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From PSYC4P07 Winter 2013: Group 06

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What is a Service Learning Program?

Service Learning is a method of teaching that combines formal instruction with related service in the community into an academic school curriculum and as such provides its students with a higher level of learning ^[1]. Service Learning Programs are necessary for youth in the 21st century because they need to meet the ever changing and developing skills that are currently in demand within their future workforce^[2]. The main reason for Service Learning Program’s (SLP) is to engage students in experiences that concentrate on human and community needs as a whole, This is done through structured opportunities that involve deliberate reflection which is designed to promote student learning and growth^[3].

Creativity and Service Learning need to go hand in hand to ensure the idea behind SLP’s is to foster creativity in our youth so that they can take the skills they accumulate with them throughout their academic and professional lives. The skills learned in service learning programs can later translate and be useful in a professional setting^[4]. Creativity can be defined as the process or drive behind any given act of creation, or invention^[5]. It is commonly agreed that a large contributor to creativity is various life experiences and therefore integrating service learning into the schools would be the best way to ensure that the students that come out are well rounded in all areas of learning ^[5].

What does a Service Learning Program look like?

Service Learning Programs are an opportunity for youth to transfer their knowledge from University to the community and apply the goals and ideas they have learned into real life ^[6]. All of the SLP’s offer a different aspect that can be tailored to the individual needs of each student.

There are four main types of SLP’s all differentiated by who and how one is served.

• Direct Service: are activities which generate direct contact with individuals in need. This is often the most beneficial for students because they receive immediate feedback and they learn they can make a difference. Examples of this type of service would be things like working with senior citizens, small children, or the homeless ^[7].
• Indirect Experience: are activities that often involve the student working behind the scenes or as part of a team for a greater organization. Access to these experiences are often found in schools and is therefore easily accessible to students. Examples of this type of service include being a part of a production team. Collecting food or toys for a drive or other environmental projects ^[7].
• Advocacy: are activities that require youth to take a stand for what they believe in. Examples of this service include presenting or speaking to the community on behalf of an environmental or political cause ^[7]. These programs not only allow student the chance to develop their presentation skills, but they it gives the student an opportunity to deeply analyze why or what they believe in.
• Community Based Research: are activities that require students to be a part of a pair or team that is responsible for researching and problem solving ideas for existing or new community programs. These programs may also exist within the school environment. There is a large emphasis on research programs and tools with this work ^[7].

Benefits of a Service Learning Program

There are obviously an infinite number of benefits to students who take part in service learning programs and each student will have a different experience, however there are a few goals that service learning programs in general try to cover for all its students. For example they will develop critical thinking skills and will experience community involvement ^[8]

Findings suggest that students who take part in SLP’s actually do gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their community, according to measures of cognitive and social development^[9]. They also learn the importance of assisting others in changing of their attitudes and beliefs. ^[9]. With regards to the cognitive effects on undergraduate students specifically, findings suggest that cognitive dimensions such as awareness of multidimensionality and pro-social reasoning are in fact heightened after participation in service learning programs^[10].

The Benefits of Service Learning Programs for the University

There has been a large issue in the short-term goal an undergrad student wishes to pursue. The main focus of these students is completing their degree as quickly as possible. Therefore after completion, applying for careers is more difficult because certain universities do not foster placement or cop programs towards students ^[11]. Internships or co-ops are structured and combined to provide practical work experiences and learning opportunities towards the study of choice. ^[12]. It has been shown that graduates with placements have a high success rate early in their careers as opposed to those programs that do not offer placements. This is an outstanding way to recognize the university of the students who achieve successful job offerings ^[12]

Institutions not only get to view the success of their students, but also gain a stronger connection with their community and create an eminent reputation. ^[13] As a result, the beneficial aspects for the university can be in terms of improving perceptions of the university towards companies, organizations or employers an become educated upon the universities placement programs.

Community engagement is increasingly recognized as a vital component to the future of any university ^[11]. There are several reasons why community engagement or placements might be important:

• It can enhance the profile of the university to the employer
• The ability to increase recruitment towards the university
• Well recognition by the institution knowing that the university fulfilled its responsibilities as a education system ^[13].

Weible (2009), suggested that when universities implement programs for students such as internships after or during their years, allows employers to view educational history. Universities benefits from networking to the local community and produce new funding for the school towards expanding the program ^[12].

