Monochronic Vs. Polychronic: A Profile of Academic Time Use Among Online Distance Education Students

Abstract

The results presented are part of a doctoral thesis which is being finalized. The research is centred on the online distance learning student experience in higher education, considering the variable time management, its relationship with technologies, and the virtualization of teaching and learning. Exploratory in nature, the research takes the form of a case study using a mixed methodology. One of the main objectives of the study is to contribute to the construction of a theoretical framework on the distance learning student time variable. We present a profile of academic time use by e-students (monochronic or polychronic) and suggest an intermediate profile. The conclusions point out that the profile of academic time use varies according to the degree of the course attended. It was found that undergraduate students show a more polychronic profile than masters and doctoral students.

Furthering the Development of Virtual Agents and Communication Robot Devices through the Consideration of the Temporal Home

“…This outlook is common in Western civilisation [39]. It is important to note that our sample, based in the UK, may not solely view time as linear, especially with the current demands of modern-day life which require a polychronic approach (doing many things at once) [40]. However, it is more likely that, based on their cultural backgrounds, they prefer organising tasks independently due to their upbringing and the way time is structured in homes, schools, and workplaces.…”