Structured and non-structured work experience programs in Texas

Abstract

The primary objective of this study was to determine the relative values of the structured and unstructured approaches to the work experience portion of the cooperative education program. An additional objective was the preparation of guidelines for developing the structure of a work experience program. Four institutions representing variations in population density and physical locations I were selected from two-year institutions in Texas. Five occupations for which the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute had prepared examinations were selected. Eight students were randomly selected from those enrolled in the selected cooperative education programs at each institution. The eight students were then randomly divided into two groups, four experimental and four control students. A total of thirty-two students, sixteen control and sixteen experimental, participated in the study. Competencies were identified for each occupation and the work experience was structured, based primarily on the identified competencies. All students were administered the appropriate NOCTI test, as a pretest, and assigned to training stations, where control students participated in a traditional unstructured work experience and experimental students participated in a work experience structured around the occupational competencies. At the end of approximately four months (one semester) all students were administered the appropriate NOCTI examination as a posttest. Pre and posttests were submitted to the National Competency Testing Institute for scoring, and the resulting data were analyzed by analysis of covariance..