Engaging Generation Z: A Case Study on Motivating the Post-Millennial Traditional College Student in the Classroom

Engagement among the Post-Millennial college student has become problematic due to a culture of technology and instant gratification. Research indicates that student engagement is linked to student learning, and therefore it is essential that professors find improved techniques to reconnect with today’s student. Based on Generational Theory, which states that cohorts of people within a certain span of time share certain traits, it is determined that Generation Z (those born between 1995 and 2010) is unlike any other generation before them. The purpose of this research study was to learn what would engage and disengage Generation Z students in the classroom. A single case qualitative case study including journals, interviews, field notes, audiotapes, a personal reflection, and classroom observation were applied. The findings from this study show that relationship, passion, active teaching, and applied learning are all ways in which a professor may be able to connect and engage with his or her class.