Play the Game: Education for Millennials and the Time Machine

Academy of Management 2015 Teaching and Learning Conference Dr. Jessica Di Bella Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship and Startup Management

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Part I: Theory (15 min) §  Millennials:

A closer look at Generation Y §  Learning Theory:

New knowledge from neuroscience §  Educational Trends:

Innovations and potentials for business schools

Part II: Activity (30 min) §  Education for Millennials:

Brainstorming and ideation in teams

Part III: Presentations & Wrap-up (15 min)

Play the Game – An Interactive Working Session SCHEDULE

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recruitinggenerationy.com

§  People born between 1981 and 2000

§  Also referred to as:

-  Internet/ Digital Generation -  MTV Generation -  Nintendo Generation -  Echo Boomers -  Nexters

Millennials = Generation Y INTRO

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Boston Consulting Group 2012

Millennials in the Eyes of Millennials INTRO

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Boston Consulting Group 2012

Millennials in the Eyes of Non-Millennials INTRO

AGENDA Play the Game

①  MILLENIALS: A Closer Look

②  LEARNING: New Knowledge

③  EDUCATION: Potentials

④  ACTIVITY: Ideation

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Generation X

*1966-1979

Generation Z

*2001-today

Generation Y

*1980-2000

Baby Boomers *1946-1965

§  Intellectual renaissance, judgmental, narcissistic

§  Summer of love, civil rights

§  Stable families

§  Cautious, alienated, searching for self, revolutionary

§  Recession, AIDS, divorce

§  Family as conflict source

§  Well-educated, disciplined, friendly, competitive, open-minded, creative, curious, fun-loving

§  Digital age, terrorism, natural disasters, globalization

§  Strong family & community bonds

§  Connected, pluralistic, info seeking, tech-dependent, multi-tasking

§  Big data, ADHD

§  Interlinked communities

Cone 2006, PEW Research Center 2010

From Baby Boomers to XYZ MILLENNIALS

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Biemann 2013, Twenge et al. 2010

§  Generational effects: work-life balance (and extrinsic motivation)

§  Other factors: general trends (e.g. wealth), age effects

Baby Boomers Generation X Generation Y

Importance of intrinsic rewards 3.85 3.83 3.76

Altruistic motives 3.30 3.27 3.23

Importance of extrinsic rewards 2.63 2.90 2.81

Orientation towards leisure time 2.36 2.60 2.76

Longitudinal data: n = 16.507 in the US (1976, 1996, 2006)

Is it really a generational effect? MILLENNIALS

AGENDA Play the Game

①  MILLENIALS: A Closer Look

②  LEARNING: New Knowledge

③  EDUCATION: Potentials

④  ACTIVITY: Ideation

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Caine & Caine 2012

Learning is physiological and driven by experiences

The brain is social and

prefers interaction

The brain processes parts

and wholes simultaneously

Learning involves

attention and perception

Learning involves

conscious and

unconscious processes

Learners are searching for meanings

Learning is

critical to

patterning

Learning is individual and

developmental

Body, Mind and Brain = One Unit

Learning Principles from Neuroscience LEARNING

AGENDA Play the Game

①  MILLENIALS: A Closer Look

②  LEARNING: New Knowledge

③  EDUCATION: Potentials

④  ACTIVITY: Ideation

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Structured, systematic, reflective, meaningful, applicable, fun

§  Practical programs

§  Edutainment and gamification

§  Location-independent learning environments

Experiential, interactive, emotional, reflective, individual

§  Blended learning & team work

§  Educational “buffet”

§  Micro and macro feedback

§  Teach-the-teacher

Implications for Educational Approaches EDUCATION

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Complexity & Resources

Educators

Learners Self-knowledge & Competences

Lectures

Presentation of knowledge Story-telling

Talks

Presentation and discussion

of practical experiences

Case Studies

Application of theoretical

knowledge in practical cases

Simulations

Interactive development of single tasks or

sub-projects

Real Projects

Elaboration of real-life projects in teams and

implementation on the market

Formats in Management Education EDUCATION

AGENDA Play the Game

①  MILLENIALS: A Closer Look

②  LEARNING: New Knowledge

③  EDUCATION: Potentials

④  ACTIVITY: Ideation

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Given the particularities and specific needs of Generation Y,

how could an appropriate educational approach

of business schools look like in the future?

Task for Group Work ACTIVITY

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Group Setting: Business School in 1815 ACTIVITY

© Universität Halle-Wittenberg

§  No modern technology

§  Humboldtian educational ideal (holistic academic education, science, freedom, seminars, laboratories)

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Understand 5 min

Ideate 15 min

Synthesize 10 min

= 30 min Pitch 1 min

Semi-Structured Ideation Process ACTIVITY

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Mock-up of a business school incl.

§  Brand

§  Programs

§  Audience

§  Staff & roles

§  Didactics

§  Time & space (e.g. campus)

§  Media

§  Processes of knowledge transfer

§  …

Outcome ACTIVITY

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Selected Results from Working Groups OUTRO

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§  A school of liberal arts

§  Teaching of classics (theology, philosophy, logics)

§  Diverse language courses

§  Exercises in debating and negotiations

§  Teaching of strategy with military roots

§  Studies take several years (no short-term studies)

§  Monthly oral exams

§  Extensive feedback/evaluations, monthly letters from masters

§  3rd & 4th year of studies: apprenticeship (local and international), along the trade routes but with localization tendencies

Example: “The First Business School” OUTRO

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§  “Rembrandt model”: learning through imitation (e.g. through accompanying a more experienced mentor like managers or entrepreneurs), personal connection to role models

§  Socratic methods

§  Philosophical debates in small groups, thereby training of personal reflection and social responsibility

§  Learning through story-telling

§  Cultural learning, trips abroad, exchange programs

§  Profit-oriented but ethical

§  Small-group learning based on interests

Additional Ideas OUTRO

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Dr. Jessica Di Bella Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship and Startup Management jessica.dibella@ggs.de www.ggs.de

Literature: Biemann, T. & Weckmüller, H. (2013). Generation Y: Viel Lärm um fast Nichts. PERSONALquarterly, 1/2013, 46-49. Boston Consulting Group (2012). The Millennial Consumer: Debunking Stereotypes. In: BCG Perspectives, April 16, 2002. Online: https://www.bcg.com/documents/file103894.pdf. Caine, R., Caine, G., McClintic, C and Klimek, K. (2008) (2nd. Ed.). The 12 Brain/Mind Learning Principles in Action. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press. Cone (2006). The Cone 2006 Millennial Cause Study. Online: http://www.conecomm.com/2006- millennial-cause-study. Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential Learning. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall. Lester, S. W./Standifer, R. L./Schultz, N. J./Windsor, J. M. (2012): Actual Versus Perceived Generational Differences at Work: An Empirical Examination. In: Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies 19 (3), 341–354. PEW Research Center (2010). Millennials: A Portrait of Generation Next. Online: http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/files/2010/10/millennials-confident-connected-open-to- change.pdf.

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