The unit and its school partners design, implement, and evaluate field experiences and clinical practice so that teacher candidates and other school personnel develop and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to help all students learn.

Field experiences and clinical practice are integral to initial programs. They allow candidates to apply knowledge and skills defined in state and national standards and the conceptual framework, and afford ongoing opportunities to assess candidates’ disposition performances. Field experience settings include P-12 students with: (a) diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural heritages; (b) special learning needs and a wide range of abilities who may be at-risk of educational failure; (c) English as a Second Language requirements; and (d) a variety of socio-economic backgrounds. See School Field Placements Diverse P-12 Student Populations and School Special Education Percentages.

Faculty members believe initial teacher preparation programs should be field-based, cohorted, and connected to school renewal efforts as a foundation for preparing knowledgeable, effective, and caring educators who contribute to a just and democratic society. Such programs: (a) ground teacher education in school practice; (b) foster shared responsibility for planning, implementation, and evaluation; and (c) enable candidates to integrate inquiry, instructional theory, and practice to help all students learn. See Field Experience Handbooks, as well as Institute for Teacher Education, Master of Education in Teaching, Kinesiology and Leisure Science, and Special Education websites.

Each initial preparation program requires at least 12 credit hours supervised experience in P-12 school settings. The BEd in Elementary Education and BEd dual licensure program in Elementary and Special Education require an additional 19 credit hours and 25 credit hours, respectively.

The M.Ed. in Counselor Education, with an emphasis in School Counseling, requires 15 credit hours supervised experience in P-12 school settings. Advanced programs do not require field experiences and clinical practice; candidates may enroll in these courses on an elective basis. The ensuing discussion applies only to initial programs.

3.1 Collaboration between Unit and School Partners

Collaborative Partnerships
The unit collaborates with P-12 school partners across the state to design, deliver, and evaluate initial program field experiences and clinical practices that allow candidates to become fully acquainted with the complexities of their future profession. School partners range from large urban schools on Oahu and Maui to small, isolated, rural schools on neighbor islands.

Close ongoing collaborative relationships exist between P-12 school principals and initial program cohort coordinators. See Elementary Field Placements (2003-06), Secondary Field Placements (2003-06), and SPED MEd Field Placements (2002-06). School Special Education Percentages also indicates special education field placements.

In addition, field supervisors and clinical faculty mentors collaborate at the end of each field experience when they conduct three-way conferences with candidates to complete field/student teaching evaluations.
See Field Experience Handbooks for field/student teaching evaluation forms.

Collaborative activities also occur through the Hawaii Institute for Educational Partnerships (HIEP), which brings together university faculty and partner-school teachers and administrators to discuss issues such as the purposes of and change processes in education. As discussed in Standard 6, HIEP sponsors a wide range of activities.

Finally, collaboration occurs among program heads responsible for planning, implementation, and evaluation of field experiences within their teacher preparation areas. They comprise the Institute for Teacher Education (ITE) Chairs Council, which is responsible for initiating field policy changes.

Collaboration within the School Counseling program occurs when Advisory Council members help to select mentors and field sites, place and assess interns, and evaluate site supervisors. The council is comprised of school counseling faculty, program candidates, elementary and secondary school counselors, principals, state and district personnel, and the State of Hawaii Educational Specialists of School Counselors.

Partner Contributions to Design, Delivery, and Evaluation of Field and Clinical Experiences
Contributions of initial program partners include:
• Use of standard-based instructional planning and HI DOE standards-based lesson plan format in University methods courses (See EECE Handbook Appendix B);
http://www.hawaii.edu/coe/departments/ite/index.html, EECE Backward Design Lesson Plan, KLS Lesson Plan and Special Education Dual Prep Lesson Plan formats;
• Inclusion of timely topics (e.g., school law, mock interviews, IEP meeting simulations) generated by candidates and clinical faculty, as well as mentor teacher and administrator participation as guest speakers in field seminars; and
• Modifications of KLS planning and teaching procedures, determination of alternate or consecutive field days for each B.Ed. cohort, and more relevant mid-term and final evaluation forms to assess special education program candidates.

Partner Involvement in Site Selection and Placement Procedures
All field experiences and clinical practices are implemented systematically and supervised in a professional manner that ensures initial candidates facilitate equal educational opportunities for all P-12 constituents regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, age, religion, disabilities, regional/geographic origin, disability, sexual orientation, or skill characteristics.

