Title: The relationship between the development of time and effort management and experiences of the teaching-learning environment in a university context

Authors: Anna Parpala; Henna Asikainen; Mirja Ruohoniemi; Sari Lindblom-Ylänne

Addresses: Faculty of Behavioural Sciences, Helsinki University Centre for Research and Development of Higher Education, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 9, FI-00014, Finland ' Faculty of Theology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 4, FI-00014, Finland ' Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, FI-00014, Finland ' Faculty of Behavioural Sciences, Helsinki University Centre for Research and Development of Higher Education, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 9, FI-00014, Finland

Abstract: Time and effort management skills have proved to be very important in studying, as they provide a foundation for both study success and engagement in university studies across the world. The paper focuses on how these skills develop during university studies in veterinary medicine, and examines possible changes in relation to students' experiences of the teaching-learning environment and study success. The results suggest that students' experience of interest and relevance of the subject matter explained the changes in their time and effort management skills. Moreover, students who scored high in these skills during their Bachelor's studies succeeded well in their later studies. The findings highlight the need to support the development of students' time and effort management skills from the very beginning of university studies. Moreover, the teachers should pay greater attention to the relevance of the subject matter, as it may also support the development of these skills.

Keywords: time management; study success; learning environment; higher education.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLC.2017.084594

International Journal of Learning and Change, 2017 Vol.9 No.2, pp.170 - 184

Received: 14 Feb 2015
Accepted: 08 Nov 2015
Published online: 17 Jun 2017 *

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