Meeting the Needs of Generation Z College Students through Out-of-Class Interactions

High Desire to Multitask and Short Attention Spans

Gen Z students were born into a technology-filled world. In their article titled, “Get Your Campus Ready for Generation Z,” Joan Hope (2016) argued that this upbringing has led to a difference in how Gen Zers learn and process information. Relatedly, Bobbi Shatto and Kelly Ewrin (2017) suggested Gen Z students prefer multitasking because they perceive it to be a more productive way of performing daily tasks. When multitasking enters the classroom, students may use their computers, tablets, or phones during class to browse websites, check social media, complete homework for other classes, or even prematurely complete homework for the class they are presently attending. Regardless of the activity, this tendency to multitask distracts students and their peers and leads to missed course content.

Perhaps because the world is constantly vying for the attention of Gen Z students, they are also prone to shorter attention spans. To increase attentiveness, Christy Price (2010), who wrote a reference source about teaching Gen Z students, suggested mixing up teaching methodologies, which helps students more readily engage with learning outcomes. One of my students highlighted this benefit, stating the meetings “…also provided a break from the classroom, which I think actually furthered my education. I would recommend them over and over again!”

One reason that students may have benefited from our out-of-class meetings is because they offered students a safe space for growth, learning, and interaction. Research suggests that the success of traditionally marginalized populations, such as first-generation students, international students, Latinx students, Pan-Asian students, indigenous populations, foster care youth, food insecure students, homeless students, students with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ students, is associated with the availability of safe spaces on campus. These spaces are particularly important for populations faced with hate-based violence and discriminatory or threatening speech (Raines et al., 2016). By creating a safe space in my office, which is adorned with paraphernalia supportive of traditionally marginalized populations and information about resources available to support those populations, I offered them a place that was safe. This effort did not gone unnoticed; numerous students commented on the inviting and supportive environment I created in my office.

Another potential reason that students benefited from meeting outside of the classroom could be that the students were better able to focus on the learning goals for the course. For example, one student revealed how the out-of-class meetings helped them stay on track with the course stating, “If you didn’t have these little meetings to keep us accountable with our writing my paper would have been really subpar. I still use some of the tips you told me in other classes.” In other words, the out-of-class meetings gave this Gen Z student the extra guidance and motivation to focus on the lessons from the course so they could apply what was learned during in-class instruction to their paper as well as to writing tasks in other classes.

One reason that out-of-class meetings may be so effective for this generation of students is because they offer a distraction-free learning environment in which the student is 100% accountable. The meetings forced my students to be fully present for an interaction in which the only focus was their work. For example, one student implied that the meetings spurred them to focus on their writing by stating the meetings

…helped me become a better student because I knew my (sic) Dr. Weber cared about the work I was turning in. This made me want to do my best so I could showcase the skills I was taught throughout the course.

The Drive for Instant Satisfaction

Because of the haste of the world within which Gen Z students grew up, it is no surprise they seek immediate gratification. Given learning is cumulative, understanding can be difficult, and studying takes time, traditional in-class instructional methods do not always offer students instant fulfillment. By contrast, student responses from our study revealed that the use of out-of-class meetings offered them immediate gratification. One student revealed how meeting out-of-class allowed them to see overt improvements to their writing stating:

This class, particularly the out of class meetings in which you observed and critiqued each student’s writing process was one of a handful of classes I can reflect on my college career and objectively conclude my writing has exponentially grown as a direct result of the instructor’s dedication.

A second student expressed the same sentiment about the immediate satisfaction associated with the out-of-class meetings stating, “The class time was helpful of course but the individual meetings gave me a chance to get the help I needed to succeed in the class.” Together these quotes reveal how appreciative my students were to experience the immediate benefits of the course and to be able to observe clear, indisputable improvements to their writing.

Consistent with Marjorie Jaasma and Randall Koper (1999) research published in Communication Education, the out-of-class meetings also offered immediate improvements to my students’ confidence. For example, one student stated that the meetings, “Made me feel like Dr. Weber cared—Motivated me to do my best.” Another student revealed, “The individual meetings—they helped me to feel confident in my paper and the direction I took it.” These reflections highlighted that meeting out-of-class materialized as immediate, confidence boosts for my students.

