Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education
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| Stephen Johnston and Helen McGregor | This paper reproduced with permission from the proceedings of the 2004 annual conference of the Australasian Association for Engineering Education, focuses on the importance of soft skills in modern professional practice in engineering. The authors review a discussion paper produced by the New South Wales Professional Standards Council and subsequent forum. The authors argue that the investigation of generic professional practice skills and their development is a critically important area of scholarship that must be incorporated into engineering research and teaching. | |
| Recognizing and Supporting a Scholarship of Practice: Soft Skills are Hard! | ||
| Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education (2005), 6(1), 1-6 | ||
| Keywords: Professional practice; continuing professional development; internships; life-long learning; Australia |
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| Toshiaki Kato | Internship programs have only become a part of the Japanese university system in the past 15 years. In the last 10 years, internship programs have quickly become widespread and, according to the latest government data, a total of 100,000 students participated in internships over the one year survey period. The short-term unpaid internship that stresses work experience is firmly taking root in Japan. However, those involved with internship programs in Japan are beginning to focus instead on developmental internships, that is, cooperative education that raises the quality of education through a joining of theory and practice. Here we presented an analysis of the factors leading to the rapid spread of internship programs in Japan as well as introduce Ritsumeikan University’s internship programs and their potential to set the standard for cooperative education in Japan. | |
| Establishing Cooperative Education as an Integral Part of the Undergraduate Curriculum at Ritsumeikan University | ||
| Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education (2005), 6(1), 7-12 | ||
| Keywords: Cooperative education; internship program; work-integrated learning; program variation; new program; internship philosophy; Japan |
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| Murray Cullen | This paper describes the positive outcomes of a preliminary evaluation of a cooperative education program for environmental science students at Southern Cross University in Australia. Benefits reported for the student include increased employment opportunities, contacts with potential employers, knowledge of employers requirements, and the development of job application and interview experience. The host organization benefits by having eight weeks of student participation in projects and tasks, as well as access to university staff and facilities. The study program benefits from widespread acceptance in the workplace as well as gaining feedback into the development of skills and knowledge into the curriculum. | |
| Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education (2005), 6(2), 1-6 | ||
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Environmental science Cooperative Education: Benefits for the Student, the Host Organization, and the Study Program |
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Keywords: Employer benefits; student benefits; institution benefits; environmental science; internship; Australia |
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| Kate Collier and Jacqui McManus | This paper examines the use of peer learning strategies and in particular learning partnerships, in a training program. Learning partnerships in this context are “learning relationships involving occasional meetings in which students support each others learning.” (Sampson & Cohen, 2001, cited in Boud et al., 2001, p. 40). They attempt to stimulate, promote and engage individuals in effective problem solving, reflection and other forms of higher order thinking with their partners. Learning partnerships are traditionally employed in higher education to support student learning and usually as involves one to one interactions. However in this program, learning partnerships and allied strategies were embedded to help participants extend and apply their skills in ‘learning how to learn’. The intention was that once these skills were developed, participants would be better equipped to transfer their learning into the workplace. The research analyses the level of success of the learning strategies employed, especially the use of learning partnerships in the transfer of learning to the workplace. | |
| Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education (2005), 6(2), 7-16 | ||
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Bridging the Gap: The Use of Learning Partnerships to Enhance Workplace Learning |
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Keywords: Learning partnerships; peer learning; workplace learning; transfer of learning; Australia |
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| Andy Martin and Sarah Leberman | This paper describes an inquiry into a sport management program in a New Zealand University. It provides evaluation based on feedback from sport organizations and graduates about their experiences of the sport management program practicum. The findings suggest that graduates and practicum organizations valued the linking of theory to practice through the sport Management Practicum and regarded it as professional preparation for careers in the sport industry. The importance of managing both student and organizational expectations was also highlighted. The graduates and supervisors concurred on the key needs of practicum students, which were to be enthusiastic, organized, show initiative and make the most of their practicum opportunity. One implication from this research is that it is important to see work-integrated learning as part of a whole course of study involving the placement organizations, rather than as a stand-alone component. | |
| Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education (2005), 6(2), 17-25 | ||
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Keeping Up With the Play: Practicum, Partnership and Practice |
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Keywords: Learning; sport management; practicum; survey; New Zealand |
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| Jenny Fleming and Chris Eames | Amongst cooperative education programs there is great diversity in placement length and structure, often governed as much by administration rather than learning opportunity. This paper describes a case study project that investigated students’ perceptions of how the structure of the placement impacted upon their learning. The findings indicate that the 350 hours of placement was perceived as important for relationship building, developing trust and contributed to students defining their own meaning of practice in sport and recreation. Learning may be enhanced with more time in the workplace, and the use of tools such as projects that assist students understanding of their workplace community. | |
| Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education (2005), 6(2), 26-31 | ||
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Student Learning in Relation to the Structure of the Cooperative Experience |
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Keywords: Cooperative education; Learning; sport studies; program structure; New Zealand |
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