Can We Develop Employee Citizens? 1 Identifying Relationships Between Co-op/Internship Programs and...

Can We Develop Employee Citizens?

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Identifying Relationships Between Co-op/Internship Programs and the Public Good



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Introduction

Why this topic? NJCEIA

Victoria Nauta, Seton Hall University, NJCEIA, Past President 2006-2007

Amy Bravo, Ramapo College of NJ,

NJCEIA, President 2007-2008

Laszlo Pokorny, Rutgers University,

NJCEIA, VP for Communications


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Topics of Discussion

Q & A Defining employee citizen Proposed methods for how we can

develop employee citizens Suggestions for practitioners,

counselors, programs and institutions.


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Q & A

1. Do co-op programs have a responsibility to do more than ensure a student’s employability?


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Yes, otherwise we’d serve as placement agencies.

Employability is a reasonable and necessary desired outcome.


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So, we turn out educated, employable graduates to join other American workers who spend more hours working than workers in any other industrialized country.

And then what?


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Q & AAddressing the tendency to compartmentalize our lives.

Do we as practitioners have the responsibility to contribute to broader educational outcomes including the development of actively engaged and socially responsible worker citizens?

Is it our responsibility to help them draw the connections between their numerous roles in society?


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Employee CitizenAn individual who works under a

contract of employment, having rights, duties, privileges and responsibilities as a member belonging to internal and external communities simultaneously.


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Taking stock

An introspective examination- What are your institution’s goals?

Are concepts of civic engagement or social responsibility among your college or university’s goals?

Is your program aligned with your institution’s mission?

How is your office or program socially responsible? Do we lead by example?


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How to develop employee citizens Program Facilitation Marketing strategies Pedagogy – shaping the co-op

/internship academic assignment Civic-minded career development


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Program FacilitationMake a program commitment to develop

more socially responsible corporate and community partnerships.

Businesses for Social Responsibility – www.bsr.org

Educators for Social Responsibility – www.esrnational.org

Social Investment Forum – www.socialinvest.org

Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility – www.cpsr.org

Physicians for Social Responsibility – www.psr.org


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Program Facilitation cont.

Orientation and Reflection Introduce the concept of civic

engagement and employee citizenship in orientation.


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Program Facilitation cont.

Online discourse – blogs, threaded discussions

Encourage open dialogue between the student, the co-op/internship practitioners, faculty – All participants!

Encourage questions.


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Pedagogy

Shape the academic assignment to include a guided journal or a research topic where you can guide the learning and possibly address concerns shared by the student.


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Pedagogy Co-op Curriculum and Critical Pedagogy

Do you think co-op student preparation should include such topics as: Corporate responsibility (environment,

worker rights, profit making) How to initiate workplace change Critical analysis of workplace

practices History of worker movements (e.g.

union/management struggles) Why or why not?

Taken from Nancy Johnston, PhD, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada


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Pedagogy

Suggested academic assignments A guided or focus journal Assigned readings Research papers Informational/ professional interviews Oral presentations Critical analysis of workplace practices


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Marketing strategies

Work with other schools, departments or programs on campus that have shared goals.

Create promotional materials that draw connections between co-op/internships and the public good.


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Civic-minded career development Encourage students to begin

developing civic skills Encourage participation in civic

minded or socially responsible groups and translate that experience to the resume

Public good not only in non-profit work

Volunteerism


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Research on the impact of volunteerism on civic skills development‘Does Service Increase Civic Skills?’

Psychology Today, December 2005

‘Longitudinal Gains in Civic Development through School-Based Required Service’

Political Psychology, 2005 Both studies identify a positive

impact of community service on students’ propensity for future civic engagement


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Civic skills

Skills required to participate as a responsible citizen

“In order for citizens to be capable of fully engaging in civic and political life, they must possess a minimum of civic skills. Civic skills include personal communication skills, knowledge of political systems, and the ability to critically think about civic and political life (Comber 2003).”


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Four dominant categories of civic skills

Communication Critical thinking Collective decision-making Organization

Dr. Mary Kirlin

“The Role of Civic Skills in Fostering Civic Engagement”


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Communication as a civic skill“…communication of our thoughts and actions,

both vertically to our leaders and representatives, and horizontally, to our fellow citizens. Speech, argument and persuasive communication are all important elements of democratic literacy.”

Batisttoni in Mann and Patrick, 2000

Scholarly Projects and Seminars Student Organizations Courses


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Critical thinking as a civic skill“evaluating, taking, and defending positions

on issues”

“analyzing and explaining information”

“thinking constructively”Patrick 2003

Center for Civic Education

Scholarly Projects and Seminars Student Organizations Courses


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Organization and collective decision making as civic skills“listen, judge, discuss, confer and act on

concerns” Morse 1993

“planning and implementing” Patrick 2000

Student Organizations Courses


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Identifying on-campus opportunities for students to develop civic skills

Student Organizations New Jersey Public Interest

Research Group (NJPIRG) Fraternities – Alpha Zeta

Courses Corporate Social Responsibility Public Speaking Applied Management


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Can we develop employee citizens?Yes.

We can begin by developing and strengthening relationships between co-op/internship programs and the public good.


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Thank you!

For more information about NJCEIA, this presentation, or to contact us, go to www.njceia.org

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