Statistics have shown that:

• 87% of students reported that the business schools felt a stronger connection to the community
• 81% reported that reputation of the university is affected by internships ^[12].

This is in reference to the tangible, facilitative and emotional support from staff. Students appreciated mentors and this increases their willingness to learn. When universities implement programs that offer the ability to apply what they have learned after graduation, this shows the university’s success rate ^[14].

Implementing placement programs within universities and also the beneficial aspects it can produce upon the institution ^[13]. Programs allow the profile of the university to be:

• Achieve higher academic level
• Enhance skills and experience
• Bridging the gap between education within facilities and trust towards students

But more importantly placement programs fulfill the responsibly to demonstrate its commitment for their students and to hire enthusatic mentors to complete this role ^[13]. Placement programs benefit the university as an outstanding school to study knowing the increase levels of job opportunities after graduation. However the view is to the universities civic responsibility to fulfill the success of its students from a moral, economic and culturally perspective ^[13]

Success seen within students, assistants being supportive towards students academics

University of UK

University of UK who examined work placement as part of their degree achieved a better degree. The researchers used academic performance, age and gender data. They found that age and gender showed no relationship but those who did receive placement increased there academic average and job offering ^[11]. The researchers results were relied on how certain universities promoted education fairs or open days that encourage the importance of placements and advertise these qualities. These job fairs or open days assisted in on awareness of the facility as a whole but as well directed to certain co-op programs.

University of Durham

New outreach programs aspired Durham University to develop a partnership within the community and develop student programs . They focused and aspired four main topics:

• Empowerment: providing support and resources and tackle concerns through interacting with the community
• Partnership: the trust and reliance on other networks to help through different approaches of communication and goals
• Education: to not only inform students but to widen their role and increase awareness to the public
• Leadership: Durham University is one of the leading research companies and integrating new approaches to boradening the students awareness ^[13]

Durham University fostered creativity through these four facets that increased their students awareness on community factors as well as placement programs^[13]. This facility is simple now well known for the ability in fostering new approaches within their students on seeing this as a school "commitment" towards students. It demonstrates the facilities main goal of applying knowledge towards reality and also gaining a well deserved standing as an overall view of the university ^[13].

Finances

Students are more likely to pay more for tuition fees that involves program placements

Internships raise the universities status and to develop other forms of funding or raise more funding for present programs. Learning programs can ultimately lead to higher enrolment numbers and having students pay more tuition fees for service learning programs offered for their area of educational interest. ^[11].

Specifics to Psychology

Targeted at Psychology offerings, statistics have shown that placement programs allow some students to achieve higher grades. ^[15]. When companies interview individuals, the placement option schools offer affect their decision and especially in a clinical environment or behavioural units because employer are critical on experience. ^[15].

Teachers and professors can increase population but wanting to work in the top ranked institutions and also hiring those who are intellectually qualified for the positions ^[11]. It also can assist with programs to link together in recruiting students before and after graduation terms. Placing programs within schools can also increase the knowledge upon the program that permits students on the desire to continue their education in a psychology degree^[11]. Companies also influence and encourage student placement as a desirable qualification for careers options although there is little evidence that placement programs help all psychology students ^[15].

The Benefits of Service Learning Programs for Students

University programs that provide this type of experience are typically called co-op or “sandwich” programs. These programs provide one year of hands-on work placement experience within their degree ^[16] and then students typically return to school for their final academic year ^[17]. Employers are searching for applicants who have experience in the field when hiring within their company ^[18]. Unfortunately, many university programs do not provide opportunities to obtain experience, therefore employers are reporting a dissatisfaction with graduates as they fear students lack vital workplace skills ^[19].

University placement programs are often called "sandwich" programs

An abundance of the literature suggests that service learning programs or placements are valuable to the university student.

• they allow exposure to the working environment,
• provide the opportunity to develop transferable skills within the workplace^{[20] [16]}
• increase student employability ^{[21] [16]}
• and foster motivation within the academic setting that results in students obtaining a higher degree^[20].

Main Benefits

The two main benefits of placement and service learning programs are employability and interpersonal and transferable skill development.