The ITE officially places candidates with clinical faculty who elect to host teacher education candidates. However, placement and selection of cooperating clinical faculty is a joint effort in which cohort/field placement coordinators and site liaisons (e.g., administrators/academic department heads) address the following prior to beginning each semester:
• Identifying and approving sites based on the number of candidates for placement;
• Coordinating public school and university calendars to ensure available field days and hours to fulfill program requirements;
• Discussing clinical faculty / mentors' roles and responsibilities prior to their selection;
• Communicating field requirements and expectations for candidates' performance; and
• Planning candidates' field experiences with on-site mentors and university supervisors.

The M.Ed. in Special Education varies slightly from the above procedure because field placements are dispersed more widely due to a limited number of clinical faculty at each school site. Therefore, the

Department of Special Education has its own field placement coordinator.

Site selection and placement processes in the M.Ed. in Counselor Education are a collaborative effort by University faculty and P-12 site supervisors.

3.2 Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of Field Experiences and Clinical Practice

Description of Field Experiences and Clinical Practices
The College’s initial programs require a range of field experiences, the duration and design of which vary depending on program requirements and policies and candidates’ emphasis areas. Field experiences foster shared responsibility for preparing teachers and other school personnel; collaborative program planning, implementation, and evaluation; and, candidates' reflection and self-evaluation regarding professional knowledge, abilities, and values.

Field experiences and clinical practice require extensive contact time and intensive experiences in public school settings. Candidates have multiple opportunities to learn and practice skills in various settings that allow them to: (a) develop a better understanding of teaching-learning processes, schools’ responses to learning communities, and parent and community involvement; (b) demonstrate maturity in professional actions, attitudes, and performance; and (c) exhibit moral and ethical behavior. Table 3.1 summarizes field experiences and clinical practice in each initial program.

Field Experiences Ensure Candidates Assume Greater Professional Responsibility
Teacher preparation programs support candidates' professional growth by providing developmental field experiences throughout the course sequence. Candidates engage in a variety of early experiences (e.g., observation and reflection) followed by those in which they become progressively more responsible for student learning (i.e., tutoring, small and large group instruction, and solo teaching). All field experience handbooks document increasing breadth and depth of expectations and experiences over the program span.

Candidates in undergraduate and post-baccalaureate initial licensure programs have multiple opportunities to learn and practice skills under the guidance of qualified clinical faculty and UH supervisors with expertise in specific academic content areas (e.g., mathematics or English), and school levels (e.g., pre-school, elementary, or secondary), as well as affiliation with a particular cohort or geographic locale. See Elementary Field Placements (2003-06), Secondary Field Placements (2003-06), and M.Ed. SPED Field Placements (2002-06).

Candidates in post-baccalaureate secondary and special education certificate and M.Ed. special education initial licensure program who are employed as On-the-Job-Training (OJT) classroom teachers, due to shortage areas, may petition for faculty approval to complete university supervised field experiences in their own classrooms and as teaching residents or interns. Candidates in the MEdT complete a paid internship, under supervision of university and site-based clinical faculty, during the final semester of their program.

Candidates in the M.Ed. in Counselor Education work under the leadership of an experienced and credentialed site supervisor who ensures the counselor-in-training participates in an array of counseling opportunities (e.g., individual and group counseling, referral processes, case conferences, developing lesson and technology guidance plans, testing, IEPs, needs assessment and follow-up) that allow professional development and provision of direct services to clients.

Field Experiences allow Candidates to Demonstrate Proficiencies Aligned with Conceptual Framework, and State and Professional Standards
Field experiences and internships in initial teacher preparation parallel the core values of the conceptual framework and uphold its motto to prepare educators to contribute to a just and democratic society. They align seamlessly with campus program components and prepare candidates to become educational professionals who are knowledgeable, effective, and caring. Field experience handbooks and field course syllabi align the conceptual framework and field expectations with the Hawaii Teacher Performance Standards.

Practicum and internships in the MEd in Counselor Education focus on a necessity to prepare school counselors who demonstrate multicultural competence and a deep commitment to social justice and equity in education, as a foundation for addressing the diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, sex-membership and lifestyle needs of Hawaii's public school population. The settings facilitate preparation of knowledgeable, effective, and caring counseling professionals who can work in a variety of settings where they integrate philosophical, psychological, behavioral, developmental, and multicultural empowerment, as well as social justice counseling theories as essential components of their personal and professional lives.

Assessment of candidates' professional growth and demonstration of conceptual framework themes occurs through: (a) observations, (b) informal and formal evaluations; and (c) reflection and collaboration with colleagues and supervisors. Candidates' teaching and school counseling portfolios provide evidence of core values. Field Experience Handbooks and field course syllabi identify requirements and evaluations that specify demonstration of proficiencies. See Table 3.2. Evidence of Candidates' Competencies.

