6.3 Field Experiences
Candidates engage in appropriate field experiences to synthesize and apply the content and professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions identified in these standards. (PSC 6.3)
Artifact: Structured and Unstructured Field Experience Logs (linked below)
Field Experience Logs
Reflection: For the final standard, 6.3, I chose to use the page of my portfolio that contains my structured and unstructured field experience logs from throughout all of my coursework in the educational specialist program. While some of the courses required for the program did not require field experience logs, the logs for all of the classes that did require them are in place on the page. Throughout each of the courses that required field experience logs, I kept track of the time that I spent on the required projects and activities for the structured field experience logs as well as the other activities that I completed for the unstructured field experience log. At the end of each course, I completed the reflection portion of each field experience log. This reflection gave me yet another chance to reinforce my learning and internalize what I had done in the course.
While studying for and completing the assignments required for credit in each of the courses required in the specialist program, I was afforded the opportunity to complete field experiences at my school. Many times, the assignments and projects required for the class were materials that would be useful for me at my own school. At other times, I was able to utilize the activities and duties that were required at the school level for unstructured field experiences. While I often found the field experience logs tedious and overly time-consuming, I appreciated the opportunity to complete field experience as I completed my coursework. One aspect of the program that I was afraid would come to fruition was that the program would focus too much on the theory of educational technology. However, that did not happen. Rather, each class afforded me and my classmates the opportunity to work in our schools and to complete assignments and activities that mirrored what we would eventually be required to do in our careers. At many times, the activities were exactly what we were required to do at the school level.
Over the course of creating field experience logs for each of my classes, I learned a lot about what is required of an instructional technology specialist at the school level and in the educational community at large. Many of the lessons I learned were learned from doing the wrong thing the first time around. One of the biggest lessons that I learned from the process of completing these field experience logs was to remain as organized as possible from the beginning of an activity to the end. I made the mistake of not heeding that advice for some of my early field experience logs. In those cases, I did not follow through on keeping track of time from the beginning, so at the end, I was forced to scramble to figure out how much time had been spent and when on the different aspects of my field experience projects.
The impact of this artifact was varied based on the different required field experiences for the different classes. For example, many of the hours for my unstructured field experience logs were gained from my work with the professional learning team at my school. The impact of these hours and these logs was mainly on the professional learning of my colleagues since the time was often spent in planning, delivering, and evaluating professional learning activities. On the other hand, many of the structured field experience logs required the creation of long-term projects or activities to be used in class. These projects often included critical and creative thinking skills, webquests, or new methods for technology integration. The impact of these activities was more on the classroom experience of my students. IN either case, the impact is mostly assessed anecdotally through the opinions of my students and colleagues on the success of the lessons.
Field Experience Logs
Reflection: For the final standard, 6.3, I chose to use the page of my portfolio that contains my structured and unstructured field experience logs from throughout all of my coursework in the educational specialist program. While some of the courses required for the program did not require field experience logs, the logs for all of the classes that did require them are in place on the page. Throughout each of the courses that required field experience logs, I kept track of the time that I spent on the required projects and activities for the structured field experience logs as well as the other activities that I completed for the unstructured field experience log. At the end of each course, I completed the reflection portion of each field experience log. This reflection gave me yet another chance to reinforce my learning and internalize what I had done in the course.
While studying for and completing the assignments required for credit in each of the courses required in the specialist program, I was afforded the opportunity to complete field experiences at my school. Many times, the assignments and projects required for the class were materials that would be useful for me at my own school. At other times, I was able to utilize the activities and duties that were required at the school level for unstructured field experiences. While I often found the field experience logs tedious and overly time-consuming, I appreciated the opportunity to complete field experience as I completed my coursework. One aspect of the program that I was afraid would come to fruition was that the program would focus too much on the theory of educational technology. However, that did not happen. Rather, each class afforded me and my classmates the opportunity to work in our schools and to complete assignments and activities that mirrored what we would eventually be required to do in our careers. At many times, the activities were exactly what we were required to do at the school level.
Over the course of creating field experience logs for each of my classes, I learned a lot about what is required of an instructional technology specialist at the school level and in the educational community at large. Many of the lessons I learned were learned from doing the wrong thing the first time around. One of the biggest lessons that I learned from the process of completing these field experience logs was to remain as organized as possible from the beginning of an activity to the end. I made the mistake of not heeding that advice for some of my early field experience logs. In those cases, I did not follow through on keeping track of time from the beginning, so at the end, I was forced to scramble to figure out how much time had been spent and when on the different aspects of my field experience projects.
The impact of this artifact was varied based on the different required field experiences for the different classes. For example, many of the hours for my unstructured field experience logs were gained from my work with the professional learning team at my school. The impact of these hours and these logs was mainly on the professional learning of my colleagues since the time was often spent in planning, delivering, and evaluating professional learning activities. On the other hand, many of the structured field experience logs required the creation of long-term projects or activities to be used in class. These projects often included critical and creative thinking skills, webquests, or new methods for technology integration. The impact of these activities was more on the classroom experience of my students. IN either case, the impact is mostly assessed anecdotally through the opinions of my students and colleagues on the success of the lessons.