Maths sex and rock'n'roll: how can we engage the Millennial student?

In this paper we discuss the reasons for young people opting out of the study of school mathematics and the implications for education, particularly in the context of the middle years of schooling. Drawing on the current literature on intergenerational differences, we propose that young people, Millenials, have grown up in particular social, cultural and economic conditions which have shaped them in particular ways that, in turn, shape their thinking, beliefs and actions. In particular, we focus on two key contructs, the impact of technology and marketing on youth and how this creates particular views of the world. This has implications for education, particularly in the middle years.