Session Information
05 SES 03, Educational Impact of Part-Time Jobs, and from School to Work
Paper Session
Time:
2009-09-28
14:00-15:30
Room:
JUR, HS 15
Chair:
Dolf van Veen
Contribution
As in many European countries, it is common for British school students to have part-time jobs. Many teachers appear concerned that such employment may have a harmful effect on the students' schooling (Howieson et al., 2006). However, correlational research shows that it is only students working relatively long hours per week whose academic performance appears to suffer, whilst those working relatively few hours do as well as, or better than, non-working peers (McKechnie and Hobbs, 2001). Furthermore, in interviews, working students frequently claim that their jobs provide valuable learning opportunities (Hobbs et al., 2007). To clarify this issue, there is a need for more detailed information about the precise nature of students' jobs than has previously been available.
Method
We have compiled case histories of over forty working students, males and females, of varying ages, drawing on interviews, event recording by the participants, and observation in the workplace. Jobs covered included the main types of employment, as established by prior surveys.
Expected Outcomes
Results suggest that, although jobs may vary considerably in their character, there is indeed reason to believe that, even although formal training is limited, jobs often do provide opportunities for the students to learn. This includes not only the acquisition of specific skills, but also the ability to plan and organize one's time. Furthermore, many students appear to develop social skills in the workplace. In conclusion, we argue that there is a need for educationalists to develop a greater awareness of students' part-time jobs and to take account of the possibility that the workplace may complement the school as a place of learning.
References
Hobbs, S., Stack, N., McKechnie, J. and Smillie, L. (2007) Talking about work: School students' views on their part-time employment, Children and Society, 21, 123-135. Howieson, C., McKechnie, J. and Semple, S. (2006). The nature and implications of the part-time employment of secondary school pupils. Edinburgh: Scottish Executive Social Research. McKechnie, J. and Hobbs, S. (2001) Work and education: Are they compatible for children and adolescents? In P. Mizen, C. Pole, and A. Bolton (Eds.) Hidden hands: International perspectives on children's work and labour. London: RoutledgeFalmer.
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