Millennial Nursing Students' Experiences in a Traditional Classroom Setting

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Millennial Learners
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• Dissonance between nurse educators and millennial students is recognized.
• Limited evidence exists on millennial nursing students' engagement preferences.
• Study focuses on millennial undergraduate nursing students' classroom experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• Analyze millennial undergraduate nursing students' experiences in traditional classrooms.
• Investigate student interactions with nursing faculty.
• Identify factors influencing meaningful learning for millennial nursing students.

Main Methods:

• Multisite qualitative study design.
• Eight focus groups conducted across six nursing schools.
• Involved 220 millennial generation undergraduate nursing students.

Main Results:

• Four themes emerged: physical presence without mental engagement, desire for more from disengaged professors, surface learning, and lack of trust.
• Students expressed a need for respect and dignity from professors.
• The core phenomenon identified was disenfranchised learning.

Conclusions:

• Conventional educational practices in nursing programs require critical examination.
• Addressing student-reported issues is crucial for improving nursing education.
• Findings suggest a need for pedagogical shifts to enhance student engagement and learning.