How Students Spend Their Time

1
How Students Spend Their Time

• Division of Student Affairs Assessment
  Committee

2
Overview

• Introductions
• Overview of Project
• Methodologies
• Limitations
• Data
• Action Steps

3
Project Overview

• Question How do students spend their time?
• Qualitative assessment
• 5 Methodologies
• Data collected during fall and spring semester
  (07-08)
• Undergraduate students, Main Campus

4
Five Methodologies

• Focus Groups
• Interviews
• Document Analysis
• Event Observation
• PhotoVoice

5
Thematic Keys

• Use of common themes
• Leisure Pursuits (LP)
• Social (So)
• University Activities (UA)
• Spirituality (Sp)
• Career (Ca)
• Work (Wo)
• Activities of Daily Living (ADL)
• Community Service (CS)
• Not Applicable (NA)
• Sex (Sx)
• Drinking/Drugs (Dr)

6
Methodology One Focus Groups

• Major Categories of Exploration
• How students report spending their time
• The importance and value on these experiences
• Reported items did not include work required for
  their academic classes, including time in class
• 9 focus groups were completed

7
Methodology One Focus Groups

• Sample
• N49
• Undergraduate students between the ages of 19-27
• 71 of the participants were female
• 29 of the participants were male

8
Methodology One Focus Groups

• All focus groups were led by a university
  administrator
• Process involved a reflection activity and a
  facilitated discussion
• Participants were compensated for their time

9
Methodology One Focus Groups

• Results
• Top Two
• Leisure Pursuits 34
• 21 watching TV/movies or going to the movies
• 14 exercising working out
• Social Activities 19
• Hang out/watch TV with friends 36
• Social gatherings/parties 26

10
Methodology One Focus Groups

• Results
• Bottom Three
• Community Service 1
• Volunteering 56
• Community outreach programs 44
• Spirituality 3
• Organized religion/Prayer 67
• Religious meetings 17
• Career 3
• Planning for future/networking 45
• Grad school prep (LSAT, etc) 25

11
Methodology One Focus Groups

• Most Time Spent
• Time with family and friends
• Time at work
• Student activities/organizations
• Internet
• Sleep
• Exercise

• Most Valuable Activities
• Time with friends
• Time at work
• Student activities/organizations
• Internet (leisure)
• Watching TV
• Organized religion or spiritual activities

12
Methodology One Focus Groups

• Motivation for Most Valuable Activities
• Fun
• Relaxation
• Reward
• Stress Reliever
• Future Direction

13
Methodology One Focus Groups

• So, I mean that visiting friends. I spend a lot
  of time doing that and its important. I grow off
  them and they grow off me, so we help each other
  out.
• When I have enough time I just turn on the TV.
  There are specific shows that I do if I have
  time Ill, like get my friends and we will all
  watch it. Like every Monday me and my friends get
  together and watch a show called The Hills. So,
  its kind of like another relaxing activity that
  is nice to have in college.
• Well school is first and my RA job takes
  precedence and after that I like to focus on the
  relationships that I have with people.
• The things that I think are most important they
  are, like what is geared to, I guess my future.
  So, what I give the most time to is what I think
  is most important to what is getting me where I
  want to be in the future.

14
Methodology One Focus Groups

• Limitations
• Sample size and attrition
• Representation/Over-sampling
• Recording of information
• Facilitation issues

15
Methodology Two Interviews

• Semi-structured interviews
• Ideal week versus a typical week
• Motivating factors and intrinsic meaning
• 12 interviews were conducted during the spring
  semester
• Participants were compensated for their time

16
Methodology Two Interviews

• Sample
• N12
• Undergraduate students between the ages of 18-22
• 66 of the participants were female
• 33 of the participants were male

17
Methodology Two Interviews
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Methodology Two Interviews

• Top Ways Students Reported Spending Their Time
• Hanging out with friends and watching TV with
  friends
• Watching TV or movies alone
• Student Organization participation
• Attending social gatherings/Parties
• Sleeping/Eating

19
Methodology Two Interviews

• Motivating Factors That Influence How Students
  Spend Their Time
• Fun
• Friends
• Values/Responsibilities
• Helping Others
• Independence
• Ambition

20
Methodology Two Interviews

• Limitations
• Duplication of respondents
• Class year representation
• The involved students

21
Methodology Three Document Analysis

• Students were asked to complete a daily log of
  activities for two weeks
• 12 undergraduate students participated during the
  spring semester
• Participants were compensated for their time

22
Methodology Three Document Analysis

• Findings
• Data supported previous findings from focus
  groups and interviews
• Anonymous log format allowed for specific
  information to be captured
• Activities of Daily Living (laundry, personal
  hygiene, and eating)
• Sex and Alcohol/Drugs Use

23
Methodology Four Event Observation

• Administrators conducted 21 hours of observations
• Bell Tower
• Draught Horse
• 1300 Residence Hall
• Starbucks
• Student Center Atrium
• Tech Center
• Paley Library
• Staff took note of the number of students, their
  gender, and what they appeared to be doing
• Observation time at each location averaged one
  hour

24
Methodology Four Event Observation

• Total of students observed 186
• Female 107
• Male 65
• Unknown 0
• Gender not recorded 14

25
Methodology Four Event Observation

• Limitations
• Only demographic noted is gender
• Places we observed are generally dedicated
  locations
• Based on observers bias
• Observed students during the hours of 830am-5pm,
  weekday only
• Majority of locations indoor
• Locations selected did not represent all thematic
  codes

26
Methodology Four Event Observation

• Result
• Library and Tech Center Use
• More time observed spent on social and leisure
  activities

27
Methodology Five PhotoVoice

• What is PhotoVoice?
• Using photographs to answer the question How do
  students spend their time?

28
Methodology Five PhotoVoice

• Methodology
• Students submit 10 pictures
• One-on-one interviews about the pictures
• Sample
• 17 undergraduate students volunteered through
  classes and peer education programs
• 15 female
• 2 male

29
Methodology Five PhotoVoice

• Limitations
• Time
• Selection of submitted pictures

30
Methodology Five PhotoVoice

• Results 165 pictures submitted
• Hang with friends (28)
• Share a meal (13)
• Sightsee (local, region, internationally) (12)
• Temple Sponsored Event (10)
• Temple Athletic Events (7)
• Play Sports (7)
• Enjoy Nature (7)
• Visit Family (5)
• Play/Listen to Music (4)
• Attend Phillies/Eagles (3)
• Dancing (1)
• Facebook (1)

31
Methodology Five PhotoVoice
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Overall Limitations

• Self-reported, students perceived use of time
• Did not have a method to capture multi-tasking

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Action Steps

• Student Affairs should further explore sleep
  hygiene of students.
• Time management
• Students reported feelings of guilt of wasted
  time or dissatisfaction with how time was spent.
• Procrastination reported by students.
• Events and activities should be targeted for
  clusters as well as individuals
• Spirituality and Community Service
• NSSE results support low community service
  engagement

34
Follow-up Questions

• Are students engaged in certain activities
  through formal academic programs?
• How is this information informing what we do?
  What or how is the data collected influencing
  programs, policies, and practices within Student
  Affairs?