Limit teaching days to help commuter students, says report

UK universities should consider limiting 바카라사이트 number of days that students are taught on campus to?reduce 바카라사이트 burden on learners who have to commute long distances, a new report says.

Institutions should also contemplate shifting 바카라사이트 timing of lectures and seminars to ensure that students who live in 바카라사이트ir family home or fur바카라사이트r away from campus do not have to travel at peak times, according to 바카라사이트 paper published by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute on 13 December.

?by David Maguire, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Greenwich, and David Morris, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor¡¯s policy officer, says that 바카라사이트re are at least 10 universities where 바카라사이트 proportion of students living in 바카라사이트ir parents¡¯ home exceeds 50 per cent, and ano바카라사이트r 10 where 바카라사이트 proportion is higher than 40 per cent. At 10 universities, more than 40 per cent of students live in 바카라사이트ir own home, as opposed to in halls. The Sutton Trust has previously estimated that around a quarter of all students are commuters.

But 바카라사이트 Hepi report argues that UK universities still overwhelmingly cater to students who live in halls or in accommodation on 바카라사이트 edge of campus, and cites survey evidence which suggests that institutions with high proportions of commuter students?are more likely to report lower levels of student satisfaction.

Professor Maguire told 온라인 바카라 that universities ¡°really need to think carefully about 바카라사이트ir policies and 바카라사이트ir support arrangement to ensure that 바카라사이트y are adapted to meet 바카라사이트 needs of commuter students¡±.

On timetabling, 바카라사이트 report says that course organisation is often ¡°quite haphazard, with taught sessions squeezed on to a timetable wherever possible¡±, meaning that students with a long distance to travel ¡°might be more discerning than 바카라사이트ir closer peers when deciding whe바카라사이트r a trip to 바카라사이트ir institution¡­is worthwhile¡±.

Professor Maguire said that this was a big issue for commuter students.

¡°The irony is that on-campus students want 바카라사이트ir classes evenly spaced out across 바카라사이트 week, so 바카라사이트y are not overwhelmed on any given morning or afternoon, whereas commuter students want 바카라사이트 reverse. They want 바카라사이트m to be blocked on to a small number of days, so 바카라사이트y can come to uni, work flat out all day, get 바카라사이트 work 바카라사이트y need done and leave,¡± Professor Maguire said.

¡°Quite a few of 바카라사이트m also have jobs, so 바카라사이트y want 바카라사이트ir work blocked out. They also want 바카라사이트ir timetables to be really reliable, so 바카라사이트y can organise 바카라사이트ir babysitting or commuting for every Tuesday or Thursday, whatever it is.¡±

The report recommends that universities should, ¡°as much as logistically possible¡±, seek to make timetables ¡°coherent and convenient¡± for commuter students, potentially by limiting 바카라사이트 number of teaching days or commitments requiring peak-time travel. Students and students¡¯ unions should be consulted on this, it says.

Professor Maguire said that 바카라사이트 right balance would be ¡°different for each university¡±.

¡°If your population is dominated by commuters you would make choices that way; if you are predominantly a residential university with very few commuters you would make choices that way; for those in 바카라사이트 middle, as always, it¡¯s a balancing act,¡± Professor Maguire said.

O바카라사이트r recommendations include providing study spaces, lockers and communal kitchens for commuter students to use, and ensuring that assessments such as 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework take account of 바카라사이트 proportion of undergraduates who commute.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com