Collaboration is Not Plagiarism.
Employing students part-time, in a collaborative workspace.
Within ITPI, there are four full-time indefinite posts. The rest of our team is made up of fixed-term posts, or part-time staff, the majority of whom are students.
Ok, great. So that’s the makeup of the team. But is that really worth writing a blog post about? Well, obviously I think the answer to that is yes.
It has its advantages.
Employing students in a team that 90% of the time makes software for students makes sense. You’ve got a focus group right there in the office, and they know what students want. Their friends and peers turn to them instead of the official routes, so we hear about things sooner. Be that, what they want, what isn’t working or how something can be improved.
They’re the ones making the software, having a sense of ownership and pride. They gain vital industrial experience alongside their studies.
So many advantages.
But it also has its challenges.
Plagiarism is a big scary word used in academia to describe using someone else’s work as your own. This is hardly going to encourage collaboration.
“The submission of all or part of another student’s work, whether with or without that student’s knowledge or consent.” — Lancaster University
Students are often worried about asking for help or wanting to use the already written code. Throughout their studies, they are told the above; do not use another student’s work. However, in the workplace, this is to be encouraged!
It saves time, it encourages employees to talk to each other, it promotes well written and documented code… It’s what’s wanted!
So, there’s the problem…
But how can we change mindsets to encourage collaboration?
Tell students it’s ok. This might sound obvious, but actually telling them can make such a difference. I’ve overheard people talking about rewriting components, and our development leader has had to tell them outright to use the code that’s already there.
Encourage collaborative solutions. If a full-time staff member is dictating the solution, the part-time student staff will disengage. Obviously, appreciate the experience of your staff, but don’t underestimate staff because they are students or part-time.
Don’t make jokes. Ok, so there’s a difference between banter and bullying. Don’t make jokes about students, or being part-time. Those people work as equally as hard as you, and devaluing their effort, will demotivate them.
So, is it actually worth the hassle?
100% yes. A more diverse team leads to better outcomes. Working with your audience leads to better products. And, perhaps most importantly, you’re training the next generation of workers to work hard, collaboratively and well with other people.
