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Sat, Nov 3, 11:00 - 11:25, Haselton 1 Paper (refereed)

Recommended Citation: Beard, D F, D Schwieger, and K Surendran. Bridging the Academic / Industrial Chasm for the Millennial Generation. In The Proceedings of the Information Systems Education Conference 2007, v 24 (Pittsburgh): §3343. ISSN: 1542-7382. (A later version appears in Information Systems Education Journal 5(33). ISSN: 1545-679X.)

Recipient of Distinguished Paper Award

Bridging the Academic / Industrial Chasm for the Millennial Generation

Refereed

14 pages

Deborah F. Beard    [a1] [a2]
Department of Accounting and MIS
Southeast Missouri State University    [u1] [u2]
Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA    [c1] [c2]

Dana Schwieger    [a1] [a2]
Department of Accounting and MIS
Southeast Missouri State University    [u1] [u2]
Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA    [c1] [c2]

Ken Surendran    [a1] [a2]
Department of Computer Science
Southeast Missouri State University    [u1] [u2]
Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA    [c1] [c2]

Academicians and employers are recognizing significant differences in the current generation of students – herein referred to as millennials- from those who have passed through their doors in the past. Although each generation of students has had their own unique characteristics shaped by events of the time period in which they grew up, this generation of students has been technologically-enabled and shaped by access to world and cultural events at the touch of a button. It is in the best interests of students, faculty, and employers that the characteristics of this generation be considered in determining the best way to shape their capabilities to maximize their learning, earning, and productivity potential. In this paper, the authors examine the characteristics of millennial students, extract from those characteristics a set of opportunities these characteristics offer and a set of threats they pose to the learning and career developmental processes. Strategies are then shared for enhancing learning and bridging the academic and industrial chasm. The authors conclude that collaborative efforts between educators and practitioners are required to educate the millennial students and to help build their professional careers.

Keywords: millennial learner, teaching strategies, career development

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