This document describes the EDUC 8810 Practicum, and includes descriptions of the steps necessary to prepare for and arrange for the practicum.
Course Description
The melding of scholarship, theory, and research with the world of practice defines this field-based practicum assignment. It is an opportunity for prospective school leaders who are seeking educational administrative licensure and/or certification to be exposed, firsthand, to the challenges, expectations, rewards, and at times, frustrations, associated with leadership activities in a K–12 educational environment. The uniqueness of the practicum is its situational format under the guidance and supervision of an experienced, certified school administrator working in cooperation with a supervising faculty member from Walden University.
Purposes of this Practicum
1. Provide significant opportunities in the workplace to synthesize and apply the knowledge, and to practice and develop the skills, identified in the 11 guideline areas.
2. Require a variety of substantial in-school/district experiences over an extended period of time in diverse settings, planned cooperatively and supervised by university and school personnel.
3. Establish relationships with school leaders acting as trained mentors who guide individuals preparing for school leadership in appropriate in-school/district experiences. (NCATE, 1995, page 216)
Licensure
If the student intends to use the practicum to satisfy state certification or licensure requirements in educational administration, it is the student's responsibility to verify with the appropriate state licensure/certification authorities that the practicum will fulfill the respective state's requirements for licensure/certification. Though the practicum requirements have been designed to meet NCATE competency standards, Walden University cannot guarantee the practicum experience as outlined will be acceptable in all states, as significant variance exists from state to state for administrator licensure/certification.
Learning Objectives
1. To relate academic coursework, research, and life experiences to actual, on-site administrative responsibilities under the direction of an experience, certified K–12 school administrator.
2. To develop skills in areas such as curriculum development and evaluation, pupil personnel services, personnel and staff development, community relations, research, interpersonal relations, communication, leadership, and applied technology.
3. To strengthen the ability to identify immediate situational problems in terms of short- and long-range consequences and implications.
4. To become cognizant of and sensitive to the social and multicultural aspects and future trends relative to meeting the diverse educational needs of students and the communities they come from.
5. To learn and come to terms with the schools' culture and climate and to evaluate the impact of that culture and climate on schools' operation.
6. To become familiar with the internal and external environment that impacts educational decision-making and policy initiatives and processes.
Prerequisites
- Knowledge Area Modules I–III completed.
- Successful completion of at least the following electronically delivered courses. Limit of 1 course per quarter during the practicum enrollment period.
- EDUC 8801 Educational Law, Public Policy, and Political Systems (4 cr.)
- EDUC 8802 Supervision, Evaluation, and Human Resources in Education (4 cr.)
- EDUC 8803 Student Personnel Services (4 cr.)
Preparing for the Practicum
Because the practicum is an on-site experience as well as an electronically delivered course, students must complete the following steps:
1. Arrange for the practicum (see details below).
2. Complete the practicum application.
3. Register for EDUC 8810 Practicum.
Steps to Arrange a Practicum
As in other doctoral programs, students at Walden arrange their own practicum. The educational requirements for EDUC 8810 Practicum are specified in the course syllabus that appears in the Education Curriculum Guide. These requirements dictate that the practicum is a 14-credit-hour course. Students must attend to the following items when arranging the practicum:
1. Select a practicum site. Site selection should occur prior to the student's enrollment. The site should incorporate responsibilities designed to expand the student's skills and provide the hours necessary to meet goals outlined in the EDUC 8810 Practicum syllabus.
2. Select an on-site practicum supervisor. Selection of the on-site administrative supervisor is critical to ensuring the success of the practicum. The practicum on-site supervisor facilitates the professional development of the student, promotes development of needed competencies, and evaluates progress and services provided. The preferred supervisor is a certified school administrator. In some instances, an experienced professional from another K–12 school discipline may be approved as a supervisor if the individual is competent to train in the area of specialization.
3. Write a practicum contract. The student, the on-site practicum supervisor, and the Walden faculty member must develop a contract that establishes well-defined goals and boundaries for the practicum.
The Contract must be specific, detailed, and include the following elements:
- On-site supervisor's name and title.
- On-site supervisor's licensing/certification state, license/certification number, and type.
- Beginning and ending dates and frequency of on-site supervision.
- Supervisor's expectations of the student.
- Signatures of the on-site supervisor, Walden faculty member, and the student.
Completing the Practicum Application
Students must submit a practicum application no later than the first week of the quarter one quarter prior to the quarter in which the student wants to begin the practicum. In other words, applications are due three months in advance.
The practicum application includes the following documents:
1. Protocol Form created by the student, including:
- List of all completed KAMs and courses with grades.
- Statement confirming the student's readiness to begin a practicum, signed by the faculty mentor.
2. Student's curriculum vitae.
3. Site brochures or other descriptive materials as may be available.
4. Practicum on-site administrative supervisor's curriculum vitae.
5. Practicum contract.
6. Practicum training manual.
Students must submit the entire practicum application to Dr. Peter Hoffman-Kipp (peter.hoffman-kipp@waldenu.edu), the Walden faculty member charged with the practicum coordination. Approval to begin the practicum is contingent upon approval of the application and site.
Registering for EDUC 8810 Practicum
To execute the planned practicum experience, students must register for EDUC 8810 Practicum. This is a 14-credit-hour Walden University course, and students receive a grade of P (Pass) or F (Unsatisfactory). Registration for this course is limited to students who both meet the prerequisites and who have an approved practicum application on file. To register for this course, students must follow regular course registration procedures.
Practicum requirements vary from state to state. Students are responsible for understanding the requirements of their state and planning their practicum experience accordingly.
