GENERATIONS, CULTURE AND SOCIETY

GENERATIONS, CULTURE AND SOCIETY
Culture and Society June Edmunds e Bryan S. Turner, 2002

What is the role of generations in social, cultural and political change? How is generational consciousness formed? What is the significance of inter and intra-generational conflict and continuity? Despite the importance of the concept of generations in common sense or lay understanding of cultural change, the study of generations has not played a large part in the development of sociological theory. However, recent social developments, combined with the erosion of a strong class theory, mean that generations need to be reconsidered in relation to cultural change and politics.Moving beyond Karl Mannheim's classical contribution, this book offers a theoretically innovative way of examining the role of generational consciousness in social, cultural and political change through a range of empirical illustrations. On the grounds that existing research on generations has neglected international generational divisions, the book also looks at the interactions between generations and other social categories. The result is a key text for undergraduate courses in social theory, cultural studies and social history, and an essential reference for researchers across these areas, as well as gender, race and ethnicity.

New Millennium Learners (NML) project

Is conducted by Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI). The emergence of digital native learners has major potential implications for education. The objective of the NML is to analyse this new generation of learners and understand their expectations and attitudes. The impact of digital technologies on cognitive skills and on learning expectations, and the evolution of social values and lifestyles are important issues.

Initially, the project is intended to focus on the demand side of the NML, thus looking at the main areas of concern resulting from the impact of a continuous use of digital devices and services. In the later stage, the project will deal with the supply side, reviewing what educational institutions have done to accommodate or to struggle with NML characteristics, expectations and needs.

Realted links:
New Millenium Learners Blog

More about Gen Y

Some other articles:

In his The Big Picture bestselling author Bernard Salt tackles some important social and demographic questions facing the Australian nation.

"Dumbest Generation” Debate Featured
On September, 2008, Neil Howe and Mark Bauerlein, author of "The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupifies Young Americans and Jeopardizes our Future", debated the merits of the Millennial Generation and discussed how different technologies have influenced the learning habits of those born after 1982. The program can be viewed online here (but a good quality) or for the short interview here .

Millennials and K–12 Schools: Educational Strategies for a New Generation

In this new application book, Neil Howe and William Strauss explain how the Millennial Generation of students has been shaking up today’s schools—from hyper-involved parents to new issues over school security, from shifting perceptions of “college-ready” and “school-to-work” curricula to the struggle to get pressured, consensus-oriented students to think outside the box. Howe and Strauss also analyze the recent shift from Boomer to Generation X parents and the new Gen-X focus on accountability, transparency, and choice. And they explain still other generational changes shaking up today’s teacher corps. For each issue, the authors offer a hands-on list of “what to dos” for anyone involved in K–12 education.
According to Michael Barone Howe and Strauss’s 1991 predictions about the Millennial Generation have come true. The authors’ seminal book, Generations, “hit the nail squarely on the head,” says Barone . To view the article, follow this link.