Employment-Related Experience - Assignment Example

Portfolio Task 1: Employment related experience Last month, I had a unique opportunity that helped me to gain insights and broaden my experience in events planning, management and leadership in general. I decided to organise an entertainment event for my 15 friends. Basically, the key aim of the event was to entertain and bond with my friends. I decided to have the event at Hyde Park as from 1pm to 6pm. In order for the event to successfully take place, I had to plan and organise several things. Foremost, I had to contact my friends and inform them exactly when and where the event would take place. Secondly, I had to come up with a list of activities that would take place during the event. Moreover, I had to organise for food and drinks. From the beginning I knew that the success of the event was highly dependent on the actions and decisions I made. As the organiser and coordinator of this event, I had to ensure that the event runs smoothly and that my friends are well entertained. Evidently, planning and organising for this event as an individual was going to be difficult hence I decided to delegate. In school, I had learnt that it is important for a leader or a manager to delegate tasks to workforce members so as to realise optimum and efficient results. Therefore, I decided to ask one my close friend, who works at a local restaurant to cater for the event by providing foods and drinks. My friend agreed to take on this task. I gave my friend specific instructions on the kind of food and drinks that he should bring to the event. Prior to the event, I ensured that all my friends were well informed on where the event would take. I communicated to some of my friends via social media network such as Facebook and Twitter. For those who were not reachable through these social networks, I communicated to them via their Mobile Phones. Moreover, as the main coordinator for the event, it was important for me to develop a program of activities that would take place during the event. My key role was to oversee preparations for the event and coordinate the program during the event. Therefore, I had to decide what was going to take place at certain time and how long a certain part should last. In order to accomplish this successfully, I had to employ organising and time management skills. I decided to incorporate music as they key source of entertainment. A good number of the friends, I had invited to the event, are passionate about music. Therefore, I knew incorporating music would make the event more lively and enjoyable. One of the major challenge, that we faced during the event was time –keeping. The event was set to start at 1pm and end at 6pm. However, due certain avoidable circumstance we began the event an hour late. Some of my friends arrived late thus we had to begin the event after one hour later and finish later than expected. I believe that this situation could have been avoided if I had effectively communicated to all guests and entertainers when the event was supposed to begin. In spite of this challenge, I must that the event was a total success. The food and drinks catered by my friend was outstanding and the overall coordination of the event was good. My friends and I had a lot of fun. One of the key lessons, I learnt from this experience is that, as a leader or a manager, it is important to delegate specific tasks to the people you are working with. I also learnt the importance of effective communication in any managerial or leadership role. Task 2: Research question and plan The management question that I will investigate is; “Is lecture and seminar absenteeism a problem for Greenwich students?” I chose this question mainly because of the increasing cases of lecture and seminar absenteeism in Greenwich. Thus I wanted to investigate some of the underlying causes of student absenteeism and the impact it has on the performance of student and the institution in general. I strongly believe that this research will provide invaluable insight that can be used to address absenteeism issues and improve academic performance (Clearly-Holdforth, 2007). The main research question that will form the basis of my research will be; “What are the causes and impacts of student absenteeism in Greenwich?” Other subsidiary questions that will be used in this study include; What are the key factors that contribute to student non-attendance of lectures or seminars? How has absenteeism affected students’ academic performance? What measures should be taken in order to encourage class attendance? Intend to use efficient data collection methods such as questionnaires and in-depth interviews so as to establish valid findings to these questions. Some of the difficulties I am bound to encounter while conducting this research include; low response rates and the provision of biased information from some respondents. Task 3: Literature Review Task 3: Literature Review Some of the academic articles that will provide insightful and relevant information for this research study include; Clearly-Holdforth, J., 2007, ‘Student non-attendance in higher education. A phenomenon of student apathy