Student experience outcomes

This study explored whether students’ approaches to learning at work explain the relationship between lifelong learning characteristics (LLCs) and work adjustment. This was determined by collecting data via 2 surveys, one at the beginning of the coop term and one at the end of the coop term, to measure students' approaches to learning at work. We found that approaches to learning are a strong candidate for explaining lifelong learners’ successful organizational entry. 

Students from equity-deserving groups (EDGs) may face barriers in work-integrated learning (WIL). This study aimed to identify these barriers experienced by WIL students on a co-op journey from various EDGs. Analyses revealed that students from EDGs faced both structural and non-structural barriers on their co-op journey. The results of this study highlight the need for solutions and action to address these barriers by all WIL stakeholders.

Between 2020 and 2022, the University of Waterloo rapidly hired and trained over 1000 undergraduate co-operative education (co-op) students as part of the Online Learning Assistant (OLA) Program, to support faculty (i.e., course instructors) in the transition to online teaching. Our research findings suggest that these co-op hires were incredibly beneficial to many faculty, with their efforts ultimately leading to improvements in teaching and learning.

This study explores how students’ gender and work experience are associated with the amount of time they spend working together on tasks with supervisors during their co-operative education (co-op) experiences. We also examine how the time spent working together on tasks with supervisors affects students’ self-reported learning.

This research study explored the kinds of friendships co-op students make on work terms and how they are impacted by remote work. We also examined the impacts of these friendships on outcomes that are important to both students and employers.  

Two previous co-op students designed a study to explore the emotional well-being of engineering co-op students during their first recruitment term to develop a better understanding of what aspects of the co-op process are particularly stressful for students.

Designed by a previous co-op student, this study explored how students perceived the relevance of a co-op role by reading a job description.

Exploring lifelong learning as a concept and how it can be measured can provide educators with clear steps for fostering this mindset in students.

Despite the challenges and hardships individuals experienced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, these unfortunate circumstances presented a unique opportunity to study widespread organizational change in the context of co-operative education.

This research examines what students thought about their remote work experience and how their employers could best support them.