Employability

Placement programs have been found to increase the likelihood students will obtain a job quickly after graduation and are linked to obtaining higher ranked jobs and a higher income in comparison to students who do not experience work placements ^{[21] [22]}. The psychology department at Aston University found that students in their placement program had increased motivation and dedication to learning within the classroom that resulted in a higher degree status ^[21]and improved employability. Not only are students appearing more prepared for the workplace and improving their resume to reflect their skill set for the working environment, employers are more likely to recognize these valuable assets as 40% of companies have indicated a preference for hiring students who have completed a work placement ^[20].

Interpersonal and Transferable Skill Development

Experiences on placements and service learning programs facilitate development of transferable and interpersonal skills that are rarely taught or facilitated in an academic classroom ^{[20] [19]} . Students foster communication skills ^{[16] [19]}, self-esteem, self-presentation ^[16], motivation ^[23] , problem solving skills, and self-confidence ^[19], improve overall understanding of content, develop critical thinking skills ^[23], and promote personal development ^{[22] [23]} through participation in work placements.

Students with physical and cognitive disabilities can benefit from school placements

Students with Disabilities

Individuals with disabilities can also benefit from placements as they can develop a better understanding for work demands, improve employability, obtain independence, practice working with others, and reach personal achievement goals ^[24]. Additionally, employers are exposed to working with individuals with disabilities and can improve their stigma and attitudes toward this population ^[24].

Summary of Student Placement Benefits

The Growing Need for Service Learning Programs

There has been a desperate need for “sandwich” programs because of the value they provide to the labour market ^[19] and the learner ^[16]. Because many jobs in the work market request experience in the field as a requirement of the application ^[21], students and their families have been reported to pay a significant amount of money to obtain good placement/internship positions ^[25]. The University of Dreams program charges in some cases up to $8000 to seek out reputable organizations and obtain placements for students^[25]. They claim over 70% of students with an internship in their program recieve a job after placement ^[18]. This program is very attractive to recent graduates from post secondary institutions because of the practical learning experience placements provide.Check out the University of Dreams Website! Overall, students who graduate with their degree in a "sandwich" program indicate that their year spent in a practical placement was extremely valuable ^[16].

Take a look at the video link below featuring the placement coordinator from Kingston University in London. She discusses the various benefits of placements for students.

Effective Programs Available at Brock University

Brock University offers a select amount of Service Learning experiences that are available to the student population. Specific to Psychology, Brock has implemented the opportunity to have a Co-op/Placement included into your course curriculum. Other programs at Brock also have the opportunity to participate in Service Learning Experiences supported by Brock, which act to benefit the student.

Service Learning at Brock

Brock University is a strong supporter for the need of Service Learning experiences through Co-op and Service Learning opportunities for their student population. Brock University follows a set of guidelines by the Canadian Association for Co-operative Education (CAFCE) in which service learning/co-op programs must abide to:

• Each work situation is developed and approved by the educational institution
• The student is engaged in productive work rather than merely observing
• The student received compensation for the work performed
• The student’s progress is monitored by the institution
• The student’s performance on the job is supervised and evaluated ^[26]

Brock University also implies their “Brock Co-op Advantage” which states that:

• There is nearly a 100% placement rate for students across all programs
• Brock screens all postings to ensure relevant and valuable work terms
• Brock is the third largest co-op school in the province ^[26]

Declared Benefits of Brock's Service Learning Opportunities

Brock University states that their service learning/co-op experiences provide students with clear advantages that will support them in their future. These advantages, taken directly from the Brock website, are as follows:

• Student positions are available year round and can begin work in January, May or September. The typical work term length is four months in duration, but extended placements are easily enabled.
• Students are selected from a broad pool of candidates and accepted on the basis of academic performance.
• Participation in weekly employment readiness workshops, delivered by corporate executives and partners, prepares students for transition to the business world. ^[27]

Service Learning Opportunities

The Psychology Department and Service Learning

Brock University's Psychology Co-op Program focuses on “employable skills,” not just academic conduct ^[28] . The Psychology Department emphasizes statistics, data analysis, research and training ^[28] . Students generally complete two years of academic curriculum at Brock University, followed by 2 work terms in year three, and a final work term in fourth year, followed by two consecutive terms of academic curriculum ^[28].

The Brock website does not provide a variety of information on Psychology Co-op. The single example example of a possible co-op opportunity available in the Psychology Department of Brock University that is presented on the Borock website is that of a Research Assistant ^[28]. Research Assistants are generally responsible for assisting a researcher in their research ^[29]. These assistants are not independent and not completely and directly responsible for the outcome of the research. The opportunity for a student to partake in this type of co-op program would definitely strengthen a student’s researching, data collecting, and communication skills.

