Microsoft Word 2007 ichrie conference Proceedings Final-Final 06-06-07. doc

 
Purpose and Benefits of Cooperative Education 
 
Co-op has several definitions and has many variables that differ from institution to institution. In fact, the 
term “co-op” is often interchanged for other terms such as internships, externships, practicums, field experience, or 
work-study programs (Kiser & Partlow, 1999). Cooperative education is a learning tool that allows students to gain 
relevant practical experience while tying academic knowledge to the field experience. Wilson, Stull, and 
Vinsonhaler (1996) insist that co-op must be presented as “a curriculum model that links work and academics --- a 
model that is based on sound learning theory and one that will fit with the traditional academic curriculum”(p. 158). 
This group of researchers further added that the learning objectives of a cooperative education program must be 
“specific to individual student needs, their program of study, and work experiences. The objectives must relate to the 
curriculum as a whole and include both the academic and work components” (p. 158). 
From a broad perspective, Ricks (1996) discussed the value of cooperative education. Clearly, she stated, 
“cooperative education is inherently committed to improving the bigger picture, e.g., the economy, peoples’ working 
lives, and lifelong learners living more effectively” (p. 19). She described cooperative education as a partnership 
involving the learner, the institution, the employer; this partnership will, in fact, benefit all involved stakeholders 
and will ultimately benefit society. 
From a learner perspective, an array of studies from a variety of disciplines have been conducted to 
investigate the relationship between co-op and early work outcomes. Factors such as job preview/readiness, starting 
salary, job search time, promotion rate, career progression, and overall satisfaction have been studied using varying 
methodologies. For example, Foster, Franz, and Waller (1986) reported on previous research that studied the 
relationship between the co-op experiences of registered nurses and job satisfaction. The findings of this study 
suggested that a positive relationship exists between the cooperative education experience and job satisfaction. This 
study also found that nurses who had a co-op experience were more likely to remain with their first employer than 
graduates without a co-op experience. In a different study of career success for computer science co-op students, 
Dubick, McNerney, and Potts (1996) found that students who participated in co-op had a significantly higher 
starting salary than those who did not partake of the co-op learning experience. This study also showed a positive 

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