Generation Einstein

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The term Generation Einstein comes from the book: "Generation Einstein: smart, social and superfast" by Jeroen Boschma. The first version was published in Holland in 2006 and it was written together with Inez Groen. The book won the PIM Marketing Literature Prize for 2006. This book characterize the first generation of young people since the Second World War by their positive qualities, they are – amongst other things – socially minded, co-operative, bright, and involved. [1] Certain big historical events make an enormous mark on people in their formative years of adolescence. For instance, the Silent Generation was heavily shaped by the Second World War, the Baby Boom Generation and by the Counterculture of the 1960s. [2]

Baby Boomers (1945-1964) Generation X (1965-1978) Echo Boomers (1979-1987) Generation Einstein(1988-present)
Protest Negative Realistic/Negative Protest
Post-war reconstruction Economic depression Growth, advancement and prosperity Prosperity, Economic depression
Brimming with ideals Ideological vacuum Traditional ideals Brimming with ideals
No brands Emergence of brands Brands everywhere Brands become indistinguishable
Enthusiastic Puts things into perspective Serious Enthusiastic
A different future No future Negative future A different future
Search for personality Personality is design Personality is genuine Search for personality
Identity free from parents and authority Identity is belonging Identity is genuinely from yourself Identity free from parents and authority

Generation Einstein is growing up in and being shaped by the 24/7 commercialized information society.

Contents

[edit] School and learning

Schools are often being confronted with motivational problems and pupils who drop out early, as well as increasing discipline problems and pupils who no longer listen to their teachers. Jeroen Boschma and Inez Groen refer in their book to the theory of Alex van Emst as described in "Buy a car at the scrap yard: Paradigm shift in education"[3], as a solution of taking all types of pupil of all abilities. All these individual differences require separate approaches. For Generation Einstein a new type education is needed: Van Emst new learning [4]. In this theory, the teacher has to assume a new role, one in which the subject content is no longer the main focus and they act more as a coach.

Logical positivism (old learning) Social constructivism (new learning)
Objective knowledge Subjective knowledge
Knowledge transfer Knowledge construction
Teaching Learning
Useful Meaningful
From the parts to the whole (fragmentation) From the whole (overall) to the parts
Appeal to two types of intelligence Appeal to several (max. nine) types of intelligence
Geared towards reading and listening Geared towards gaining and expanding experience
Compare performance with average Compare performance with previous performance
Look for what you cannot do Look for what you are good at
Working together is copying You learn more together than by yourself
Education geared towards knowledge and (sub)skills Competence-based education
Knowledge is stored independently of context All knowledge has a context
The teacher determines the content

of the lesson and is primarily an instructor

 Teacher stimulates learning process and is an

expert, instructor, coach, trainer, guide, advisor
Learning for later Learning for now

Generation Einstein is influenced by multiple social trends. There is increased pressure to succeed, all kinds of new teaching are being tested at schools and Generation Einstein learns differently. They choose their own authorities and learn in networks: Via friends, acquaintances, wherever the knowledge is.[5] They learn in images and can channel-hop meaningfully. [6] This is why Jeroen Boschma and Inez Groen named this generation after the theoretical physicist, Albert Einstein. They refer to his creative way of thinking.

[edit] Generation Einstein in Europe

[edit] Their identity

The cognitive needs, if it comes to their thinking, of Generation Einstein are changing. This generation can cope with more and they are thinking about what could be. Thus, they become fixed solely on themselves, their position of the world and their opinion about it. Generation Einstein is considered to be creative, and are interested in solving problems; this often includes the problems of others. They feel a closeness to other people, and generally appreciate life. All of these qualities are characteristics of Maslow's concept about self-actualization.

[edit] Generation Einstein today

  • Social: Value family ties and consider friendship very important
  • Socially involved: Are concerned about the world and have heated discussions about it.
  • Functional: Have grown up with quality and therefore expect nothing less. They compare products with one another.
  • Loyal: They look for real friends, connections, contacts and family is very important.
  • Intimacy: They look for intimacy. To be with friends, family or at regional events or newspapers are popular.
  • Practical: Are used to being able to find everything quickly and easily, everything has to be handy, functional and fast.
  • Media smart: They understand advertising, marketing and communication. Advertising is not rejected, but they do know what the underlying strategies are.[7]

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ Keesie: advertising agency for youth marketing, advertising for children and communicating with young people
  2. ^ Boschma, Jeroen & Groen, Inez (2006). Generation Einstein: smart, social and superfast. Communicating with Young People in the 21st Century, Pearson Education Benelux, Schiedam. ISBN 978-90-430-1094-8.
  3. ^ van Emst, Alex C. (2002). Koop een auto op de sloop : paradigmashift in het onderwijs, APS, Utrecht, 60 p.
  4. ^ http://www.chatrats.nl/lesstof/info.php?info_subsection_id=7&info_language_id=1
  5. ^ Online Media and Youth Marketing by Daniel De Voogt
  6. ^ Einstein generation at ISC2006
  7. ^ Emerce Minutes: Generatie Einstein

[edit] External links

[edit] Maslow