Abstract
Purpose: Research shows Millennials learn better by actively doing things than listening to lectures. However, there is little research on millennials and how they learn or what drives them towards success. The purpose of this study was to investigate the preferred learning styles of undergraduate college students and their perception of academic success.
Methods: Data collection included quantitative and qualitative measures that were used to collect data from a convenience sample of 344 undergraduate college students in a rural southeast regional university. Study was IRB approved prior to data collection. Data were analyzed using appropriate descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, and coding of qualitative data.
Results: Findings indicated that 35.4% of the 344 participants self-reported as kinesthetic (hands-on) learners compared to visual (23.6%), auditory (17%), and read/write (24%) learners. Findings also revealed that only 12.9% of the participants “spend 3 or more hours a day outside of class studying; 34% “ask for help when they do not understand something in class”; 41.1% “feel comfortable approaching professor for extra help” and 60.6% “prefer a teacher who incorporates hands-on activities with lecture.” Millennials in this study defined academic success as (1) establishing effective learning habits, (2) attending class regularly to maintain consistent performance, (3) achieving academic goals, and (4) making good grades.
Conclusion: Incorporating kinesthetic activities in the classroom setting will positively enhance learning outcomes and academic success of millennial college students.
Files
Metadata
- Alternative title
How Do Millennials Learn?
- Journal title
Papers & Publications
- Volume
7
- Issue
1
- Date submitted
19 July 2022
- Keywords
- Additional information
Acknowledgements:
The authors would like to acknowledge their faculty mentor, Dr. Marian Tabi, for her guidance support, and encouragement through the initial stages of the project and editorial comments. We would also like to thank the participants who made the study possible.
Author Biography:
All authors were undergraduate senior nursing students in the Georgia Southern University Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Program. They all graduated in the Fall 2017. Each contributor is presently practicing in medically underserved areas, specializing from pediatric to adult care. The each aspire to pursue graduate nursing education in their specialized practice after one year of primary care nursing.
Graduation Date:
December 2017