STANDARD 3:  FIELD EXPERIENCE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE

INTRODUCTION
COLLABORATION BETWEEN UNIT AND SCHOOL PARTNERS
DESIGN, IMPLEMENTATION, AND EVALUATION OF FIELD EXPERIENCES AND CLINICAL PRACTICE
CANDIDATES’ DEVELOPMENT AND DEMONSTRATION OF KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND DISPOSITIONS TO HELP ALL STUDENTS LEARN

Introduction
The Department of Education continuously and collaboratively evaluates the effectiveness of the field experiences and clinical practices it provides for all candidates. Clinical programs are sequenced, monitored, and evaluated each semester by all constituents. Classroom experiences are provided for all levels/subjects in diverse settings for candidates in their licensable areas as indicated on the candidate’s Field Experiences Tracking Form. These experiences are designed to meet expectations addressed within the Department’s Conceptual Framework in alignment with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed for effective performance in the classroom.
The placement process is a cooperative venture involving both the Department and school corporations. Through contractual agreements, the Department initiates the placement by submitting an application and may request names of Clinical/Supervisory faculty. Placement recommendations are made in order that appropriate learning experiences will occur for the candidates.

The process begins in EDUC 100 (Introduction to Teaching) where the first observations begin for a minimum of 12 hours in local/field settings and continue in EDUC 201 (Practicum in Teacher Education) where candidates are required a minimum of 50 hours of field placement. In addition, through their coursework, candidates learn the principles, concepts, and theories of pedagogy and, in turn, apply this knowledge to their field experiences. Evidence from these experiences are primarily reflected in their portfolios and assessment instruments. Beginning with the academic year 2002, candidates will be required a third practicum, EDUC 301 (Advanced Practicum) which will require them a range of 50-70 hours in their major and includes 20 hours in methods for secondary education majors.

Practicum in School Counseling (PSYC 579) is completed in one semester. Internship in School Counseling (PSYC 583) is a 1,000-hour minimum program and is completed in two semesters. Candidates in the School Counseling program, along with their advisors, secure public or parochial schools for field experiences. Specific procedures for placements in the surrounding area school corporations are found in the Graduate Handbook.

Practicum (SPED 513) is an on-campus, 3 semester hour lab experience in teaching taking place at the Oaks and Willows Center. An alternative placement is in a P-12 school setting off-campus (for “Emergency License” teachers). Candidates must complete a practicum contract for placement (Graduate Handbook).
All programs have been designed by faculty in the Department of Education in collaboration with content faculty, candidates, and local school community personnel. Committees such as the Teacher Education Committee and the Teacher Education Advisory Council are crucial in this process of change. Also, as of January 2002, the Department of Education has met with representatives from each teacher preparation content area as part of the Teacher Education Committee. Standard 1 provides a description of the responsibilities and structure of the  Committee.
 

Collaboration between Unit and School Partners
The Department has developed partnership sites with a select number of P-12 schools that share a common goal of improving teacher training. Collaborative projects are developed between the schools and the Department to provide authentic experiences for teacher and counselor candidates. There are two distinctive types of collaboration with schools—through content/field courses and methods/field courses. An example of a collaborative content/field experience is the John D. Irwin/Department of Education project. John D. Irwin Elementary school hosts the Department’s school-based course SPED 237 (Mild Disabilities/Interventions), which is collaboratively taught by school-based and Department professional education faculty members. The class meets twice a week at John D. Irwin Elementary School where the candidates receive content instruction followed by working with 1-5 grade students in an inclusive general education classroom. Field experiences enable candidates to apply instructional and assessment strategies. Methods courses in each program provide a block of hours in settings that match the developmental level(s) in which candidates are being trained. Examples of methods/field-bases projects are found in Whispering Meadows, Lindley, Precious Blood, Queen of Angels, and St. Joseph Elementary Schools. Lindley Elementary and the Department hosted a “Math Family Night,” to provide Lindley second graders and parents with games and materials needed to develop mathematic skills in elementary students. Additional collaboration efforts also include service learning projects. These projects are described in Standard 4.

