Living conditions of teacher students in Norway

Presentation ATEE 2010 BudapestLiv Susanne Bugge and Gerd Wikan

Hedmark University College

• The aim of the study is to analyse the relationship between students living conditions and study progress

• This presentation focus on three issues:

1. Background: Students living conditions2. Study design3. Specific methodological questions

1. Students living conditions What do we know?

• Ecomomy• Employment• Housing• Family situation• Study hours• Study progress

Economy• Students have lower income (loan and education grant

included) than other groups• 63 per cent has loan and education grant as their main

source of living• Other sources of income: employment, support from

family

Employment

• 56 per cent of the students is employed• In average they are employed 9 hours per week• Male students earn more than female (7400 NOK versus

6300 NOK)• Students work more hours per week the longer they

have been studying• Main reason for employment: loan/grant is not sufficient

(46 per cent)

Housing60 per cent of loan/grant

Family situation

• 40 per cent are married/cohabiting• 20 per cent live together with own children

Study hours

Lectures Self study

Male 13 18

Female 13 18

< 25 yr 14 17

> =25 yr 12 19

< =4 terms 14 17

> 4 terms 10 22

Study progress

• 2009: 44.7 ECTS (60 ECTS is full time study)• 2005: 70 per cent had normal study progress

2. Study design

• Design Questionnaire with pilot Qualitative interview

• Sample All teacher students at Hedmark University College

3. Specific methodological questions

• How to get data about time devoted to study? Students are normally asked how many hours they use to

organised learning activities, to self study and to group work per week. Our impression is that most students spend a lot more time than usual in the end of the terms preparing for exams. How could this be included?

How measure study progress?

• Is it sufficient to ask about number of ECTS last term, (which in Norway is half a year), eventually compared with intention?

• Or should we try to get data from more than the last term?

• What do we want to know? “Crude” progress or progress in relation to employment or family situation?

Social life at campus

• Are students more motivated if they feel socially included at college/university?

Other students? Teachers? Study program? Other factors?