A Qualitative Exploration of Undergraduate Students’ Experiences of Psychological Safety in the Classroom

Psychological safety is defined as an individual’s perceptions that the space is safe for interpersonal risk-taking, such as asking questions or proposing an idea. The current study explored student experiences of psychological safety in the metaphorical, interpersonal undergraduate classroom learning environment. Twenty-two students were interviewed. Several themes emerged from the study, including students’ internal perceptions and external experiences of the classroom learning environment. Findings offer insight for higher education practitioners