or poor pedagogy’?, Dublin Institute of Technology, Level 3, issue 5 , on-line journal, Retrieved on 25 March 2012 from Kottasz, R., 2005, Reason for student non-attendance at lectures and tutorial: An analysis. Investigations in University Teaching and Learning, 2(2), pp.5-21. Wadesango, N. & Machigambi, S., 2011, Causes and structural effects of student absenteeism: A case study for three South African Universities, Journal of Social Sciences 26(2) pp. 89-97. In the article, “Student non-attendance in higher education” Clearly-Holdforth (2007), explores the phenomenon of non-attendance amongst university students. In this article Clearly-Holdforth considers the effect that non-attendance has on students. She also proposes possible solutions that can be implemented so as to address this issue. In this article it is established that some of the underlying causes of student absenteeism are; work commitments, family commitments, social commitments, class schedule and the nature of the lecture. Clearly-Holdforth (2007) observes that absenteeism may lead to poor academic performance. In order to encourage class attendance it is recommended that lectures should employ a student-centred teaching approach rather than a teacher-centered approach so as to motivate students and meet their diverse learning needs. This can help to motivate students who may find lectures boring to develop interest in learning (Longhurst 1999). In addition to this, Clearly-Holdforth recommends the use of incentive schemes to awards marks for class attendance (Clearly-Holdforth 2007). Basically, this article provides invaluable insight on some of the underlying cause of student non-attendance, it also provides practical solutions that can be implemented so as to discourage absenteeism. In her article, “Reason for student non-attendance at lectures and tutorial” Kottasz (2005), examines the underlying factors that contribute to student non-attendance in higher education. The findings of this study are based on the results of an empirical study conducted in a sample of 155 participants undertaking their undergraduate studies at the London Metropolitan University. In this study, it was established that the ability to attend and the motivation to attend are among the key variables that determine class attendance. Kottasz notes that conditions such as sickness, family commitments and work commitment can make it virtually impossible for students to attend classes. Kottasz further observes that factors such as timing of the lecture, poor lecturing and poor lecture content can de-motivate students from attending lectures (Kottasz 2005). In addition to this Kottasz notes that student' attitudes, values, and interests also determine whether or not they attend classes. This study also attributes absenteeism to poor academic performance (Westrick et al 2009; Kottasz, 2005). A study conducted by Wadesango & Machigambi (2011), investigated the extent of student absenteeism in different universities in South Africa and the implication of such trends. The findings of this study revealed that student absenteeism is rampant in most universities and it is caused by factors such as poor teaching strategies by lectures, student involvement in part-time employment and lack of interest in the area of study. This study also established that student absenteeism had a negative impact on academic performance (Wadesango & Machigambi 2011). The selected articles are valuable to my research topic mainly because they explore the key areas that my study will cover. For instance, these articles provide credible findings on the underlying causes of student absenteeism and the implications thereof (Wadesango & Machigambi 2011; Kottasz 2005; Clearly-Holdforth 2007). The findings of these studies are based on empirical evidence, thus these articles provide accurate and valid information. From the three articles, I have gained insights on how to structure my research study thus my research study will incorporate; a background or introduction of the study, a literature review section, a description of the methodology used, the results of the study, a discussion of the established findings and a conclusion. Task 4: Methodology Research questions that will be used in our study include; What are the main causes of student absenteeism in Greenwich? What are the effects of student absenteeism in Greenwich? Why is it important for students to attend lecturers or seminar? What measures should be taken in order to encourage class attendance? In our study, an inductive research approach will be used. An inductive research approach is a method of reasoning that moves from specific observations to wider generalisations. Using an inductive approach, a researcher understanding on the research topic is based on collected data. In this case, the researcher will not base the study on any preconceived hypothesis. On the other hand, a deductive research approach moves from the broader generalisations to more specific observations. Using a deductive approach, a researcher begins the research by reviewing literature, identifying a conceptual framework and developing a hypothesis and subsequently