Student-generated learning materials as active learning: a qualitative study of midwifery students’ experiences

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Student generated learning materials are increasingly used in health education to support active learning. However, evidence specifically addressing midwifery students' perceptions of this process in course-based educational contexts remains limited. This exploratory qualitative study aimed to examine midwifery students' written reflections on the process of generating learning materials within the "Normal Birth and Postpartum Period" course. METHODS: The study was conducted with third-year midwifery students at a foundation university in southern Türkiye. Of 39 eligible students, 26 provided usable structured open-ended written reflection data. Students generated learning materials related to course topics over a 10-week period and presented them during an end of term exhibition. Data were collected after course assessment and formal grading procedures had been completed. The written reflections were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. The study followed the COREQ checklist, and ethical approval was obtained. RESULTS: Analysis revealed four main themes with thirteen sub-themes: individual learning and academic development, emotional and personal experiences, difficulties and obstacles, and instructional direction and application experience. Students perceived the process as supporting engagement with course content, visual learning, self-confidence, and professional awareness. However, students also reported stress, time management difficulties, material-related limitations, uncertainty in topic or material selection, and limited satisfaction in some cases. CONCLUSION: Since this exploratory qualitative study was based on written reflections from a single cohort, the findings should be interpreted as students' self-reported perceptions rather than evidence of objective learning outcomes or pedagogical effectiveness. Further studies using mixed-methods designs, objective learning measures, and diverse educational settings are needed.