Characteristics of academically excellent business studies students in a post-1992 university

Bennett, Roger; Barkensjo, Anna

doi:10.1080/13596740500200189

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…A questionnaire containing these items was then circulated (in class) to a fresh set of 511 first-year business students. This final questionnaire also incorporated items drawn from previous published studies completed at the university hosting the investigation (Bennett 2003;Bennett and Barkensjo 2005;Bennett and Kottasz 2006) that had examined a range of student attitudes and behaviours (including the propensity to drop out). The additional items related to student motivation, commitment to being an undergraduate, and prior expectations of what student life would be like (see Appendix).…”

Section: Item Generationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Academic self‐concept among business students in a recruiting university: definition, measurement and potential effects

Bennett

2009

Journal of Further and Higher Education

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Section: Item Generationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Academic self‐concept among business students in a recruiting university: definition, measurement and potential effects

Bennett

2009

Journal of Further and Higher Education

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“…Fazey and Fazey (2001, p. 359) go on to argue that lecturers should be cognisant of the fact that even first year undergraduates have the "potential for autonomy" and this should be "nurtured rather than discouraged". Bennett and Barkensjo (2005) also suggest the need to emphasise to students the relationship between self-motivation and positive outcomes. They are discussing this in terms of academic performance, but the same principles can be applied to providing an environment that encourages students to actively develop their personal capital through their engagement in ECAs.…”

Section: Arguesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Still focusing on the “essential 2:1”: exploring student attitudes to extra-curricular activities

Greenbank

2015

Education + Training

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Purpose -In order to compete for positional advantage in the graduate labour market students need more than a good degree classification. The evidence suggests that participation in extra-curricular activities (ECAs) can have a significant influence on labour market outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which undergraduates engage in ECAs during their studies and analyses the factors influencing their participation in such activities. Design/methodology/approach -This study is based on a sample of 21 undergraduates in the Business School at a "new" university. These students completed two questionnaires in their first year of study. These were followed-up by in-depth interviews which were carried out in their first and final year of study. Findings -The study found that many of these students were not participating in ECAs because they lacked an appreciation of the value of ECAs to graduate employers. The students were also influenced by social and peer norms, especially the fact that their peers were not engaging in ECAs. Finally, the students often exhibited an extrinsic locus of control and dependency which was not conducive to engagement in ECAs.Research limitations/implications -The generalisability of the findings may be seen as limited by the fact that the study is based on a relatively small sample of students from one university. This research, however, provides detailed insights into the factors influencing student participation in ECAs and adds new perspectives to this under-researched area. Practical implications -The paper concludes by suggesting a range of inter-related approaches that higher education institutions could adopt in order to improve student participation in ECAs. These include careers education at all stages of the students' studies; the use of unfreezing techniques in conjunction with case studies; a more substantial role for personal tutors; and the development of an institutional habitus that encourages autonomy and agency. Originality/value -Despite the importance of ECAs to graduate employers there have been relatively few studies into the factors influencing undergraduate participation in such activities.

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“…Sources: Bennett and Barkensjo (2005); Stoynoff (1996) a. I learned excellent study skills at school or FE college (note taking, preparing drafts of essays).…”

Section: Preparednessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Usefulness of introductory higher education orientation units in the context of increasing student diversity

Bennett

Mousley

Ali-Choudhury

2008

International Journal of Educational Management

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Purpose -The purpose of this research is to examine the influences of certain factors that helped determine students' assessments of the usefulness of a higher education orientation unit (HEOU) in a large post-1992 university. Design/methodology/approach -All students in a university business studies department who had completed or were near to completing a compulsory one-semester HEOU were asked to fill in a questionnaire that explored specific personal characteristics that a review of prior academic literature had identified as potentially relevant to the explanation of how well or badly students respond to a HEOU. The outcomes were then related to the participants' views on the overall value of the unit and whether their attendance had led to improved academic performance. Findings -Students who claimed that they had obtained the greatest advantages from the HEOU tended to be "academic" individuals who were highly committed to being a student, intrinsically motivated to study, high in academic self-concept, academically able, and prior to their entry to the institution had been well-prepared for university life. This was not necessarily the profile of the students that the unit had been designed to assist. Research limitations/implications -Data on key variables was (necessarily) self-reported. The investigation took place in a single institution and in a particular subject area. Also the students who filled in the questionnaire were, ipso facto, "survivors" and as such may not have been typical of students who had dropped out. Practical implications -The outcomes to the study imply that "one size fits all" approaches to the design of study skills units might not be appropriate. Rather, specially constructed units may be needed to cater for the academically ill-prepared. Originality/value -At the time the research was conducted this was the first major empirical study to have related students' perceptions of the usefulness of an HEOU to their backgrounds, traits, and other personal characteristics.

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Characteristics of academically excellent business studies students in a post-1992 university

Cited by 6 publications

References 31 publications

Academic self‐concept among business students in a recruiting university: definition, measurement and potential effects

Academic self‐concept among business students in a recruiting university: definition, measurement and potential effects

Still focusing on the “essential 2:1”: exploring student attitudes to extra-curricular activities

Usefulness of introductory higher education orientation units in the context of increasing student diversity

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