testing the hypothesis through data collection. An inductive approach is suitable for this study mainly because the findings of the study will mainly be based on the data collected and not any preconceived hypothesis (Lodico et al 2010; Steinberg & Steinberg 2006). This study will incorporate both qualitative and quantitative research approaches. The qualitative approach will be more descriptive in nature whereas the quantitative approach will employ numerical quantifications of the findings. In this study, a qualitative approach will explore the intangible aspects of the research. This approach will also help to interpret and understand the complexity of specific issues (Natasha & Woodsong et al 2005). Questionnaires and interviews will be used as the key data methods. Questionnaires were chosen mainly because they are easy to administer and cost effective. Similarly, interviews were chosen mainly because they enable researchers to obtain more in-depth responses and information from participants. Interviews also provide an opportunity for the researcher to search seek for clarifications and further information from respondents (Wood & Ross-Kerr 2011). While conducting the research some of the key ethical considerations that will be put into account include; participant confidentiality and the willingness of the participants to participate in the study. The participant will not be required to indicate their names or provide any personal details. Task 5: Questionnaire Draft Research questions that will be used in our study include; What are the main causes of student absenteeism in Greenwich? What are the effects of student absenteeism in Greenwich? Why is it important for students to attend lecturers or seminar? What measures should be taken in order to encourage class attendance? To the Respondents; The key aim of this questionnaire is to examine the causes and impact of student absenteeism in Green. The study will seeks to establish why cases of student non-attendance of lectures and seminars are on the rise. Moreover, this questionnaire will seek for your opinion regarding why it is important for students to attend lecturers or seminar and what measures should be taken in order to encourage class attendance. This research will provide invaluable insight that can be used to address absenteeism issues and improve academic performance. This study is part of a university course requirement thus the findings of research will not be shared or published. Moreover, the confidentiality of each participant will highly upheld. Section A: 1. Absenteeism is a major issue in Greenwich. a) Strongly disagree b) Disagree c) Agree d)Strongly Agree 2. Most cases of student absenteeism are due to unavoidable circumstances a) Strongly disagree b) Disagree c) Agree d)Strongly Agree 3. School authorities should impose strict policies so as to curb absenteeism a) Strongly Disagree b). Disagree c) Agree d) Strongly Agree Section B: 1. How often do you refrain from attending lectures or seminars? a) Never b) Once in a while c) Regularly d) Always 2. What is the key factor that contributes to your non-attendance of lectures or seminars? a). Lack of motivation b) Work Engagements c) Illness d) Social Engagements 3. How has absenteeism affected your performance in school? a) Slight effect b) Moderate effect c) Severe effect d) No effect 4.Does the nature or content of a lecture determine your class attendance? a). Yes b). Sometimes c.) No Section C: 5. What do you think causes student absenteeism in your school? a). Poor lecture content b). Illness c) Work engagement d). Social engagements 6. What measures should be taken in order to encourage class attendance? a) Imposition of strict policies b) Employ student-centered approaches c) Use incentives for attendance 7. How important is class attendance to you? a). Very important b). Important c). Not Important Task 6: Individual Research Report This questionnaire will incorporate three sections. The first section of the questionnaire will focus on establishing whether absenteeism is a major issue in Greenwich. The second section will focus on exploring the absenteeism trends and some of the underlying causes of student absenteeism. The third section of the questionnaire will incorporate questions geared towards examining why it is important for students to attend lecturers or seminars. The questionnaires will be distributed to some participants via e-mail whereas other questionnaires will be administered to participants face to face. The graphs below summarises the key findings of the questionnaire. Student absenteeism due to work commitments and other assignments Summary of qualitative data collected Absenteeism is major a problem in Greenwich. Some of the main causes of student absenteeism in Greenwich include; illness, work commitments, social commitments and transport issues. Other causes of absenteeism include; the lack of motivation , poor lecture strategies and content One of the key effects of absenteeism in Greenwich is that it contributes to poor performance. It is important for students to attend lecturers to so as to improve their performance. Answers to the research questions 1.What are the main causes of student absenteeism in Greenwich? Work related commitments, illness, social commitments, transport issues, the lack of motivation, poor lecture strategies and content. 