The first-year university student in the age of acceleration: Time beliefs, decisions, and impacts
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56433/qffwhh86Keywords:
student engagement, attendance, social acceleration, student identityAbstract
This paper reports on findings from a recent project entitled ‘Space + [time x practices] = engagement?’, conducted at Munster Technological University (MTU), a multi-campus Technological University spanning counties Cork and Kerry, Ireland. The overarching objectives of the project were to deepen understandings of and open paths to addressing a broadly perceived sector-wide reduction in lecture attendance and in time devoted to learning and study among contemporary learners. Here, we will outline salient findings from an all-student survey conducted during semester 2 of the 2024-25 academic year on learner perceptions of time in relation to study and related activities and offer some insights into the study/time beliefs of first-year students.
We highlight an interesting trend in first-year learners’ perception of the ‘occupation’ of being a university learner. 79% of these ‘novice’ students agree that it is important to attend all lectures, yet also report limited engagement with study or university work outside of their timetabled lectures. This is suggestive of an emergent paradigm of being-a-student which confines itself to the ‘9-to-5’ and involves pragmatic decision-making and trade-offs between competing commitments. We point to some of the most prominent competing priorities outlined by students and raise critical questions about the setting of expectations in the transition from second- to third-level education.
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