Juggling priorities: A comparison of young and mature age students’ use of time during their first semester of teacher eduction

Measures of the adjustment of mature-age, undergraduate students to university

“…The academic demands of tertiary study have implications for changes in employment situations and adjustments in domestic responsibilities. The need to find a balance between academic study and paid employment was highlighted in item responses on the Personal Adjustment scale, supporting the findings of Drury et al, (2008), Cushman (2004) and Kerr, Johnson, Gans and Krumrine (2004), who noted the impact of changes in employment situation and family responsibilities on university transition and adjustment.…”

“…The academic demands of tertiary study have implications for changes in employment situations and adjustments in domestic responsibilities. Finding the appropriate balance can be challenging for all first-year students (Barker & Fabian, 2009;Kantanis, 2002), but the particular responsibilities of mature-age students, including dependent children, ageing parents and employment commitments have consequences for the amount of time students can devote to study or spend on campus (Cushman, 2004;Drury et al, 2008). Twenty-three of the 40 participants reported feelings of tension and nervousness, some of which related to their expenses and balancing paid work and study.…”

“…The significance of the experiences of mature-age students is their representation of a small but increasing proportion of students in first-year, undergraduate courses. Student perceptions of their new environment are important in gaining an understanding of the issues and needs of the diverse groups of students enrolling in tertiary education (Cushman, 2004;Gall, Evans, & Bellerose, 2000), and subsequently supporting the academic progress, personal adjustment, and social requirements of current and future students of all demographic groups (Ayres & Guilfoyle, 2009).…”

The Relationship between Demographic Factors and Adjustment to University for Mature-Age, Undergraduate Students

“…Older students are more likely to have families and/or dependents, while female students, in more traditional family situations, are more likely to be the primary carers for dependent children. While it is important to determine the association that each characteristic has on transition and adjustment, it must be noted that demographic characteristics are also interrelated (Evans, 2000;Cushman, 2004). Students enrol in university with a range of individual characteristics which influence their motivation, persistence and level of involvement with the academic and social cultures of the institution (Tinto, 1975).…”

“…Mature-age students are more likely than schoolleaver students to have a partner, dependent children and/or ageing parents. The ability to manage competing demands on their time, including the extra responsibilities of family or dependents, can affect their available time on campus, their participation in campus-based activities and negatively impact their sense of belonging to the university (Kantanis, 2002;Cushman, 2004). This study determines the strength of associations between students' demographic characteristics and their university adjustment across four domains; academic, social and personal adjustment and student attachment to university, and with an overall measure of university adjustment.…”