Modeling student perceived costs and benefits to cooperative education programs (Co-ops) and pathways to participation

摘要: Cooperative education programs alternate and practice, resulting in increased grade point averages, greater confidence choice of career, relatively higher post-graduation salaries. This study examines perceived benefits barriers for students who choose not to participate co-ops. Since co-ops are more likely persist STEM fields, there differences participation rates by race/ethnicity (i.e. Black Hispanic at lower rates), it is critical understand the reasons non-participation. Co-op non-co-op from a large Midwestern U.S. research university were surveyed responses disaggregated gender race/ethnicity. Choice Theory provides theoretical framework model costs co-op participation. Decision tree modeling used describe different pathways examine relationships between student backgrounds pathways. Constant comparative analysis open-response questions. Future work will include follow up interviews with this survey gain nuanced understanding. Findings have implications diversification engineering labor force.