Importantly, the Brock University website focuses a great deal of attention on the general aspects of the co-op service learning opportunities offered at Brock University, but shares little about the specifics of said programs, particularly Psychology Co-op Programs.

Service Learning at Brock

As discussed above, Brock University provides little-to-no information on the specifics of the Psychology Co-op programs that they offer to their student population. Brock University has, however, implemented several service learning experiences open to the student population. Some of these include:

• Foundations for Community Engagement (SOCI 2F60): This combines community involvement with academic study of local issues and the citizens responses to these issues. Lectures, readings and seminars are still used through out the course, but themes are “brought to life” by out-of-classroom learning opportunities during the academic year. These learning opportunities may include volunteer work, art events, tours, public lectures, etc.
• Service Learning in the Faculty of Business: This is specifically a project-based learning strategy that connects classroom theory to actual real-world experienced challenges. These projects are incorporated into several business courses each year at Brock University with a dedicated Relationship Manager that works closely with the faculty of Brock University and the surrounding community partners. ^[30]

What Makes a Good Service Learning Experience?

According to Carol Ma and Florence Fong, Service Learning combines academic and volunteer/paid services ^[31]. The specific service performed by students reflects their academic study through critical thought processes and self-reflection, ^[31]. Service learning on college/university campuses used to just include extracurricular activities, but today it is frequently incorporated into curriculum designs ^[32] There is an increasing interest in how a service learning experience should be set up so that the individual receives the most benefits from it. For example, Mckinnon and Fealy suggest that service learning should focus on a range of activities and outcomes, such as community service, civic engagement, citizenship, social responsibility and cultural competence ^[33]. Bosma et al. (2010)determined that communication, shared decision making, shared resources, expertise and credibility, sufficient time, and flexibility are essential for successful partnerships in service learning experiences ^[34] Weigert’s Central Elements of Service Learning

According to Weigert, there are several important factors that need to be present for a successful Service Learning/Co-op experience:

• Community collaboration must be present from the very beginning
• The service in which the students engage in is based on course objectives and feeds out of them
• The service is incorporated into the course through necessary reflective assignments
• Assignments must be assessed and evaluated in order to improve academic work ^[32]

As presented in Smith et al. (2011) article on the Quality of Service Learning, six hallmarks of high quality service learning are discussed:

• Integrated Learning: service experience is purposely connected to academic goals
• Community Service: service should respond to a need identified by the community
• Collaborative Development and Management: participants have a shared value
• Civic Engagement and a Sense of Community Responsibility
• Contemplation: the importance of reflective exercises
• Evaluation and Disclosure: engage in critical evaluation of the experience to interpret results ^[35]

Does Brock Have it?

Based on the research mentioned above, it seems as though Brock is meeting some standards of the service-learning experience requirements. Psychology co-op opportunities are directly connected to Brock’s curriculum plans, and students engage in productive work which gives them a sense of community responsibility. Students also collaborate with researchers to find information for them and manage their study. Based on information available on the Brock website (which is limited), important elements that are missing from Psychology learning experiences specifically include: the necessity to community service (most co-op programs are a source of income), the importance of reflective exercises (no mention of this being a part of the process) and evaluation and disclosure.

Ineffective Programs at Brock University

Brock University offers many service learning and co-op programs to its students. However, access to these programs has become limited to students in the psychology department. Also, the programs that are available to psychology students are greatly lacking in their ability to enhance students’ ability to foster and promote creativity.

Service Learning

Service learning programs are designed to allow students to engage in both an academic and community setting ^[36].^[37] Service learning programs at Brock University also involve a critical thinking section in which students must reflect on their community involvement ^[37]. According to Levesque-Bristol et al. (2010)^[36] and McKinnon & Fealy ^[38] the best service learning programs align academic goals with the community goals. These service learning programs are also designed to allow students to develop some social responsibility, become educated citizens about their own world, enhance motivation to learn, and to become more actively involved in political and social domains. Currently Brock University offers the following service learning programs:

• Foundations for Community Engagement (SOCI 2F60)
• Experiential Education in Recreation and Leisure (RECL 4Q96)
• International Perspectives on Development through Sport, Health and Physical Education (PEKN 4F32)
• Project-Based Teaching-Learning in the Faculty of Business

