1930 and 1945. Significant events during this time period include but are not limited to World War II and the Great Depression. The baby boomer generation was born between the years of 1946 and 1964. Significant events for this generation include the substantial growth of the middle class as well as economic prosperity. Generation X is born in the time period of 1965-1979, this generation was brought together by the big energy issue as well as the Vietnam War. Lastly the final generation that is currently in the workforce are the Millennials. This generation was born between the years 1980 and 2001, this group is brought together by the 9/11 terrorist attacks as well as the internet

GenX is yearning for more and questioning who they are and who they want to be going forward. While this cohort has always handled complexity,

Today 's economic and employment situation is increasingly precarious for younger people. Responsibility is needed by everyone to assist in youth employment and economic growth in an economy that inches closer everyday to becoming a recession. A deeper understanding of the issues young workers face when entering into the workforce is needed as well. Knowing how younger people prioritize their responsibilities and accomplishments, will help us recognize what they need to grow. We also need to let them overcome limitations that are specific to them. It is important to be aware of how all of us delegate, blame or impose responsibility toward young workers. The two essays, "Can Generation Xers Be Trained?" by Shari Caudron and "The Sweet Bird of Youth Is Showing Signs of Age" by Andrew Beyak show stark contrasts to the issues of the younger generation in society.

“The third generation in the work place is the generation X”. (Tanner, 2011) They were born somewhere between the 1960’s and the 1980’s. They are sometimes called “Post-Boomers, Twenty-something’s, Xers, and Slackers”. (Tanner, 2011) The Xers are known to be “independent, self-sufficient, and skeptical”. (Tanner, 2011) “They value diversity, work/life balance, technology, and informality”. (Tanner, 2011) They also “view all work as just a job”. (Tanner, 2011) To work well with them it is important to partner them with co-workers that they respect. Also, do not have high expectations. Remember they have a balanced between their life and their job. They will not give a 100% to their job. Another thing is that they do not like to have people watching over their shoulder all day, so give them some space.

Most people have a learning style that mirrors how they were taught when they were younger. It should be noted that there is not a one size fits all method when it comes to learning. The key to being able to appeal to each of the different generations is to offer diversity in teaching styles in order to satisfy the different preferences. As of now, there are four generations that are in the workforce and those four generations are: The Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and the Millennials. This paper will examine the characteristics of these four generations, how their learning styles differ, and what to

In a work environment everybody wants to climb the totem pole. For Millennials, they want to rise to leadership without working too hard for it. They are trying to reach the leadership positions as fast as they can and at times they are unprepared for the position they enter because they have not experienced enough along the way. Where Millennials are too fast to rise to leadership, people considered to be Generation X, who are known for their hard work ethic and experience are often complacent in the workplace. Though they gained their experience (unlike Millennials) by working their way up the chain of command and gradually paying their dues and though they also do not expect to be handed a higher position, like Millennials who feel entitled to higher positions in the workplace, they are also not as motivated as Millennials. (Bresman)

Generation Xers see themselves as a generation with its own voice and vision. They are said to be savvy consumers with an annual spending power of 125 billion dollars. Most of which they spend on electronics and computer products. However they have economic problems: the starting wages of entry level jobs are declining, housing cost are so high that 46% are still living with mom or dad. But despite their financial pressures, they are as likely as baby boomers to think about long term savings and retirement plan.

The third generation represented is often referred to as “Generation X.” Members of this group are born between 1965 and 1979. Kyles (2005) defines them as individualistic, disloyal, techno literate, and one of the most challenging groups to manage. This can be attributed to the fact that this group grew up in the rebellious years of the sixties and seventies. Marshall (2004) states, “The employer has to provide an opportunity to work and grow, or they are going to leave” (p. 18). This says a lot about the influence of culture on this generation.

Each generation has certain characteristics and values with which the members of it can identify. Members of Generation X highly value their job and family time; so they try to find a balance between these two aspects of their lives. Generation X are hardworking people, but they are

“Generation X” (“Gen-Xers”), born from about 1960 – 1980, maintained some attributes typical of the “Baby Boomer” generation, but feel that their upbringing was too strict. They added an emphasis on work/life

They are good at multi tasking and can work on simultaneous projects as long as the company allows them to prioritize the projects (Gursoy et al.2008).