Chapter 3: Generation X Meets Generation Y: Reflections on Technology and Schooling: Reflections on Technology and Schooling

Analysts have defined generational groupings in the U.S. in different ways depending on the source of information used. Gordinier (2008) asked, “Is it worth asking whether or not a generation even exists? Can any one thread be said to unify a group of people who were born at the same time, or is that merely a convenient and romantic fiction?” (p. xxii). Every generation has its own unique characteristics, but too often these are reflective only of the dominant culture. A person who grew up in the 1950s may or may not have experienced family values seen on the television program “Leave it to Beaver” that included a stay-at-home mom, buzz-cut hair for boys, and poodle skirts for girls. A Generation X teenager in the 1980s may or may not have spent hours watching music videos on MTV or VH1 and playing Asteroids on their Atari game system. And a Generation Y child may or may not have been a fan of Pokemon, had access to a home Internet connection, and carried a personal cell phone.