Students and Termtime Work: benefit or hindrance

1
Students and Term-time Work benefit or
hindrance?

• Paul Greenbank
• Sue Hepworth
• John Mercer

2
Introduction

• The debate about term-time working has tended to
  emphasise its negative impact
• From a widening participation perspective this is
  important because students from working class
  backgrounds are
• More likely to work
• On average work longer hours

3
Empirical research

• This presentation draws upon three studies
  carried out by the authors
• An on-going piece of action research into the
  application of collaborative approaches to
  examination preparation
• A related study involved a questionnaire on
  student attitudes to working in groups
• A HECSU sponsored piece of research involving
  in-depth interviews with 30 working class
  students about their career decision-making
• In all these studies term-time working was
  raised as an issue

4
Collaborative/group working

• This is a way of improving academic performance
  developing the skills demanded by employers
• Students are generally positive about group work
• However, term-time work is often blamed for
  restricting the time students have to engage in
  such activities
• Respondents also said it was difficult getting
  members of their group together at the same time
  because of their different term-time work
  commitments

5
Collaborative/group working

• There did not, however, appear to be any
  relationship between the amount of hours students
  worked and their attitude/involvement with
  collaborative/group working
• What seems to be important is WHEN students work
• Students tended to blame term-time working for
  their non-engagement in collaborative activities
  when it was more likely to be because
• There is a reluctance to come into university
  because they prefer to work from home (Takeaway
  Students)
• Poor time management skills

6
Career decision-making and planning

• Research suggests student involvement in
  extra-curricular activities and early engagement
  with career planning has a positive influence on
  employment outcomes (see for example Blasko,
  2002)
• In the HECSU study, a number of students
  mentioned term-time working as a factor limiting
  their involvement in such activities. However
• Only a minority of students mentioned this.
• There did not seem to be any relationship between
  the hours students worked and their involvement
  in other (non-paid) extra-curricular activities
  and career planning.

7

• Students tended to focus on their studies and
  obtaining a good degree
• Students did not appreciate the importance of
  building up their personal capital
• Many students with term-time jobs did not feel
  under pressure to look for graduate employment

8
Impact of term-time working

• May not be as bad as sometimes portrayed
• Especially if the hours are not excessive and
  mainly involve evening/weekend work
• Term-time working can also have multiple benefits
  

9
Advantages of term-time working

• These include the opportunity for students to
• Develop key skills
• Gain experience
• Obtain relevant sector experience
• Relate theory to practice
• Develop their cultural and social capital
• Progress into full-time work

10
In order to achieve these benefits

• Students need to choose term-time jobs on the
  basis of the benefits that are likely to accrue
  them
• HEIs are playing an important role helping
  students to secure appropriate types of term-time
  work
• Academics need to play a more active role
• Government policy needs to be sensitive to the
  problems students face

11
Thank you

• Any questions or comments?

12
Students feelings about assessed group work
13
When do students work?
14
Hours students currently working in term-time jobs