Using learning environments to create meaningful work for co-op students

ABSTRACT

For students in cooperative education (co-op) programs, meaningful work is a critical aspect of participation and a key component of program success. However, studies have not explored how meaningful work can be created for co-op students. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between co-op students’ perceptions of a learning environment, perceived relatedness of the work experience (to their potential careers and to their academic studies), and self-reported meaningfulness of work. Data were collected from undergraduate co-op students in a Canadian university immediately following a co-op work term. Results from testing a parallel mediation model showed that both forms of relatedness partially mediated the influence of learning environments on self-reported meaningfulness. These findings offer insight into the ways in which work terms can be designed to enhance co-op students’ work experiences.

KEYWORDS:

• Co-op
• learning environments
• meaningfulness
• meaningful work
• relatedness

ORCiD

Colleen Nevison http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3807-6997

David Drewery http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9211-4520

Judene Pretti http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5034-7385

Lauren Cormier http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8189-504X