2010 CAFCE National Conference

1.    EARLY FINDINGS OF Seeing Cooperative Education: A Study of the Lived Experiences of Cooperative Education Students as Seen and Understood by Co-op Students and Myself

Jeela Jones, University of Ottawa

Each year, students enrolled in the University of Ottawa Cooperative Education Programs live the experience of preparing for work terms. In this period of pre-employment, traditionally not regarded as meaningful to co-op experience, students are asking themselves important questions like, “What do I have to do to get a job” and “What do I want to be?” As a co-op practitioner I am privy to some of these experiences but I wonder what is not fully seen and understood, and so through photography and story I seek the humanness of students’ lived experiences of preparing for work and what emerges along their journey of breathing continuity. 

In this presentation I will share the early findings from this study including the thoughts, words and photographic images gathered by the participating students and I as the students prepared for their first co-op work term.

2.    Co-operative Education and Student Engagement, Recruitment and Retention: exploring early findings and implications for practice from a multi-institutional study in BC

Nancy Johnston (Simon Fraser University), Earl Anderson (BCIT)

Abstract:

Student engagement, recruitment and retention in post-secondary institutions are critical in today’s economic climate.  This research project was co-ordinated by the Research Committee of the Association for Cooperative Education in BC in an effort to gain a clearer understanding of the relationship between co-op education and institutional student recruitment and retention. The survey investigated the impact of post-secondary students' enrolment in co-operative education programs on their choice of school, their retention in post-secondary and their academic engagement. This session reports on the methodology and early findings of this unique multi-institutional research project. Presenters will share the research approach taken, describe the participant groups and methodology as well as present some of the early finding of interest to both co-op researchers and practitioners. The researchers will also reflect on lessons learned through this highly collaborative and timely research project.

Note: This session is aimed at those interested in the research methods in particular.  A concurrent session exploring practical implications from early findings and targeted to co-op practitioners and administrators will follow this presentation.