Service Learning in the Psychology Department

There is no specific course for psychology students to be able to engage in service learning at Brock. However, any student enrolled at Brock can register for the foundations for community engagement course, so psychology students are able to take this course if they are informed about it ^[39]. Gaining access to the service learning course is not convenient for psychology majors, unless students are explicitly told about this course or go looking on their own for service learning courses they are not going to find the course since the course is located in the sociology section of the course calendar. Also, this course is officially a sociology course and in turn the community involvement becomes more sociologically based than psychological. This course limits psychology students by not allowing them to engage in community issues that are related to psychology that may be important to them, which is an important factor for service learning programs. If the student does not relate to the community activities or feel as if they have a choice then they are not going to be motivated to be involved in such a course and in turn their motivation to reflect on creative solutions to community issues may become limited ^[36].

Co-op

Co-op programs are designed to alternate academic terms with work terms ^{[40] [41]}. The alteration of work and academic terms is designed so that students can develop skills during the work terms that can then be applied to academic terms ^[40] and so students can see how academic material can be applied to real job settings ^[42] . However when a student is not in the honors stream of psychology their co-op terms do not alternate with academic terms for this to occur ^[41] A good co-op program should individualize each students learning which allows the student to become motivated and actively involved in their own learning ^[43]. However, Brock's co-op program is only individualized in the aspect that each person will have a different work term, every student has to take the same preparation course and is given the same information ^[41] regardless of their individualized goals. Good co-op programs should also provide lots of support for the student, such as resume building, interview practice ^[40], role models and feedback ^[43].Brock's co-op program does provide this initial support when registering for the first work term through the course 0N90 but after this initial course very few supports and feedback are put into place ^[41].There are many cons to the psychology co-op program at Brock University such as access and financial costs.

Schedule of Psychology Co-op Work Terms - Honors Stream

Schedule of Psychology Co-op Work Terms -Non Honors Stream

Access

Not all psychology studies are given access to the co-op program. In order to even get into the co-op program a grade 12 average of at least 80% ^[41] must be achieved while the minimum average to get into the psychology program is 75% ^[44]. Also, in order to stay in the program this grade level must also be maintained ^[41] This grade difference is clearly a predicament since these programs actually help improve academic performance by providing practical skills that can be applied to academic situations and increase a student’s motivation to learn ^{[45] [40]}. Students in the non-honors stream of co-op also lose the access of graduating within four years as the schedule is made in such a way that students have to take a 5th year. This may impact their ability to get into grad schools as most schools begin in September and delays the student the opportunity to begin a career ^[21]

Financial Costs

Once students are accepted in the co-op program they must pay over the four years an extra $2100 on top of their tuition ^[41]. The payments are divided into $750 in year 1, $750 when registering for the preparation course and $700 when registering for the student’s first work term ^[42]. The co-op process can be extremely expensive ^[21] and work terms are not always guaranteed to pay enough to cover the costs of co-op. For example, many of the work terms available in the psychology department that are not human resource positions are actually volunteer positions through non-government organizations ^[41]. Students are allowed to get OSAP for when they are attending academic terms but OSAP will not provide the $700 for a work term. This can be problematic especially if the student is working at a NGO and may not be able to come up with the money to pay the co-op fees ^[46]. Also, even if the student does not use the co-op office tools and finds a placement on their own they are still required to pay the $700 even if they did the work of finding a placement themselves ^[42].

Overall Failings

Overall Brock's co-op and service learning programs in the psychology department can be seen to be failing in the following ways:

• not all students can access these programs
• can be very costly
• delays graduation can employment
• not always given a choice to engage in something that interests the student resulting in a loss of motivation and creativity
• not enough teacher supports throughout every year of university
• programs are not individualized to students needs

It is important to consider how Brock's co-op and service learning programs are failing psychology students. Brock has invested a lot of time and made the business co-op program one of the largest in Ontario ^[41]. However, this same investment of time should be taken to address these failings in the psychology department as well so Brock University can also say it has one of the best psychology programs around.

