1. Workshop on Innovations in ICT Education Beijing, China Cooperative Education: Practical Considerations Mark Erickson Director Co-op and Academic Advising College of Computer and Information Science Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA 1

2. Academic Scheduling Issues  Continuous alternating model (3, 4, or 6 month)  Maximum coverage for companies  Scheduling difficulty  Offer everything twice  Summer courses, faculty availability  New programs start with a single pattern  Other models, like Sandwich Course in UK 2

3. Academic Integration  How best to integrate learning? Different experiences doing different types of things  Traditional lecture model  Group work and project-based assignments  Enriches group discussion  Reflection facilitates individual learning 3

4. Complexity of System  2200 employers including HR contacts, managers, supervisors, mentors  Each one a relationship  Staff changes and turnover  4300 individual job postings  Accurate and up-to-date  Managers willing and ready to supervise and mentor  Maintaining contact during work term  Feedback during term, goal setting, student & employer evaluation 4

5. Information System  Tracking Employer  Company, contacts, managers, positions, descriptions, year and term, assignments  Student information  Status, background and goals, co-op pattern, resume, choices, resume referral, interview status, assignment  Evaluation  Student and employer, goal setting, reflection 5

6. Positions At All Levels  Positions available for the super-stars and for the barely average students.  Positions appropriate for first, second, and third co-ops. 6

7. Matching Students and Companies  Different ways to set up a match  Algorithmic match  Placement or limited referral  Free market – constrained chaos  Best students compete for best positions  Best companies compete for best students. 7

8. Assessment  How do you assess learning outside of the classroom?  Self-reports vs. content evaluation  Company privacy and security  Staffing  Evaluation 8

9. Questions 9