Month: September 2009

Take a job during term?

Nearly half of all full-time students hold down a part-time job through the year.  Some want to.  Some have to.  Either way, it’s not unusual.

The Guardian recently posed a question from a reader whose daughter was just off to uni.  They were concerned that their daughter was thinking about taking a part-time job as she studied and wondered whether she should be looking for a job, or if she should focus solely on study.

photo by Marco Bellucci

photo by Marco Bellucci

Here is my response:

Around half of all full-time students do some sort of part-time work, so your daughter isn’t considering something strange. Whatever her reasons, it is her choice, though I understand the concern.

Your daughter may want to hold off finding a job as she works out how much time she wishes to devote to study. Summer work is a reasonable alternative if she doesn’t need the cash straight away, but depends on many factors, including her reasons for wanting a job in the first place.

Your daughter should find a job that doesn’t require thought or planning outside the workplace, so she can concentrate on uni life at all other times. I’d recommend she first looks for work in the Students’ Union and university itself. It’s a good bet when juggling study, work and social life.

A job that doesn’t involve working after midnight is also helpful…

Someone else mentioned that holding off the job search may end up with all the jobs disappearing, especially in this economic climate.  Certainly a fair point.

I would also suggest that if you have a clear career plan, there’s no harm in looking for relevant work in your chosen field.  Not always easy, but worth a thought.

What would your advice be to Freshers this year?  How does a job (or a lack of one) shape your experience at uni?  Are some jobs better than others?  Would you have studied more if you’d not been working, or would you just have more leisure time?

Better feedback & more use of technology: Notes from a speech

So I mentioned a talk by Aaron Porter in my previous post.  However, I haven’t mentioned much about the talk itself.

The ALT-C website introduces the talk as:

A student perspective on institutions use of technology to enhance teaching & learning in the 21st century. Student expectations and perceptions as to the use of the technology in higher education is rapidly changing. This session will seek to assess the current picture, and identify the extent to which UK is meeting the expectations of our student body. I will draw out some examples of good practice, and also identify some areas of weakness and development. I will also examine research conducted by NUS which looks into how technology can play a role in the provision of teaching, pastoral support, assessment and feedback, provision of IAG and the facilitation of peer-to-peer learning.

I thought it would be worth posting something about the ALT-C presentation.  So here are the notes I made from it:

  • Only a small number of students truly see themselves as active participants in Higher Education.  This was also touched upon by the keynote speaker, Michael Wesch, of Kansas State University.  Wesch explained that students need to understand that they are  co-creating, not just consuming.
  • Quote: “Universities need to think a great deal more creatively about thinking of the induction and ways in which we can upskill students that perhaps arrive without the [required] skills.”
  • While some sources suggest that lack of face to face contact between students and tutors is a big problem, NUS research found that 85% of students found the contact excellent or good.  75% said the quantity of that feedback was excellent too.
  • Porter called for “a more personalised experience” for feedback.  He asked why he hadn’t yet seen a resource where students can track feedback.  For instance, once coursework is handed in, it should be possible to know what’s going on and even interact as the coursework moves through the system.
  • NUS research – How many students feel they can give feedback on a module? 92% said they were given opportunity, but only 25% felt their feedback was acted upon.  How can  a proper response be given, so that students are aware their feedback is listened to  and responded to?  Porter made a few suggestions: Online module evaluation forms; e-mails referring to results; follow-up communication.
  • Technology should be used more as a real solution to make students feel like a part of a community.
  • When students arrive as Freshers, universities should be genuinely challenging to students. Ask questions of them…why are they here, what do they want before they leave, for after they leave, etc.
  • Porter asked why UG students aren’t putting forward contributions to staff & PG work on a regular basis.  This type of engagement and interaction could help on many levels.

The talks at ALT-C have been great.  If you’re interested in watching, you can do so here.

Controlling ‘valid disruptions’

Let’s say you’re writing an essay. At the same time, you’re using the Web. At the same time, you’ve got Facebook open. At the same time, Twitter is feeding you constant updates from the people you follow.

Is this kind of situation something you’ve experienced?

I listened to Aaron Porter talk at the Association for Learning Technology Conference (ALT-C) today. At one point he recounted his experience of completing coursework:

“I had a sense of anxiety if I didn’t know what was going on elsewhere and the ability to flick between different [computer] windows was quite reassuring.”

In a world where we increasingly work with realtime information and rolling updates, it’s difficult to feel at ease when you know you may be missing out on something.  This problem is not confined to entertainment; it reaches all aspects of life, including education.

A sense of needing to be on the pulse at all times is a recipe for information overload, or ‘filter failure’.  However, we’re not about to start working without  disruption on a regular basis.  It’s becoming a way of life.  What we call  ‘disruptions’ are often self-created.  Perhaps you could call them ‘allowed  disruptions’ or ‘valid disruptions’.

photo by jesse.millan

photo by jesse.millan

To put it another way, you have asked for Facebook on screen and you have requested updates from online services. You’d be more annoyed if someone knocked on your door every two minutes, asking questions. And you’d hate it when you’re trying to work and someone starts blasting music loudly that you don’t want to hear.

So disruptions aren’t always unwelcome, even if they are disruptive. That’s why moving away from ‘valid disruptions’ can cause such anxiety.

Does that mean a disconnected student is a more productive one? A more successful one?

No, it doesn’t. But for the same reason ‘valid disruptions’ are self-created, the number of ‘valid disruptions’ need also be self-regulated. Once it becomes too much, you’re better off limiting the flow. Letting it continue would be less productive, which cancels any use the ‘valid disruptions’ were in the first place.

It’s not easy to self-regulate when you’re used to the flow of different voices, calling for your attention. But to recognise the need to cut back when it’s difficult to cope is most of the battle won.

How do you recognise the need to reduce those disruptions?  It’s usually when one or more of these things happen:

  1. When you’re not getting enjoyment/engagement from the flows that you’re following;
  2. When it’s too difficult to keep up with the flows;
  3. When nothing else gets a look-in;
  4. When ‘long-term’ detail is sacrificed completely for instant satisfaction;
  5. When you can’t act on the flow and it just becomes noise.

So keep an eye out!

How have you fared with ‘valid disruptions’?  Are they a boon or a pain?

Creative talent…help me choose!

I’ve been asked to help find a student with a great creative talent.  That student could win big.

Next Generation Talent is a competition sponsored by Panasonic that will award one person a 42-inch High Definition TV, HD Camcorder, digital camera and Blu-ray player.  On top of that, they’ll get a 2-week placement at a creative agency and a portfolio review.  Not bad going.

To enter, students around the country were asked to submit an advert for Panasonic Viera HD products.

Last year, the prize went to James Fox at Loughborough.  Here’s his video:

Now you see how the bar was set.  This year, I am looking at four videos to choose from.  I’m willing to be swayed by your thoughts.  So what do you think?  Here are the four shortlisted videos:

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