--Ks09bc 14:51, 14 February 2013 (EST)

Notes and References

1. ↑ National Service Learning Clearinghouse: America’s Most Comprehensive Service- Learning Resource. (2007) Retrieved from: http://www.servicelearning.org/what-service-learning
2. ↑ Marin, L. (2011). KIDS Consortium’s Blog: Top reasons service learning promotes being creative and entrepreneurial: 21st Century Skills in Action. Retrieved from: http://blog.kidsconsortium.org/2011/11/28/top-reasons-sl-promotes-being-creative-and-entrepreneurial-21st-century-skills-in-action/
3. ↑ Service Learning Programs: CAS Standards and Guidelines. ( 2005). Retrieved from: http://www.communityservicelearning.ca/en/documents/CASService-LearningProgramStandards.pdf
4. ↑ Pless, N. M., Maak, T., Stahl, G.K. (2012). Responsibility and sustainable development through management development: what can be learned from international service learning programs? Human Resource Management. 51. 6. 873-904.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Yeh, Y., Huang, L., Yeh, Y. (2011). Knowledge management in blended learning: Effects on professional development in creativity instruction. Elsevier: Computers and Education. 56. 146-156.
6. ↑ Ming, A.C.C., Lee, W.K.M., Ka, C.M.H. (2009). Service-learning model at Lingman University: development strategies and outcome assessment. New Horizons in Education. 57. 3. 1-18.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3} Hentschel, M. (2006). Types of Service Learning Activities. Retrieved from: http://tilt.colostate.edu/sl/faculty/types.cfm
8. ↑ Hentschel, M. (2006). The Benefits of Service Learning to Students. Retrieved from: http://tilt.colostate.edu/sl/faculty/types.cfm
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Colby, S., Bercaw, L., Clark, A.M., Galiardi, S. (2009). From community service to service-learning leadership: a program perspective. New Horizons in Education. 57. 3. 1-13.
10. ↑ Batchelder, T.H., Root, S. (1994). Effects of an undergraduate program to integrate academic learning and service: cognitive, pro-social cognitive and identity outcomes. Journal of Adolescence. 17. 341-355.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5} Patel, Brinkman, & Coughlan, (2012). Work placements and academic achievement: undergraduate computing students. Education & Training, 54(6), 523-533.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3} Weible, (2009). Are universities reaping the available benefits internship programs offer? Journal of Education for Business, (85), 59-63.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 13.7} Russell, Cattermole, Hudson, Banks, Armstrong, Robinson, Pain, Gollan & Brown, 2011. Sustaining community-university collaborations. Gateways: International Journal of Community Research & Engagement .(4). 218-231.
14. ↑ Williamson, Callaghan, Whittlesea, & Heath Improving student support using placement development teams: staff and student perception. Journal of Clinical Nursing, (20), 828-836
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1 15.2} Reddy & Moores. Measuring the benefits of a psychology placement year. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 3(5), 551-567.2006.
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7} Neill, Neville T., Mulholland, Gwyneth, E. (2003). Student Placement- structure, skills and e-support. Education + Training, 45 (2), 89-99
17. ↑ Theguardian: Blogging Students. (2013). Why aren’t more students doing sandwich courses?. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/mortarboard/2012/apr/30/students-sandwich-course
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3} Dream Careers: Global Internship Programs. (2013). Value of an Internship. Retrieved from http://www.summerinternships.com/overview/value/
19. ↑ ^{19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 19.6 19.7 19.8} Wilton, Nick. (2012). Impact of work placements on skills development and career outcomes for business and management graduates. Studies in Higher Education, 37 (5), 603-620
20. ↑ ^{20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 20.6 20.7 20.8 20.9} Patel, Nayna., Brinkman, Willem-Paul., Coughlan, Jane. (2012). Work placements and academic achievement: undergraduate computing students. Education + Training, 56 (6), 523-533
21. ↑ ^{21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 21.5 21.6} Moores, Elisabeth., Reddy, Peter. (2012). No regrets? Measuring the career benefits of a psychology placement year. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 37 (5), 535-554
