The learning experience in field

Learn more about the Field Experience courses, including program structure and expectations, course descriptions, and developmental focus.
 

What is field experience?

Bachelor of Education students undertake 20 weeks of in-classroom practicum, or field experience, organized into four, cohort-based courses: EDUC 440, EDUC 465, EDUC 540, and EDUC 560.

The learning experience in field

All field experiences involve school learning experiences supported by an online classroom environment. During each field experience, student teachers participate in seminars, read and discuss assigned readings, complete individual and group assignments, and share final presentations based on their field experience learning.

Fields I, II, III, and IV

In Field Experience I, students are not placed with partner teachers, but instead visit multiple classrooms to find out about life in schools.

In Field Experience II, III & IV, student teachers are mentored by partner teachers, and gradually work toward assuming the full responsibilities of a classroom teacher.

Although Field Experience III and Field Experience IV are separate field courses, with individual course expectations, students will ideally be placed in the same school with the same partner teacher for both experiences.

Field Experiences

Field experiences are a critical aspect of teacher education. It is during the time in the field that Pre-service Teachers will be given the opportunity to apply the learning from their EDUC theory courses as they experience the complexity of life in schools generally, and in their assigned placements more specifically.

Each Field Experience will allow the Pre-service Teachers to deepen their understandings of what it means to be a teacher while incrementally increasing their responsibility in the field. 

Books

EDUC 440: Field Experience I

  • 2 weeks in the Fall, first EDUC term
  • On-Campus students work in cohorts
  • Experience from K -12
  • Structured as ethnographic research inquiry into the culture of schools
  • Deeply integrated into two courses (EDUC 430 and EDUC 435)
  • Course description
Physics

EDUC 465: Field Experience II

  • Four weeks in the Winter, second EDUC term
  • One to two students are paired with a partner teacher
  • Inquiry theme is individual learners and learning
  • Focus is on working with individuals and small groups
  • Assignments include planning and implementing a series of learning experiences for a small group of learners, and team-teaching with individuals and small groups of learners, with a mentor teacher's guidance
  • Course description
Art

EDUC 540: Field Experience III

  • Six weeks in the Fall, third EDUC term
  • Individually paired with mentor teacher
  • Focus is on complex dimensions of learning and teaching in context of whole program
  • Students will have a graduated process of assuming teaching responsibly up to 75% by the end of their field experience, with emphasis on diversity
  • Under partner teachers' mentorship, the student extends their understanding of planning, assessment, and self assessment
  • Course description
Pottery

EDUC 560: Field Experience IV

  • Eight weeks in the Winter, final EDUC term
  • Individually paired with a mentor teacher
  • Focus is on curriculum planning, implementation, and assessment
  • Students will have a graduated process of assuming teaching responsibly up to 80-100% by the end of their field experience,
  • Although Field Experience III and Field Experience IV are separate field courses, with individual course expectations, students will ideally be placed in the same school with the same partner teacher for both experiences.
  • Course description

Questions? Connect with the UPE Field Experience Team