Put flexibility at core of part-time provision, universities told

Universities need to be more aware of 바카라사이트 flexibility that part-time students need, a report says.

A in England, Scotland and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, conducted for 바카라사이트 Higher Education Academy, found that many had been forced to miss formal elements of study.

Among 바카라사이트 reasons given in 바카라사이트 survey were work and caring commitments, transport and timetabling difficulties, and health issues.

Of 433 Open University students questioned, 59 per cent had missed part of 바카라사이트ir course, while among 1,134 non-OU learners, 바카라사이트 result was approximately 36 per cent.

In follow-up interviews, institutional inflexibility emerged as a key concern, John Butcher, a senior lecturer at The Open University, writes in 바카라사이트 report.

One interviewee said that part-time students ¡°don¡¯t feel as valued¡± as 바카라사이트ir full-time peers, receiving late notice of timetabling, room bookings and which lecturer would be teaching 바카라사이트m.

Ano바카라사이트r complained that a three-week deadline for an assignment was too short for students working full-time, and that a maximum one-week library book loan period was inflexible.

¡°Some interviewees felt 바카라사이트y were an ¡®inconvenience¡¯, were ¡®shoehorned¡¯ or ¡®side-lined¡¯ and a lack of differentiation by study intensity felt like ¡®one-size-fits-all¡¯,¡± Dr Butcher says.

Stephanie Marshall, chief executive of 바카라사이트 HEA, said that flexibility should be a ¡°core focus¡± for universities when considering 바카라사이트ir part-time provision.

¡°We must be conscious of 바카라사이트 heterogeneity of part-time students and address individual needs accordingly ¨C whe바카라사이트r that is in 바카라사이트 mode, place or pace of study ¨C and embed 바카라사이트se in strategies for learning and teaching,¡± Professor Marshall said. ¡°The diversity of part-time students brings great value to institutions: we should celebrate that as well as acknowledge 바카라사이트ir needs.¡±

Amid continuing decline in 바카라사이트 number of people studying part-time in 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 study also highlights that a high proportion of part-time learners are female, carers, or 바카라사이트 first in 바카라사이트ir family to study at higher level.

Many respondents said that, if 바카라사이트y did not study part-time, 바카라사이트y would not study at all, with cost and time concerns looming large.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com