The effect of work placements on the academic performance of Chinese students in UK higher education

Exploring the influence of individual and academic differences on the placement participation rate among international students

“…Previous studies show that there are far more international students than UK students graduating from full-time degrees in higher education (Little and Harvey, 2006;Lucas and Tan, 2013;Crawford and Wang, 2014a;Crawford and Wang, 2015a). It is possible that international students graduate with full-time degrees not because they fail to secure placements but because they do not apply for placements.…”

“…Prior studies which compare the academic performance of students who undertake placements (called sandwich) with students who do not have a break in their study (called full-time) observe significant and increasing performance gaps between those two groups of students from the first or second year to the final year (Duignan, 2003;Gomez et al, 2004;Reddy and Moores, 2012;Crawford and Wang, 2014a;Crawford and Wang, 2015a). Duignan (2003) first explains this phenomenon as a self-selection issue, suggesting that fulltime students are academically less able students who are unable to secure a placement either…”

“…The lack of participation in placements hampers the prospects of international students to achieve good results and good degree classifications (Mandilaras, 2004;Crawford and Wang, 2014a;Crawford and Wang, 2015a). Also, it is easy to assume that the low placement participation rate among international students is caused by poor academic results since it is reported that international students significantly underperform UK students in many academic disciplines and across the whole spectrum of UK universities (Morrison et al, 2005;Iannelli and Huang, 2013;Crawford and Wang, 2014a;Crawford and Wang, 2015b).…”

“…The increasing presence of international students in UK higher education raises a pedagogic question of whether the UK higher educational system is designed to afford all students the opportunity to participate in an educational offering such as placements, regardless of individual and academic differences. Placements require students to undertake a period of work experience during their degree study period (Little and Harvey , 2006) and can improve their chances of obtaining good degrees (2.1 or above) and/or better academic results in the final year (Duignan, 2003;Mandilaras, 2004;Surridge, 2009;Reddy and Moores, 2012;Crawford and Wang, 2014b;Crawford and Wang, 2014a;Crawford and Wang, 2015a).…”

“…The increasing presence of international students in UK higher education raises a pedagogic question of whether the UK higher educational system is designed to afford all students the opportunity to participate in an educational offering such as placements, regardless of individual and academic differences. Placements require students to undertake a period of work experience during their degree study period (Little and Harvey , 2006) and can improve their chances of obtaining good degrees (2.1 or above) and/or better academic results in the final year (Duignan, 2003;Mandilaras, 2004;Surridge, 2009;Reddy and Moores, 2012;Crawford and Wang, 2014b;Crawford and Wang, 2014a;Crawford and Wang, 2015a).Prior studies which compare the academic performance of students who undertake placements (called sandwich) with students who do not have a break in their study (called full-time) observe significant and increasing performance gaps between those two groups of students from the first or second year to the final year (Duignan, 2003;Gomez et al, 2004;Reddy and Moores, 2012;Crawford and Wang, 2014a;Crawford and Wang, 2015a). Duignan (2003) first explains this phenomenon as a self-selection issue, suggesting that fulltime students are academically less able students who are unable to secure a placement either…”