During the 2001 academic school year, the Department involved stakeholders in a variety of newly designed field-related documents into which they could then give input. First, the Department piloted a new evaluation instrument for student teachers (Spring 2002). Clinical/Supervisory faculty members were asked to pilot the instrument. The areas of focus are aligned with the Department’s Conceptual Framework and the INTASC Standards.  In addition, evaluation instruments are designed for assessment of appropriate skills in a comprehensive, consistent, and bias-free manner. Revisions of the instrument were made with the new design implemented in the Fall of 2002. A copy of the instrument may be viewed in the Exhibit Room.

Another document is the new Affiliation Agreement signed with local school corporations for all field placements. The new agreements were designed primarily by field placement directors throughout Indiana and approved by the University’s legal counsel. The Agreement was shared with the Teacher Education Committee and the Teacher Education Advisory Council before its submission to local school administrators. The agreement was revised to include additional candidate information such as the Sex Offender Registry and Indiana Limited Criminal History information. The agreements emphasize that the placement process is a cooperative venture involving both the Department and school corporations. The Department initiates the placement of a candidate and may request specific names of teachers within the local school corporations. As of Fall 2002, the Department of Education has sent out agreements to eighteen local school corporations in the area.
At the Exceptional Needs, advanced preparation level, candidates must relate learning theory and application of assessment administration and interpretation to teaching in their own classroom or the University on-site Oaks & Willows Center for students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.  Through focused assignments such as a case study, pre-and post-assessment, administration and analysis, and the design of an instructional planning tool, candidates apply theory to practice. In addition, advanced teacher candidates complete a practicum/ internship and/or student teaching. Those candidates currently teaching on an “Emergency License” collaborate with the school in which the candidate is teaching and the Department to fulfill practicum requirements.

The practicum/internship now includes a disposition assessment and portfolio review. The disposition assessment is completed by outside stakeholders and University faculty who can attest to the candidate’s professional potential.

Clinical faculty and the university supervisor work collaboratively to determine appropriate placements, with particular emphasis given to placing candidates in sites that offer the greatest opportunity to work with diverse populations. In addition to following State and national standards and guidelines, the School Counseling program director regularly consults with clinical faculty regarding trends in the practice of school counseling.
 

Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of Field Experiences and Clinical Practice
Field experiences (undergraduate and graduate) are an integral part of the Teacher Education Program at the University of Saint Francis. All encounters in the field contribute significantly to the developmental growth of candidates as they prepare to enter or advance in the profession of education. Thus, the Teacher Education field experiences and clinical practices (undergraduate and graduate) were redesigned to ensure diversity, reduce redundancy, and provide for systematic opportunities for candidates to observe, practice, and apply the knowledge, skills and dispositions required of teachers and school counselors. The newly implemented Indiana Professional Standards Board (IPSB) and INTASC Standards Course Linkage Charts (Appendix E) and Program Alignment Matrix (Appendix F) gave direction to the competencies on which each experience focuses, thus eliminating unnecessary redundancy. All field experiences use various instruments and products to provide evidence of competencies as depicted in the course linkage charts. Finally, the scope and sequence of the practicum-based courses have been redesigned to confirm to the Department’s Conceptual Framework and the required standards based proficiencies.

Through sequentially planned field experiences, candidates are given opportunities to observe, monitor, practice, analyze, reflect, and implement teaching strategies that enhance the intensity and/or quality of classroom instruction. The overall goal is to provide sequentially planned field experiences that will develop professional educators who are catalysts for learning, who have the skills, knowledge and dispositions to become effective in their field, and who can reflect upon their effectiveness in impacting student learning.

