Experiences of Academicians at a Faculty of Health Sciences Regarding Students of Generation Z: A Phenomenological Research

Aim: The research was conducted to examine the experiences of academics at a health sciences faculty regarding Generation Z students. Method: This qualitative phenomenological study was conducted at the faculty of health sciences of a public university in Türkiye with 25 academicians with academic experience ranging from 5 to 35 years. The interviews were semi-structured, face-to-face, in-depth interviews. Colaizzi content analysis was applied in the analysis. Results: Four themes, nine main categories, and thirty-seven subcategories were discovered from the experiences: Problems Experienced in Activities, Perceived Advantages in Activities, Experience of Anxiety and Stress, and Strategies to Cope with Challenges. Academicians agreed that students had difficulty in educational activities due to their Generation Z characteristics. While academicians appreciated some positive characteristics of students, they complained about students' adaptation, generation gap and style problems, and low academic achievement/productivity. Despite the difficulties, anxiety, and stress, academicians made an effort to understand and support students. Conclusion: The study concluded that academics generally have difficulty interacting with Generation Z students. Academics working in the health field need to develop appropriate coping strategies to increase educational efficiency and manage anxiety/stress. In addition, positive interactions should be provided with education and supportive approaches appropriate to the characteristics of Generation Z.