This study analyzed hospitality management student perceptions of learning both inside the classroom environment and student perceptions of learning in their experiential learning assignments outside the classroom. There were 681 students attending the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida who participated in this study. A modified version of the Predicting Learner Advancement through Cooperative Education (P.L.A.C.E.) instrument was used in order to collect data for the study. The P.L.A.C.E. instrument was developed to be a standardized instrument measuring pre-graduation learning outcomes in the following four areas: (a) career development, (b) academic functions achievement, (c) work skills development, and (d) personal growth/development (Parks et al., 2001). This study attempted to add to the literature regarding learning outcomes by contrasting learning in the classroom environment and cooperative education learning assignments. Many leading hospitality curriculums currently incorporate an experiential learning component into their curriculums. Some of the documented benefits of experiential learning or cooperative education programs include: (a) improved student self confidence, self-concept, and improved social skills (Gillan, Davies, & Beissel, 1984). (b) increased practical knowledge and skills (Williams et al. (1993), and (c) enhanced employment opportunities (Clark, 1994; Sharma, Mannel & Rowe, 1995). This study confirmed all of these previously documented benefits of experiential learning, and identified new learning outcomes or benefits for students who participate in experiential learning, such as an increased understanding of how organizations function, increased ability to view career expectations realistically, an increased network of professional contacts, increased ability to take initiative, increased ability to adapt to change, increased leadership skills and increased financial management skills. Unlike many other studies, this study investigated student perceptions of learning in both their classroom environments and their experiential learning assignments at the same time. This allowed the researcher a unique opportunity to compare and contrast each learning environment and identify specific benefits for each.

This study was focused on the effect of pre-service teaching utilizing a co-teaching model on student achievement at an elementary school in a large, urban school district in central Florida. The contribution of university student teachers (i.e., interns) to elementary school achievement was investigated. Specifically explored was the difference between student achievement scores in classes with interns who participated in a co-teaching model and interns in classes that did not employ any structured approach to intern teaching. The researcher compared seven classes that employed co-teaching, where the university intern teacher and master teacher remained in the class conducting instruction, to seven classes that had a more traditional approach to the intern teaching. The co-teaching intern model did not exert a significant effect, either positive or negative, on student achievement. Also investigated was the effect of an intern, utilizing any model, on student achievement scores, when compared to similar classes without the presence of an intern. The study utilized 14 classes with interns and 13 classes without interns; each group had populations of approximately 285 students. The presence of an intern did not exert a significant effect, either positive or negative, on student achievement. However, the data indicated that the presence of an intern could positively influence mathematics scores. Additionally, the impact of teacher quality and socio-economic status on student achievement in reading and mathematics were explored. The data revealed the value of the individual teacher significantly affected student success in reading and mathematics. In reading, socio-economic status also significantly affected student achievement.

California needs high quality teachers, particularly in schools that are located where well- prepared teachers who are committed to teaching urban youth are in short supply. Only 15–18% of traditional teacher candidates state a preference for urban settings. In contrast, the percentage of interns who state that they would prefer to teach in an urban school is 70%. Because of its ability to produce teachers willing to teach in urban schools, the California District Intern Program has been able to help alleviate the shortage of teachers willing to teach in urban settings. A key feature of district intern programs is the requirement to establish cohort structures within each program. The purpose of this study was to describe cohort support as it exists in district intern programs currently in operation in California. This included understanding what effect, if any, cohort participation has on interns' sense of personal teaching efficacy and determining to what extent the relationships formed within the cohorts provide support in both teaching and non-teaching contexts. Additionally, this study provides insight into practice and offers recommendations for improving the cohort system in district intern programs. California district interns affirm the need for cohort groups in learning to teach. There is strong agreement that participation in a cohort is a positive experience and seen by interns as being essential to their success within district intern programs. Additional analysis provided evidence that interns participation in cohort activities specifically tied to reflection is linked to a higher sense of personal teaching efficacy. This is crucial information as there is a direct relationship between teaching efficacy and higher student achievement. Regardless of whether internships exist as a result of a teacher shortage in California or because intern programs are seen as a high quality program for preparing teachers, these novices are expected to learn to teach on the job. There is clear evidence that participation in cohort groups provide interns with the support they feel is necessary for them to be successful in this endeavor. Current programs provide ample opportunities for this to occur, new programs are encouraged to provide the same variety.

Societal demand to enhance individual employability in an increasingly congested postgraduate labour market has led to a boom in unpaid internships in the 21st century. This has produced a continuum of attitudes, from perceiving the unpaid internship as an important career opportunity to perceiving it as exploitative slavery. The present study is a netnography that draws on empirical data from debates taking place on LinkedIn, aiming to explore and understand former and potential interns’ conceptualisations of the unpaid internship phenomenon. It translates Olofsson’s (2013) concept of the ‘educational contract' (an implicit social contract with certain expectations attached) to the phenomenon of the unpaid internship. The findings show that the unpaid internship may be conceptualised as a successful or broken contract, based on both the lived experience, and whether the expected labour market outcomes were delivered. A third theme that emerged was the unsigned contract, whereby individuals who were unable to partake in unpaid internships based on life circumstances and socioeconomic factors perceived the phenomenon ambivalently - as both as a career enhancer and an exploitative practice that reproduces class inequality.

This thesis investigates the labor market integration of highly educated non-EU immigrants in Sweden, with an emphasis on the successes and shortcomings of the Jobbsprånget program. The research intends to offer insight on the processes and dynamics that lead to effective integration by drawing on the theories of human capital, social networks, and social capital. Participants in the Jobbsprånget program are given the chance to complete internships and enhance their skills. The program is intended to make it easier for non-EU immigrants to integrate into the Swedish job market. The objective of this investigation is to evaluate the efficacy of the program in promoting the integration of participants into the labor market through an analysis of its outcomes and effects. A theoretical foundation for examining the labor market integration process is provided by the ideas of human capital, social networks, and social capital. While social network theory stresses the impact of social relationships in gaining access to job prospects, human capital theory emphasizes the significance of knowledge and skills in finding employment. The social capital Theory goes into further detail on the value of friendships and trust in boosting job chances. This research explores the experiences and perspectives of Jobbsprånget program participants using a qualitative method, including semi-structured interviews, thematic, and data analysis with 8 highly educated non-EU participants. The study investigates the creation of social capital, the growth of social networks, and the acquisition of human capital via internships. The results of this research help us to understand the variables why highly educated immigrants from outside the EU find it difficult to successfully integrate into Swedish labor market. The study offers useful insights for policymakers, employers, and other stakeholders interested in supporting inclusive and successful integration initiatives by highlighting the successes and difficulties of the Jobbsprånget program and relying on pertinent theories.The ultimate goal of this thesis is to support efforts that are now being made to improve the labor market integration of highly educated non-EU immigrants in Sweden, which will increase social cohesion, promote economic growth, and allow for the full development of immigrant talent and expertise.

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