Stories of Co–Op: Reflections in a Professional Practice Course

Abstract

Teaching professional practice courses can be successful when students have co–ops, internships, or professional work experiences on which to reflect. The unique co–op system at the University of Cincinnati means students bring one and a half years of work experience in professional offices to the course for reflection and analysis through the co–op story and analysis assignment. The goal of the assignment, and the course in general, is to look at key business issues through the students’ experiences and to share those experiences with the class. The class covers a range of business topics. During each class meeting students are encouraged to share their co–op experiences and the assignment requires that they focus on one particular situation to cover more deeply through narrative methods. Using the co–op experience for reflection in the academic setting affords students the opportunity to fully explore those ill–structured situations in which they find themselves. Educators employing narrative assignments can help students process and learn from their experiences. As a result, students are better equipped to analyze and respond to the workplace as they move from academia to the interior design profession.