Variance in study behaviour

The variance in study behaviour has proven to be a more valuable variable for research into higher education than the common representation by location parameter and percentages in surveys. Methodically controlled time budgets show that the time load varies significantly for individual students from week to week and that extreme differences in time allocation exist between students of the same cohort. All data referred to were collected in 29 degree programmes. The amount of time used for both studying and leisure were measured online across a complete term (for 151 or 153 days).