Post-secondary students' intentions for participating in high school co-operative education programs: a descriptive study

We surveyed 782 community college and university students in education and nursing programs to describe their intentions for participating and their participation rates in high school co-operative (co-op) education. The intention reported by most students was trying out an already chosen career (48 per cent), and the average participation rate in co-op education of all students was 38 per cent (with a range from 33 per cent to 69 per cent within the specific programs that were surveyed). Attention to self-perceptions of career development and the role of co-op education provides us with insights into students' goal-directed actions. These data suggest that secondary students are choosing co-op education for strategic, career-oriented reasons. Knowing more about students' intentions for participating in (or not participating in) co-op education can support both policy and instructional development in the growing area of secondary programming in co-op.

Published abstract. Copyright held by JVER.

We surveyed 782 community college and university students in education and nursing programs to describe their intentions for participating and their participation rates in high school co-operative (co-op) education. The intention reported by most students was trying out an already chosen career (48 per cent), and the average participation rate in co-op education of all students was 38 per cent (with a range from 33 per cent to 69 per cent within the specific programs that were surveyed). Attention to self-perceptions of career development and the role of co-op education provides us with ...  [+] Show more