Keeping CNA students engaged: Tips for teaching Gen Z
Author: Maureen Bonatch MSN, RN
Your classroom may contain students from different generations with various learning styles. But a large percentage of your class is probably from our newest generation, born between 1995 and 2012, Gen Z. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the highest concentration of United States (U.S.) CNA students are between 20 and 24 years old and classified as Gen Z.
Your challenge as an instructor is to use strategies in your CNA course to teach students with various learning styles. Sure, there might be one way to perform the CNA skill, but that doesn’t mean there’s only one way to teach it.
Teaching Gen Z
Becoming a CNA is one of the most sought-after careers in healthcare. It’s a good-paying, flexible job that can also serve as a stepping stone for other healthcare careers. While requirements differ by state, prospective CNA students must complete a state-approved CNA program and pass a certification exam.
Nurse educators must understand how this new generation of learners thinks and how they prefer to interact. Considering some of Gen Z's characteristics can help you structure your teaching style to keep these students engaged.
A few characteristics, according to the Pew Research Center, about Gen Z include understanding that:
They all learn differently. You can’t generalize how an entire generation learns, but knowing more about them may provide insights into effective teaching strategies.
Teaching Tips:
Give students an index card and have them tell you how they prefer to learn. It will enlighten your teaching techniques.
Have an open discussion with the class. Ask students, “What activities have helped you learn in the past?” This exercise is a great way to engage them in their learning.
They grew up with the Internet. Gen Z students are used to having digital resources on hand. Consider integrating technology into your CNA training and using online resources to engage students.
Teaching tips:
Use an electronic study tool like Quizlet or Kahoot.
Create your own interactive game, or get your students to create one.
They are the most diverse generation yet. Forbes reported that Gen Z is the most racially and ethnically diverse generation in U.S. history. By promoting diversity and cultural understanding in your teaching, you create an inclusive learning environment where every student feels respected and valued for their unique background.
Teaching tips:
Plan an activity where students can examine their culture and personal biases. Most written CNA certification exams include cultural differences as a tested category.
Use collaborative grouping to discuss how beliefs might affect their caregiving.
Use virtual simulations involving client communication regarding culture, religion, and ethnicity.
If you have any multilingual students, ask for volunteers to be clients in your lab scenarios.
When appropriate, assign your students to diverse clients in the clinical setting.
Encourage students to research new cultures, ethnicities, and religions as part of their clinical reflection.
They might have shorter attention spans. According to an article in Nursing Education in Practice, 2021, Gen Z is used to multitasking and often prefers active learning experiences.
Teaching tips:
Use a variety of teaching methods with bite-size learning.
Break up long lectures that might lose engagement by incorporating an active learning environment.
Create a balance between providing information and allowing students to work on assignments or practice skills.
Cell phones are a big distraction. Teach students they will not be permitted to use them while working. Have students put them away during class, especially while practicing in the lab.
They like hands-on learning. Although they are very independent and technologically savvy, the “Getting to Know Gen Z” study by Barnes and Noble College found that Gen Zers value face-to-face interactions and collaboration.
Teaching tips:
Don’t just teach for the test; use lab time to expand on skills in real-world situations.
Plan lab scenarios and virtual simulations that incorporate unexpected situations.
They may expect immediate feedback. Gen Z students grew up in a world where everything was immediately available and may have similar expectations about their learning experience.
Teaching Tips:
While you can’t always be available, consider having online office hours or give students your phone number and allow them to text with questions. Set boundaries and let them know when they should expect a response.
Consider using practical tools like a messaging platform. Be upfront about your availability and expectations for them and the course.
Provide ongoing, timely feedback. Watch for misunderstandings of skill demonstrations and correct them immediately.
Be careful to provide clear instructions and encourage students to contact you with questions.
They may have more to learn with critical thinking. According to an article in Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 2021, some Gen Z CNA students may be more inexperienced with critical thinking. Consider using problem-based learning and teaching strategies and remind students that it’s okay to make mistakes in the practice lab.
Teaching Tips:
Explain how the lack of critical thinking can impact a client's outcome.
Be alert to negativity between students and intervene by showing them more appropriate ways to provide feedback while practicing in the skills lab.
Encourage students to repeat simulation-based computer activities. The skills should become second nature to them so that they can work on their problem-solving skills.
Consider grouping younger students with older students who show more problem-solving skills in everyday situations.
To help students inexperienced with problem-solving feel less overwhelmed, plan a concrete review schedule with dates and material several weeks before their state exam.
Practice with team behaviors. Use small groups to permit each student to share input and provide feedback.
Make smaller milestones. Passing the state certification test isn’t the only win; it's each step of the way.
Teaching isn’t one-size-fits-all
Understanding each generation's diverse traits can be challenging. Just recognize that all your CNA students won’t respond to the same teaching style.
Most of the teaching tips reviewed may help increase engagement for all your students, not just Gen Z. The Caring4Cal initiative has the technology to help you integrate different teaching approaches with hands-on, safe virtual simulation experiences.
Caring4Cal is a program by the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) to offer licensed or certified in-home or community care providers — and those interested in becoming an in-home care provider.
We'd love to hear your thoughts! What strategies have you found most effective when teaching Gen Z CNA students? Leave a comment below and share your experiences.