THREE QUARTERS OF A LOOP: CO-OP WORK TERM EVALUATIONS AND WORK REPORTS TO MEASURE THE COMMUNICATION ATTRIBUTE

Abstract

Abstract –This research analyzes the available data (student work term evaluations performed by employers, and work reports evaluated by the program) to triangulate and understand student performance on the CEAB Communication attribute. In this way we aim to innovate in the field of co-operative education to leverage the diverse work experiences of our students and understand their diverse backgrounds to suggest means of improving their communication skills. In this paper, we analyze employer feedback by grouping responses in several ways (binning by engineering program, term of study, level of performance, and criteria) to assess student performances at the faculty and program levels. We also assess student work reports for communication and analytical skills. We find a notable contrast between the evaluations given for the performance criteria. Students appear to perform at a higher level in areas such as Interpersonal Communication, Teamwork, and Appreciation of Diversity, while evaluations for criteria such as Problem Solving and Oral and Written Communication are relatively lower. This is supported by work report assessments showing that some students continue to struggle with written communication and analysis. Future work will include focus groups with employers and students to add meaning to the data. Throughout the process, writing and communication experts are involved to help interpret data and recommend solutions.