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Richard
K. Coll and Richard Chapman
Asia-Pacific
Journal of Cooperative Education, 1(1),
1-8
Richard
K. Coll and Chris Eames
Asia-Pacific
Journal of Cooperative Education, 1(1),
9-14
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Research
methodology in cooperative education has been dominated by quantitative
inquiry. In this article the advantages and disadvantages of quantitative
and qualitative methodologies is discussed. The authors propose that the
choice of research methodology should be determined by the nature of the
research objectives. It is further proposed that cooperative education
researchers should consider qualitative or combined-methodology inquiries.
Guidelines for interview technique are provided to aid in development of qualitative
approaches to research.
An
analysis of the cooperative education literature resulted in the
identification of three models for the role of the placement coordinator;
a simple administrative role, as part of a centralized unit of
coordinators whose role is still substantially administrative in nature,
and a model in which coordinators hold joint positions as placement
coordinators and teaching faculty within their specialty areas.
In this article the authors propose that this latter role offers
significant advantages. Advantages
include the ability of the coordinator to get to know the students better
through classroom interactions, leading to a better understanding of the
employers’ business and to enhanced matching of student and employer.
Disadvantages identified include the difficulty of balancing the
coordinator's role with that of other academic activities, particularly
research, and relatively high administration costs.
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