Lastly, each semester, the College evaluates candidates' satisfaction with and perceptions of its teacher education programs. Survey results for 2003-04 (n=238) and 2004-05 (n=168) show that with few exceptions candidates overwhelmingly rated their respective programs relatively high in all areas of preparation and experience. Mean ratings varied between 4 and 5 on a 5-point Likert-type scale, which ranged from '1' (Strongly Disagree) to '5' (Strongly Agree). A few candidates had negative experiences and rated the programs accordingly. The perceptions of these candidates are difficult to identify by reviewing the report tables since the vast majority in each program had positive experiences, thereby inflating the 'mean' responses to each item. The accompanying qualitative data provide candidates’ perceptions regarding the most and least helpful elements of each program as well as suggestions for improvement. See Standard 1, Element 3 for additional discussion of student teachers' perceptions of their preparation experiences, as well as Student Teacher Evaluations of COE Programs (2003-04) and Student Teacher Evaluations of COE Programs (2005-06).

Candidates’ Use of Technology as an Instructional Tool
Candidates have opportunities to develop proficiency in, and learn the value of using, multimedia in designing and delivering technology rich lessons. As of Fall Semester 2005, all candidates admitted to ITE programs must have a laptop computer that meets a set standard (see details). The College's Laptop Initiative standardizes hardware and software requirements, provides financial aid and/or scholarships for laptop costs, and allows faculty integration, preparation, and on-going support that results in lower laboratory costs, higher technology literacy, and integration competence. Although computer ownership does not translate directly to using technology as an instructional tool in field experiences, the unit expects this requirement to result in higher technology literacy, better technology integration in teaching, and more effective portfolio development for teacher education program candidates. Candidates practice newly acquired skills in classrooms and other school settings where technology is used to foster collaborative learning activities and discussions among students. See course syllabi for ETEC 414, 430, 442, or 448 and SPED 480 or 610: http://etec.hawaii.edu/courses.html.

The unit ensures systematic application of this knowledge during field experiences through alignment of field requirements with Hawaii Teacher Performance Standards, as shown in field course syllabi and field observation evaluation forms. Candidates must address all standards by the end of their student teaching experience. Specifically, they must use technology as tools for teaching and learning (HTPS 7.7) and to enrich student literacy (HTPS 4.8), facilitate learning in the content area(s) (HTPS 5.3), create media-rich learning environments (HTPS 6.9).

Discussion in Standard 6, Element 5 provides an overview of COE technology resources and their use by candidates and faculty to ensure effective instruction, assessment, and evaluation in initial and advanced programs and concomitant field experiences and clinical practice.

Selection of Clinical School-based Faculty
Each teacher preparation program maintains a database of approved clinical faculty who are selected by invitation and with approval of partner school principals (see Elementary Placement Database (2002-06), Secondary Placement Database (2002-06) and Special Education Data Bases (2002-06), ITE EECE Partnership Packet 2006, and SPED mentor teacher approval letter). The Department of Kinesiology and Leisure Science has some mentor teachers who are National Board Certified Teachers and/or nationally Certified Adapted Physical Educators.

Selection of mentor teachers is based on their ability to meet specific criteria (i.e., possess an appropriate teaching license, tenure, and a minimum of 3 years experience) or fulfill certain roles and responsibilities, as illustrated in the EECE Handbook (p. 15), Secondary Mentor/Student Teacher Handbook, (p. 12) and Special Education Handbooks (BEd p. 32-33; Post-Bac p.32-33; MEd p. 30, 34). See Standard 5 Element 1 for a more complete description of criteria, which help to identify school-based clinical faculty as well as mentors' degrees, certificates, and years of experience during the 2005-2006 academic years.

The mentor teacher selection process typically involves cohort coordinators, who receive school principals' recommendations and subsequently visit with and observe potential clinical faculty to determine if they meet selection criteria. However, the MEdT and MEd in Special Education programs follow different procedures. The MEdT program relies on a collaborative process whereby school-based faculty, pre-interns, and unit coordinators select mentor/pre-intern teams based on individual research projects (see MEdT Program Handbook (p. 9) and ITE 604: Field Experience and Seminar syllabus). As stated previously, the Department of Special Education placement coordinator identifies and recruits qualified school-based faculty, collaborates with field supervision faculty on placement decisions, obtains administrative approval for placements, sends official notification of placement to candidates, and maintains a field placement database.

