Diversity in the student learning experience and time devoted to study: a comparative analysis of the UK and European evidence

Brennan, John; Patel, Kavita and Tang, Win-Yee (2009). Diversity in the student learning experience and time devoted to study: a comparative analysis of the UK and European evidence. CHERI, The Open University, London.

Abstract

CHERI was commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to undertake a study on diversity in students’ study experiences and the time devoted to it. The study aims to examine
international differences in the student experience, based both on a review of literature and on the reanalysis of existing data on students collected as part of two recent studies. The main focus is the hours
students devote to study activity, but the investigation also takes account of other factors and different ways of thinking about the student experience.

CHERI found that there are undoubted differences in both the extent and the nature of the engagement of students with their studies in higher education: both differences between individuals and, to some extent, differences related to the subjects studied and to the kinds of institutions attended.

In particular the study found that there is evidence to support the view that UK students spend fewer hours each week on their studies (broadly defined) than students in other European countries. But although there is evidence of a relationship between time spent on university studies and a successful learning outcome, the relationship is not particularly strong. The study also found that just because there are differences in experience does not necessarily mean these experiences are in deficit, and that there are considerable commonalities in the experiences of students across UK higher education's increasingly diversified landscape.