The Department of Education continuously evaluates the effectiveness of its field-based experiences for candidates. Clinical/Supervisory faculty and student teachers/practicum candidates/interns provide feedback each semester on the appropriateness of the settings in addition to the effectiveness of the comprehensive student teaching process. Table 3.1 illustrates results of the field experience assessment surveys conducted prior to the revision of the new curriculum. The numbers in Table 3.1 represent the clinical/supervisory faculty (CSF) and student teacher (ST) responses. For example, the figure “21/32” indicates that 21 clinical faculty perceived student teachers to be placed in a variety of appropriate settings and 32 student teachers believed they were placed in a variety of appropriate settings.    

Field-Based Experience Effectiveness Survey 1998-2002

Clinical/Supervisory Faculty (CSF) N = 27/Student Teachers (ST) N = 47

Table 3.1

Results from Table 3.1 demonstrate that overall clinical/supervisory faculty and student teachers believe that the field-based experience was effective in providing the following: appropriate settings, application of theories, adequacy of supervision, diverse settings, skill sequenced placements, collaborative, and comprehensive evaluation. However, a need for additional training of clinical/supervisory faculty was indicated. As a result, the Department has re-designed in-service training for clinical/supervisory faculty, effective in the Fall of 2002. Two training workshops are held each semester for clinical/supervisory faculty, one which includes student teachers.

The first workshop is held prior to the beginning of each student teaching semester and is designed primarily as an orientation session to train clinical/supervisory faculty in the assessment procedure as it is linked to the Conceptual Framework.

The second training workshop occurs approximately in the fourth week of student teaching. This session is organized for the purpose of training clinical/supervisory faculty on Proficient Portfolio assessment. Clinical/supervisory faculty members are expected, as described in the Manual for Field Experiences and Student Teaching, to guide the candidate in the generation of artifacts and to collaborate in evaluation of the candidate’s portfolio. An instrument was implemented in the Fall of 2002 for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of the training session.

The roles and responsibilities of clinical/supervisory faculty, student teachers, and practicum/intern candidates are clearly defined in the written contracts, the Manual for Field Experiences and Student Teaching, Graduate Handbook, and course syllabi. New contracts have been designed and are being implemented in eighteen local school corporations. The student teaching syllabus has been rewritten to include linkage to all the performance standards found in the course description. Finally, the Manual for Field Experiences and Student Teaching was revised to include all information relative to the field/student teaching experiences. The Manual is now a separate document, whereas prior to 2002, it was part of the Teacher Education Policies and Programs Manual. Candidates, field placement directors, clinical/supervisory faculty, the Teacher Education Committee, and the Teacher Education Advisory Council were involved in the Manual’s revision.   
 

Two field experience-based courses supporting Decision Point 1 are the following:

EDUC 100 (Introduction to Teacher Education): This class is primarily designed as an introduction to education as a profession. Candidates participate in several focused school visitations, in addition to 12 hours in classroom or institutional settings.  These settings may include Price Elementary School, Vincent House (homeless shelter), Club Friendship at Centlivre (for non-native English speaking refugees), St. Patrick’s Church (inner city), and Project Read (at-risk elementary students). In place of EDUC 100, licensure candidates may elect EDUC 150 as an introduction to both general and Exceptional Needs education. A field component is also included.

EDUC 201 (Practicum in Teacher Education): This class is primarily designed for more intensive field experiences. Candidates participate in a minimum of 50 hours in the field and are given assignments according to their majors. Placements involve activities which include assisting the teacher in classrooms, small group instruction/tutoring, assisting with lesson plans, analyzing teaching and management styles, proctoring tests, as well as other teacher-related activities.

Table 3.2 illustrates aggregate tabulations in EDUC 201 (Practicum in Teacher Education) relative to student development in the competencies in each of the six areas of the Conceptual Framework. Findings show that candidates’ performance is consistent and/or developing in those areas. The percentages reflect candidates’ levels of skill development in each of the strands of the Conceptual Framework as determined by the assessors. For example, 83.5% of the tallies associated with skill development under Knowledge of Self was indicated as being consistent.