2. What are the effects of student absenteeism in Greenwich? Absenteeism in Greenwich contributes to a decline in good academic performance. 3.Why is it important for students to attend lecturers or seminar? Attending lectures helps student to become motivated and improve their academic performance 4. What measures should be taken in order to encourage class attendance? In order to encourage attendance the school administration should impose strict policies on absenteeism, teachers should employ student-centered approaches and use incentives for attendance. Conclusion The management question that I investigated was; “Is lecture and seminar absenteeism a problem for Greenwich students?” I chose this question mainly because I wanted to investigate some of the underlying causes of student absenteeism and the impact it has on the performance of student and the institution in general. Through the chosen question, I have gained invaluable insight that can be used to address absenteeism issues and improve academic performance. Strengths and weaknesses of the study The study conducted by our group was comprehensive. It critically examined the underlying causes of student absenteeism, the implications of absenteeism and what can be done to address this issue. The methodology that we used for this study was also suitable and efficient. The use of these research methods enabled us to obtain valid and accurate information from respondent in a fast, easy and cost-effective way. One of the limitations of our study is that we lacked an evidence-based hypothesis on some of the behavioural and psychological aspects that contribute to student absenteeism. I believe that the marks awarded by our tutor was fair nevertheless, if given the task again we would conduct an extensive review of literature so as to establish some of the behavioural and psychological aspects that contribute to student absenteeism. Bibliography Clearly-Holdforth, J., 2007, ‘Student non-attendance in higher education. A phenomenon of student apathy or poor pedagogy’?, Dublin Institute of Technology, Level 3, issue 5 , on-line journal, Retrieved on 25 March 2012 from Kottasz, R., 2005, Reason for student non-attendance at lectures and tutorial: An analysis. Investigations in University Teaching and Learning, 2(2), pp.5-21. Lodico, M., Spaulding, D. & Voegtle, K., 2010, Methods in educational research: from theory to practice. John Wiley & Sons, New York. Longhurst, R., 1999, Why aren’t they here? Student absenteeism in a further education college. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 23(1), pp.61–80. Natasha, M. & Woodsong C., 2005, Qualitative research methods: a data collector's field guide. Family Health International, North Carolina. Steinberg, S. & Steinberg, S., 2006, GIS: geographic information systems for the social sciences: investigating space and place, SAGE, New York. Wadesango, N. & Machigambi, S., 2011, Causes and structural effects of student absenteeism: A case study for three South African Universities, Journal of Social Sciences 26(2) pp. 89-97. Westrick, S., Helms, K., McDonough, S. & Breland, M., 2009, Factors Influencing Pharmacy Students' Attendance Decisions in Large Lectures, American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 73(5), pp. 83-90. Wood, M. & Ross-Kerr, J. 2011, Basic steps in planning nursing research, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, London. pp. 182-183. Appendix Appendix 1: Sample of completed questionnaire Section A: 2. Absenteeism is a major issue in Greenwich. b) Strongly disagree b) Disagree c) Agree d)Strongly Agree 2. Most cases of student absenteeism are due to unavoidable circumstances b) Strongly disagree b) Disagree c) Agree d)Strongly Agree 3. School authorities should impose strict policies so as to curb absenteeism a) Strongly Disagree b). Disagree c) Agree d) Strongly Agree Section B: 3. How often do you refrain from attending lectures or seminars? b) Never b) Once in a while c) Regularly d) Always 4. What is the key factor that contributes to your non-attendance of lectures or seminars? a). Lack of motivation b) Work Engagements c) Illness d) Social Engagements 3. How has absenteeism affected your performance in school? a) Slight effect b) Moderate effect c) Severe effect d) No effect 4.Does the nature or content of a lecture determine your class attendance? a). Yes b). Sometimes c.) No Section C: 5. What do you think causes student absenteeism in your school? a). Poor lecture content b). Illness c) Work engagement d). Social engagements 6. What measures should be taken in order to encourage class attendance? a) Imposition of strict policies b) Employ student-centered approaches c) Use incentives for attendance 7. How important is class attendance to you? a). Very important b). Important c). Not Important Appendix 2: Student response on non-attendance due to work and other assignments. Appendix 3: Student response on non-attendance due to transport problems Read More