Distance learning (via Internet) for cooperative education students during coop work periods

Cooperative (coop) education is a strategy that promotes student learning in ways that enhance and complement traditional course work and laboratories. This results in students who are fully prepared to enter their profession upon graduation. Coop distance learning during the work period provides an opportunity for enhancing students´ cognitive, affective and behavioral development through continuous reflective dialogue and through facilitation of dialogue that connects the students´ experiences to their academic curriculum. This paper presents interim results of a pilot program instituted for the 45 Northeastern University electrical and computer engineering (ECE) freshmen and sophomores who started their first coop work experience in 1996. Utilizing the Internet as a vehicle, students have been accessing structured learning assignments at regular intervals throughout their work period. Students access assignments on the ECE coop Web page and respond asynchronously via e-mail or the Web page to their instructors, or they interact with their classmates an common issues through the university´s MeetingWeb^TM computer conferencing system. Students thus have access to a virtual reflection seminar throughout the work period rather than waiting until the work period ends. Specific cognitive, affective and behavioral learning objectives have been identified and curriculum modules that allow students to meet these objectives have been developed. We are conducting an ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness of these structured learning assignments and of the continual feedback during the work period