Teacher candidates (TCs) use clinical experiences to enact concepts taught in their university courses; therefore field experiences may be the most important component of teacher preparation (Hammerness et al., 2005). TCs require support and guidance as they learn to adapt curriculum materials for effective use in the classroom (Davis, 2006). They…

In the First Innovations Initiative at Arizona State University students are exposed to the culture of innovation and the entrepreneurial process through two courses situated intentionally within an American Indian sustainability context. In this action research dissertation, a summer field practicum was designed and implemented to complement the…

Students' thinking is an integral part of English language pedagogy. Teachers need the pedagogical competence to teach thinking effectively. This research suggests a program to develop the teaching skills for thinking of pre-service teachers (fourth-year college students) in the English Department of the Faculty of Education at Princess Noura…

Describes a course given by the author at Cornell, "Practicum in Understanding Family Day Care". Includes rationale, student projects, and benefits to students and participating day care workers. (HS)

Describes a program in which college agricultural education majors between their junior and senior years are placed with vocational agriculture teachers to gain experience in conducting a summer vocational agriculture program. (HD)

Based on the premise that educational psychology is often taught as theory with few opportunities for practical application, the Student Mini-Learning Exercise (SMiLE) Cards are presented to help students apply educational psychology concepts to field experiences. Components of these SMiLE Cards focus on: identification information; the concept…

This article explores the importance of a class internship program as a potential bridge between the theory of the classroom and an individual internship or the world of practice. (Author)

At Douglass College, juniors and seniors spend a week of vacation in the offices of alumnae and business people who work in career areas interesting to them. This career externship program, its benefits, and the career resource bank are discussed. (JMD)

A field experience program in which all undergraduate psychology students at the College of St. Scholastica spend about 10 weeks away from campus in an applied setting of their choice is presented. Components of the program are described in terms of: (1) selection of sites made by students in consultation with faculty advisors; (2) proposals…

A study compared performance on the Area Concentration Achievement Test in Social Work (ACAT) of 32 undergraduates who had nearly completed a field practicum and 38 who had not begun it. Results showed no difference in the groups' knowledge of social work professional foundation overall or in individual content areas. Other variables that could…

The model Iowa-UPSTEP (Undergraduate Preservice Science Teacher Education Program) practicum series of field experiences at the University of Iowa is described. Participants begin in elementary schools (to change their behaviors away from the traditional teacher-centered science classroom) and progress to full student teaching in a science…

Previous research has emphasized the significant negative correlation between counselor effectiveness and dogmatism, or closemindedness. To reduce levels of dogmatism in counselor trainees, a program was developed and tested at Southwest Texas State University. The new course, "Guidance to Meet the Needs of Multicultural Students," gave counseling…

Examines the perspectives of 242 education majors on field work and other instructional experiences in teacher preparation. Implications of findings are discussed in terms of student preference for active modes of learning, appreciation of field experience, and the value placed on working with faculty in field work. (SLD)

The concept of experiential education, defined as learning outside the normal classroom environment that has been planned for prior to the experience, is reviewed. This includes internships, field experience, practicums, and cooperative education. Topics covered deal with the liberal arts, professional training, institutional reform and the…

Bachelor-level and master's-level social work students (n=959) in field placements and recent graduates (n=134) were surveyed to assess the impact of personal attributes, supervisory characteristics, and 11 instructional skills on their evaluation of their field instructors. Results show the most influential variables were those representing…