Practicum Composite (EDUC 201) Evaluation 1998 - 2002

Field experience based courses supporting Decision Point 2 provide candidates with the opportunity to interact with diverse populations in a variety of school settings and to interact with students, faculty, and administration. During teaching occasions candidates collect and analyze data on student learning, reflect on the experience, and develop strategies for instructional improvement. These experiences include the following:

EDUC 301 (Advanced Practicum): This advanced level field-oriented class is required prior to admission into student teaching, and involves field participation totaling 50 - 70 hours. The primary purpose of this field experience is increased engagement and participation in the candidate’s specialty area. Candidates majoring in secondary education are also instructed with a concurrent, methods component. Thus, secondary education majors are required 50 hours in the field plus a 20-hour experience for their methods component. EDUC 301 was initiated in Spring 2003.

Methods or specialty courses that have additional field experiences are: Integrated Curriculum (Social Studies and Language Arts) (EDUC 395), Curriculum and

Methods in Mathematics (EDUC 393), Curriculum and Methods in Science (EDUC 394), Creative Classroom (EDUC 410), Foundations of Reading (READ 200), Methods and Materials in Teaching Reading for All Children (READ 302). Within the area of Exceptional Needs, the following courses have field placements: Mild Disabilities/Interventions (SPED 237), Collaboration and Communication (SPED 295), Elementary Methods Exceptional Children (SPED 218), Advanced Methods (SPED 328), and Advanced Practicum (SPED 391). Advanced Practicum (SPED 391) was replaced by Advanced Practicum (EDUC 301) beginning in the Spring of 2003. Placement data presented in Standard 4 indicate that candidates have accrued over 50% of their experiences in urban, diverse settings. Additional experiences have been gained through professional development opportunities such as the Ruby Payne Workshop, which focused on diversity issues.

SPED 391: Another pre-student teaching field experience. Due to the fact that the sample tabulated for the years 1999-01 was small (N=28), the composite tallies are included herein as a narrative. The data illustrates standards within the areas of the Conceptual Framework were consistently being met or developing. The data are available for review as an exhibit.

Prior to admission into student teaching, candidates must have met all requirements that are noted as performance indicators on the Department’s Critical Decision Points. This phase in the candidate’s pre-service experience is considered one of the most significant and important aspects of professional development. Objectives for student teachers demand a higher level of proficiency than do those for the previous practicum experiences. Candidates are expected to:

• demonstrate an understanding of how families and diverse communities influence the learning process.
• demonstrate a growing awareness and understanding of the needs, interests, abilities, and attitudes of children and youth.
• demonstrate experience in solving problems in the area of behavioral and classroom management.
• demonstrate expertise in directing and maximizing the learning process for all students.
• test and evaluate theories of learning.
• increase the fluency of subject matter.
• become increasingly aware of personal strengths and weaknesses in the spectrum of competencies.

When applying for Student Teaching the candidate may suggest the school corporation (either public or private) in which he or she wishes to be placed, provided it is within Allen County or a contiguous county. The candidate may indicate a first, second, or third choice in either grade level/subject matter. However, the school corporation and/or the Department of Education through the Director of Student Teaching have the sole authority and the right to make final assignments. Decisions are based on prior practicum experiences, which include examining such factors as diversity, socio-economic data, special needs experiences, and private vs. public placements. Table 3.3a illustrates student teacher placements over the past five years in each of the five major school corporations where the majority of the placements are made. The table lists the school corporations where candidates have been placed and the number of candidates placed in each corporation. In addition the table provides data about minority enrollment, special needs enrollment, and minority certified employees. The table reflects increasing minority enrollment in each of the major school corporations that provide placement for University of Saint Francis candidates. Composite data on all school placements is found in Standard 4. In addition, information relative to field placements and student teaching are found in the Manual for Field Experiences and Student Teaching. This manual is distributed to all student teachers and clinical/supervisory faculty prior to placement.

Student Teaching Placements 1998-2002

(Percentages reflect 2002 academic year)

N=209

Table 3.3a