This boost to confidence can be particularly meaningful for disenfranchised or otherwise marginalized students. Jim Paterson (n.d.), who wrote an essay for the National Association for College Admission Counseling regarding reaching out to marginalized populations, argued these students are constantly evaluating and reevaluating if they feel comfortable on campus. The article urged colleges to consider new and different ways for interacting with minority students to support them. Meeting one-on-one with students out-of-class provides an opportunity to engage these students in personal and meaningful ways; therefore, meeting the need Paterson highlights. More generally, this section provides evidence as to how one-on-one meetings fulfills Gen Z students’ desire for instant satisfaction.

The Desire for Collaborative Learning

In their article titled, “One-to-One Instruction: Two Perspectives,” Ellen Bahr and Chandler Harris (2015) argued that out-of-class interactions gave instructors the opportunity to provide detailed, personalized feedback, which helped students better master course concepts. For example, one of my students reflected, “The out of class meetings helped guide me in ways that I didn’t even know I could go in my writing…understanding new ways to look at a topic and research.” A second student reflected that the meetings gave them “time to explain my thought process made it easier to discuss where my writing needs improvement and where my strengths are.” In both examples, my students revealed the benefits of personalized, one-on-one instruction; specifically, this type of instruction allowed them to engage with their own work more deeply.

Perhaps because I was able to talk with my students about their work at such a personalized-level, the out-of-class meetings created a sense of collaboration between myself and each of my students. For example, one my students clarified the collaborative nature of the exchanges by stating they were “able to get my thoughts out to you and then make sense of them/figure out how to organize those ideas in order to write a paper.” Similarly, a different student summarized the central role the collaborative dynamic of the meetings played in the student’s success stating,

The one-on-one attention was exactly what was needed to help do better in this course. Without it I think it would be harder to interpret the comments left on drafts and leave students to their own devices too much. With 301 being a big required course, some more individual attention and focus is needed to succeed in the long run.

Genuine Student-Faculty Relationships

Research has shown that students who meet with their professors one-on-one are able to foster relationships, which in turn fosters student success. In their article titled, “Get Your Campus Ready for Generation Z,” Joan Hope (2016) argued student-professor relationships are one of the biggest motivators for success among Gen Z students. Students desire these relationships for a multitude of reasons. Hope noted that although fluent in today’s technology, Gen Z students evaluated face-to-face communication as the most meaningful form of communication. This preference could be due to the fact that since much of their time is spent online, this enlivened connection is missed and, thus, desired.

One reason meaningful professor-student relationships can be fostered through out-of-class meetings is rapport can be established. Rapport includes feelings of bondedness, trust, and interpersonal involvement. Student-professor rapport creates a positive learning environment that is particularly well-suited for student success. Upon reflecting on the out-of-class meetings, one of my students described rapport building in the following way:

Even after one out-of-class meeting I gained a personal relationship with Dr. Weber that other professors fail to achieve. This personal connection made me feel more comfortable about asking questions and visiting office hours outside of the required meetings.

In their 2014 Inside Higher Education article regarding the necessity of providing every college student with a mentor, Brandon Busteed (2014) found that emotional support during college was the biggest predictor of a student’s overall well-being. In fact, Busteed’s study linked student success with having a professor who cared about them as an individual and engaging with a mentor who guided them as they pursued their long-term goals. This sentiment was revealed by one of my students, who stated,

The out-of-class meetings helped me grow in confidence in my writing and helped me to fully enjoy this class. I also feel that I bonded with Dr. Weber and feel comfortable with her enough to come to her with other issues outside of class.

Unfortunately, only 14 percent of students in Brandon Busteed’s (2014) study experienced meaningful emotional support from a professor. The rarity of this type of support was further confirmed in our study; specifically, one student revealed that I was “One of the only professors who offered out of class meetings.” Another student stated, “Many of the professors [he/she] had always seemed put off by the fact if [he/she] went to their office hours. Like they had better things to do with their time.” A third student described the meetings as transformative in that they “believe the meetings changed my view of meeting with professors.” These statements highlight that students notice and appreciate instructors who offer genuine support and, unfortunately, how infrequent they experience this level of care.

These conversations served a particularly meaningful function for marginalized Gen Z students. For example, some of my first-generation students used the meeting time to help them better understand university expectations more generally, which is consistent with research Buffy Smith (2007) published in the journal of Equity and Excellence in Education. Specifically, Smith found that students of color and first-generation college students garnered meaningful academic knowledge and resources through mentoring efforts similar to these out-of-class meetings. More generally, we conclude the out-of-class meetings directly impacted my ability to develop meaningful relationships with my students, which further substantiates the value of this instructional technique for Gen Z students.