22. ↑ ^{22.0 22.1} TheBIGChoice.com: Student & Graduate Jobs. (2013). Benefits of a Work Placement. Retrieved from http://www.thebigchoice.com/Placements/Advice/Benefits_of_a_Work_Placement.html
23. ↑ ^{23.0 23.1 23.2} Pedagogy in Action (2012). Evidence of Service- Learning Benefits. Retrieved from http://serc.carleton.edu/sp/library/service/benefits.html
24. ↑ ^{24.0 24.1} Georgiou, Catherine, Elizabeth., Espahbodi, Shima., De Souza, Lorraine, Hilary. (2012). Preparing for the world of work: an exploratory study of disabled students’ experiences of work placement. Journal of Education and Work, 25 (5), 523-536
25. ↑ ^{25.0 25.1} The New York Times: Business. (2009). Unpaid Work, but they Pay for Privilege: Gerry Shih. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/business/09intern.html?_r=2&
26. ↑ ^{26.0 26.1} Brock University. Considering Co-op? Retrieved from http://www.brocku.ca/co-op/future-students-2/what-is-co-op
27. ↑ Brock University. Benefits of Brock Co-op Retrieved from http://www.brocku.ca/co-op/employers/benefits-of-brock-co-op
28. ↑ ^{28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3} Brock University. Brock University: Co-op, Going Places. Retrieved from https://experience.brocku.ca/UserFiles/File/Forms/BrockCo-Op-GoingPlaces.pdf
29. ↑ Wikipedia. Research Assistants Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_assistant
30. ↑ Brock University. A Sample of Service Learning Opportunities. Retrieved from http://www.brocku.ca/service-learning/service-learning-courses
31. ↑ ^{31.0 31.1} Permaul, J. (2009). Theoretical bases for service-learning: implications for program design and effectiveness. New Horizons in Education, 3, 1-8.
32. ↑ ^{32.0 32.1} Robbins, C. Expanding service-learning in the humanities among First-Generation, Minority-Population, and Non-Traditional Students: A Mixed Participation, Mixed Assessment Model. Interdisciplinary Humanities, 24-40.
33. ↑ Mckinnon & Fealy. Core Principles for developing global service learning programs in Nursing. Global Service-Learning, 32(2), 92-101.
34. ↑ Stephenson, T., Stephenson, L., & Mayes, L. (2012). Engaging students in service learning through collaboration with extension: a recipe for success with Community partners. NACTA Journal, 78-84.
35. ↑ Smith, B., Gahagan, J., McQuillin, S., Haywood, B., Cole, C., Bolton, C., & Wampler, M. (2011). The development of a service-learning program for first year students based on the hallmarks of high quality service-learning and rigorous program evaluation. Innov High Educ, 36, 317-329.
36. ↑ ^{36.0 36.1 36.2} Levesque-Bristol, C.,Knapp, T.D., & Fisher, B.J. (2010). The effectiveness of service-learning: It's not always what you think. Journal of Experiential Education, 33(3) 208-224.
37. ↑ ^{37.0 37.1} Raddon, M. Student community outreach: What is service learning? Retrieved from http://http://www.brocku.ca/service-learning
38. ↑ Mckinnon, T.H., & Fealy, G. (March/April). Core principles for developing global service-learning programs in nursing.Nursing Education Perspectives, 32(2), 95-101.
39. ↑ Raddon, M. Service learning at Brock: A sample of service learning courses. Retrieved from http://http://www.brocku.ca/service-learning/service-learning-courses
40. ↑ ^{40.0 40.1 40.2 40.3} Hoffart,N., Diani, J.A., Connors,M., & Moynihan, P.(2006). Outcomes of cooperative education in a baccalaureate program in nursing. Nursing Education Perspectives, 27(3), 136-143
41. ↑ ^{41.0 41.1 41.2 41.3 41.4 41.5 41.6 41.7 41.8} Brock University. Brock Univeristy co-op: Going places.St Catharines, Ontario: Co-op Office
42. ↑ ^{42.0 42.1 42.2} Brock University (2012)Undergraduate co-op manual 2012/2013. St Catahrines, Ontario: Co-op Office
43. ↑ ^{43.0 43.1} Cates,C., & Jones, P.(1999). Learning outcomes: The educational value of cooperative education. Columbia, MD: Cooperative Education Association.
44. ↑ Brock University (2010). Experience Brock university: Faculty of social science program information. Retrieved from http://experience.brocku.ca/program
45. ↑ Coll, R.K., Taylor, N., & Nathan, S. (2003). Using work-based learning to develop education for sustainability: A proposal. Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 55(2), 169-182
46. ↑ Wynne, K. (2013). How to get OSAP. Retrieved from http://http://www.ontario.ca/education-and-training/how-get-osap