Statement of the Problem: learning and working

Many people assume that no student should work while they are in school.

Instead of while still in school, one should find job. Only students enrolled in postgraduate programs should work on the project, though. The student should focus on their studies and delegate any work to those who are not enrolled in school or who are pursuing postgraduate degrees. In a new environment, the student who is enrolling in the school should refrain from multitasking. According to studies, many first years experience greater stress than students in their third and fourth years (David, 2014). As a result, the same student finding a part-time job or a full-time job becomes more stressful and difficult. The studies attribute the following as the cause of stress to the student; unfamiliar environment, less knowledge on the working system of the university or college and more critical the culture shock associated with any new situation. Hence, Working adds another stress.

The trend of the student deciding to work while learning has become so familiar of the recent due to a continuous increase in the cost of education in the country.

For instance, between 2013 and 2014 average total price are $35, 987 for four-year private college and universities, and $ 15640 for public colleges and universities (Scott-Clayton, 2012). The total cost of education is inclusive of tuition, fees, transportation, rooms and board, books and supplies, and other expenses of the facilities offered in the universities and colleges. The statistics generated from the National Center for Education Statistics which as compared the result with those of 2012-2013, show nearly 3 percent increase in the tuition (Allen & Seaman, 2014). Therefore, an alarming rise in the cost of education makes the student venture in other means to supplement the available money to cater for the price of tuition. The student decides to take loans, grants, apply for scholarship and others choose to work either part time or full time. According to US 2010 census, approximately 71 percent of the college student works while carrying out their undergraduate education (Scott-Clayton, 2012).

The anticipation and belief of any parent and society are that student should perform well in the university or college (Rath et al., 2013).

The contrary is wastage of time and available resources. However, the current scenario makes the learning more difficult due to escalating cost of education. It is the student who cannot manage to get the grant, scholarship, loans or any other form of aid to venture into either part time or full time working. Hence, the link between the two arises; the student has no option rather than venture into any form of employment either part time or full time. For that reason, a lot of research should be carried out between the two phenomena. But, many of studies have evaluated the performance of the student while working and tried to compare the performance of those not working. A lot has been done to analyses the student working and educating. Working student has got high GPA in their transcript than the working. Though, this has been a research based on those working 15- 20 hours (Scott-Clayton, 2012). Another study, for instance, has been done to find out, the Balance of Work and School about Stress.

Purpose of the research

I. The study aim to establish the long run relationship between working between 15-20 hours in a week, and the academic performance of colleges and universities.

II. Research tries to determine the nature of the causality between the student working and the academic performance.

III. Research seeks to establish the percentage of the student graduating each year, who are working either part time or full time between 15- 20 hour.

IV. The study seeks to determine the percentage of the student graduating each year and is not in any form of employment.

Statement of the Problem

The need to have a quality and proper education to meet the today’s competitive word demand has made everybody enroll for further studies to various colleges and universities. The government and other stakeholders have the responsibility to make it comfortable and conducive for the student to acquire the high education. The schooling cost should be affordable to all U.S Citizens. However, acquiring quality education at the top institution has not been easier either, due to escalating cost of learning which has made many of the students to opt to work either part-time or full while learning. However, not all students choose for that strategy. Others have gone ahead to acquire loans, grant, and apply scholarships or outsourcing from other means to cater for their school fee. In the long run, we have a case of many students working while learning. According to 2010 US census, there is an approximately 71 percent of the US college students who are learning while working (Carnevale et al., 2015). Many studies have found it stressing to learn while working especially those in the first and second year, but the parent has been pushing them, so to be able to meet their expenses. In the end, we have a case of many students working while learning, but unfortunately, none of the studies have been able to look at the nature of the connection between the student working either part time or full time, and the academic performance in universities and the colleges. The research seeks to know which factor affect the other. Additionally, the analysis determines the long run relationship between the working between 15- 20 hours in a week and the academic performance (Carnevale et al., 2015). The research will also seek to know the percent of a student graduating in each year working either full time or part time between 15-20 hours (Carnevale et al., 2015).

Summary of the literature

Many students have found it stressing to learn while working especially those in the first and second year, but the parent has been pushing them to do so; to be able meet their expenses. In the end, we have a case of many students working while coaching (David, 2014). According to 2010 US census, there is an approximately 71 percent of the US college students who are learning while working (Abel & Deitz, 2017). Many studies have been conducted to determine the effect of a student working on academic success in colleges and universities (Scott-Clayton, 2012). The research has found out that those who work while learning had high GPA in their transcript than those who were not working (Rath et al., 2013). Studies have also found out those working between 15-20 hours tend to graduate earlier than those who were working either full time or more than 20 hours in a week (Carnevale et al., 2015). Studies were done to establish the effect of working and learning, and stress in management. The studies show that the first year and second year are more stressed when handling the two. Moreover, the studies show that women especially single mothers are more stressed, even those who are learning without working (Scott-Clayton, 2012). Previous studies, find out that those who work while working tend to receive good pay once they graduate than those who concentrate on education (Carnevale et al., 2015). Additionally, students working while learning can utilize and manage time well than their colleague not on payroll (Scott-Clayton, 2012).

Gaps in the research

The research has failed to identify the nature of the long run relationship between the student who works while learning and the academic performance of the universities and colleges. The previous studies have not researched on the causality of the student working and their academic success and the percentage of the student who graduates in each year who are working between 15-20 hours in the week.

Research questions

I. What is the nature of the causality between the student working and academic performance?

II. What are the long run relationship between the working student 15-20 hours in a week and the academic performance?

II. What is the percentage of the student graduating in each year working 15-20 hours in a week?

IV. What is the portion of the students graduating in each who are not in any form of employment?

The research will use cognitive theory. The theory argues that the environment should examine the learner and particularly the complications of human memory (van den Broek & Espin, 2012). Theory refers to learning of the changes in behavior as too narrow and uncomprehensive.

References

Abel, J. R., & Deitz, R. (2017). Underemployment in the early careers of college graduates following the Great Recession. In Education, Skills, and Technical Change: Implications for Future US GDP Growth. University of Chicago Press.pp 1-30

Allen, I. E., & Seaman, J. (2014). Grade change. Tracking Online Education in the United States. Babson Survey Research Group and Quahog Research Group, LLC.pp 6-40

Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Melton, M., & Price, E. W. (2015). Learning While Earning. GeorgetownUniversity Center on Education and the Workforce. Pp 14-35

David, H. (2014). Skills, education, and the rise of earnings inequality among the“ other 99 percent”, pp 1-20.

Rath, B., Rock, K., & Laferriere, A. (2013). Pathways through college: Strategies for improving community college student success. Hartford, CT: Our Piece of the Pie. Retrieved from http://www. opp. org/docs/PathwaysCollegeStrategies_StudentSuccess.pp 6-28

Scott-Clayton, J. (2012). What explains trends in labor supply among US undergraduates, 1970-2009? (No. w17744). National Bureau of Economic Research pp 2-46

van den Broek, P., & Espin, C. A. (2012). Connecting cognitive theory and assessment: Measuring individual differences in reading comprehension. School Psychology Review, 41(3), 315-325