In the past two years I have noticed a change in my students. My students today are different than my students I had even three years ago in terms of their attitudes, skills, and values. To improve my teaching, I have been reading upon millennial generation in order to better understand and teach my students.
The term Social Citizens is a name for the new generation of activists of the millennial generation who are working to make change in the world using technology. Passionate about social causes and equipped with digital tools, some of the millennials are working to make change in the world.
The website socialcitizens.org in 2008 released a discussion paper about young people affecting civil engagement, and termed it Social Citizens.
Some issues they investigated with the site were whether institutions can and will survive, if social networks are “bubble cultures” that need to be expanded, if access is granted or taken, and whether government matters.
The outcome of interviews showed that young people feel they have no access to decision makers and decision making, particularly with regard to public policy, that most social networks are cliques and not open, and that millennials value peer relationships over institutional loyalty.
What to become a social citizen, or read about the morals of the millennials? The site, blog, and original paper are an interesting read that I found to be hopeful since most of my students have no interest in creating change, and on the whole do not seem to believe that they can affect policy and the world.
Image Source:
www.tusconcitizen.com
www.casefoundation.org/
Links:
http://www.casefoundation.org/