Career Readiness

In his Chronicle of Higher Education article, Dan Berrett (2012) described a longitudinal study spanning nine years that found students’ belief in their own collegiate success was ignited during interactions with faculty. Importantly, students who meet with professors outside of class were equipped with more career readiness than those who did not. In part, this occurred because through student-instructor interactions, students developed more confidence. Consistent with the long-term benefits discussed by Dan Berrett, one student in my class declared the meetings “helped me realize I am capable of writing a good paper.” Although on the surface this quote seems simple, it reveals a twofold spark that was ignited in this student as a direct result of our meetings. First, the student’s confidence was enhanced because of the meetings. Second, from the meetings the student concluded they were capable of writing well, which is a skill valued across disciplines and careers. It is for these reasons that the quote illustrates the invaluable role the meetings play in student success.

In addition to igniting self-confidence, these meetings also support the development of transferable skills. The out-of-class meetings offered me the opportunity to model meaningful real-world skills such as how to problem-solve with another person, how to share advice, how to offer meaningful feedback, and how to think on one’s feet. These skills parallel those expected in today’s real-world work environments. Furthermore, my students found satisfaction in knowing that the content of the meetings could be readily applied to other contexts. For example, one student reflected on the applicability of what was discussed during the out-of-class meetings, stating, “The out-of-class meetings provided a strategy for long-term projects that I could transfer to other classes for more exceptional work.” Here, the student focused not only on the immediate context of the class but also on the satisfaction of knowing what they learned could contribute to future success.

Students, by engaging with faculty, staff, and administrators, utilize social capital to help garner internships, jobs, research opportunities, and/or advice about classes. Unfortunately, that social capital has been closely linked with privilege associated with individuals who identify as white, cisgender, heterosexual, and middle-class. By sharing social capital, by way of out-of-class meeting, with marginalized or otherwise disenfranchised students, professors can utilize their privilege to enhance diversity, inclusion, and equity. In my experience, by having out-of-class meetings with my students I have been able to develop stronger relationships with them, match them with opportunities that come into my prevue, and support them better when writing letters of recommendation. In sum, Gen Z students’ goal of career readiness is a multifaceted benefit of the out-of-class meetings.

Implementation Challenges

Although the benefits for Gen Z learners is apparent, one challenge with using this instructional technique is the very demanding time commitment needed for its success. I spent hours meeting with my students for these meetings. One solution to this challenge is to consider reallocating in-class time to out-of-class meeting time. For example, I “cancelled” class three times during the semester to met with students during that time. One justification for this technique was that by the end of the semester I spent three 15-minute meetings with each individual student, which equaled 45 minutes and was roughly the length of a single class section. As such, by the end of the semester each student experienced what was essentially an individual class period with me. Therefore, even though I cancelled three class periods, they received one back. A second justification (or solution) to canceling class included having students complete an out-of-class assignment during the day the class was canceled. I found that both techniques, combined with the benefits of using the out-of-class meetings, made the time commitment for my students and myself worthwhile.

In addition to the time commitment, another consideration is if the meetings should be required or if they should be optional. Over a series of several semesters, I experimented with making the meetings optional, offering extra credit for going to the meetings, and requiring all students to attend the meetings. It likely comes as no surprise that requiring the meetings yielded the highest student participation. In my experience, very few students showed up if they weren’t required. Some showed up for extra credit. They all show up when the meetings were required. Of the 59 students we surveyed, only one student suggested I should have made the out-of-class meetings optional. Given most students overtly express benefits associated with going to the meetings (including the one who stated the meetings should be optional), I have continued to require the meetings.

A third concern related to implementation relates to students who do not properly prepare for the meetings. The first semester I began to use these out-of-class meetings, several students came to the meetings unprepared to discuss the content of their papers. In several cases, they revealed that they had not looked at their paper since turning it in. Now I have a very explicit in-class conversation with my students about what to expect in the meetings prior to the first set of meetings. These expectations include (1) that they have read their paper, (2) that they have read my comments on their paper, and (3) that they bring their questions to the meeting. Since clearly articulating my expectations about how the meetings unfold, I have had very few problems with unprepared students.

Last, for these meetings to work I strongly believe that the students must trust their instructor. Students shared with me that speaking with a professor can be intimidating and that hearing feedback on their work can be scary. As such, I spent time in class building rapport and trust over several weeks prior to the first set of meetings. If my feedback and the related conversations came from any place other than genuine care for my students, they would not have worked. The only way I was able to build a trusting relationship was to genuinely care and invest in my students.