The decision to continue mentor teachers in subsequent semesters is based on coordinator/supervisor observations, discussions with the clinical faculty/university supervisors, and candidates' feedback. Candidates in most programs complete a formal evaluation of the clinical faculty mentor at the end of each field experience/student teaching. See field placement assessment / evaluation forms in field experience handbooks as well as Standard 5, Element 6 for discussion about evaluation of clinical faculty.

Selection of field site supervisors for the MEd in Counselor Education typically involves a University faculty member as well as the internship/specialty coordinator who is responsible for making the final placement decisions. See Counselor Education Practicum and Internship Handbook. The Department of Counselor Education maintains a database of approved field site coordinators.

Preparation of and Professional Development Activities for Clinical Faculty Members
HIEP and ITE jointly sponsor a Mentor Teacher Orientation and Mentor Appreciation Dinner during fall and spring semester, respectively. At the beginning of every field experience/student teaching, cohort coordinators and UH supervisors provide school-based clinical supervisors with information and materials, including field syllabi and handbooks that specify expectations, roles, and responsibilities of candidates and mentors, and evaluation forms.

Clinical Faculty Support for Student Teachers, Licensed Teachers, and Other Interns
School-based and UH clinical faculty work jointly to support candidates throughout their student teaching experiences and to involve them gradually in every aspect of the school to prepare them for assuming total classroom responsibility. Mentor teachers interact with candidates on a daily basis to help them plan, teach, analyze, and reflect upon their effectiveness as teachers. UH clinical faculty members provide on-going support through extensive written feedback as well as oral debriefings with candidates after formal observations.

Candidates in the BEd and MEdT programs also receive ongoing faculty support in their field seminars. Finally, all clinical faculty members have field handbooks that specify mentor teacher, coordinator, and supervisor roles in providing continuous support for candidates. Interns in the M.Ed. program in Special Education receive additional support from four full-time university-based mentors (not clinical faculty) who are prepared in the New Teacher Center (NTC) model of induction and mentoring. These mentors assist interns who work for the HI DOE as temporary emergency hires, teach in their own classrooms, and receive on-the-job (OJT) training while enrolled in the M.Ed. program.

The Counselor Education Practicum and Internship Handbook specifies field experience objectives as well as the specific roles and responsibilities of university faculty and field site supervisors in supporting candidates in their development as school counselors. The supervisory role involves planning the experience, assessing candidates' readiness for various assignments, observing and evaluating their counseling interactions with P-12 students, and weekly seminars.

3.3 Candidates’ Development and Demonstration of Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions to Help all Students Learn

Field experiences and clinical practice afford candidates multiple opportunities to observe and analyze the complexities of school, classroom, and counseling settings. They also learn to create and organize teaching, learning, and counseling environments that accommodate the academic and social learning needs of all students.

Entry and Exit Criteria for Clinical Practice for Teachers and Other School Personnel
Admission to student teaching and clinical practice is one transition point in each initial preparation program assessment system. Program coordinators screen candidates' student teaching or school counseling applications to verify satisfaction of all requirements (e.g., completion of professional education and field courses with a minimum acceptable GPA, and satisfactory disposition ratings).

Exit criteria include satisfactory student teaching, practicum, or internship evaluations, by clinical faculty and UH supervisors, with accompanying CR or minimum letter grade of B, and an acceptable or target rating on a final product/portfolio and dispositions assessment. Table 3.3 specifies entry and exit criteria for initial preparation program requirements.

Candidates Eligible for and who Complete Clinical Practice each Semester
The information in COE Clinical Practice Completion Lists (2000-06) indicates candidates who complete programs each semester. At this time, data are not available on the number of candidates eligible to enter clinical practice. Therefore, we are unable to compute an eligibility / completion ratio. This shortcoming of our data collection system is being addressed; eligibility data will be available when the College's TK20 data tracking system becomes fully operational. Table 3.4 indicates the number of school counseling candidates, who completed programs successfully, during the 2002–06 academic years as well as the number of interns.

Assessment of Candidates during Field Experiences and Clinical Practice
Teacher preparation candidates participate in assessment and evaluation processes that link with Hawaii Teacher Performance Standards and Hawaii Content and Performance Standards. The processes involve UH and school-based faculty, who: (a) help candidates understand and assume teaching responsibilities; (b) observe and assess candidates' progress; and (c) provide ongoing feedback to ensure they meet standards and attain professional goals. UH faculty members consult with school-based clinical faculty about candidates' progress a minimum of four times each semester.

As discussed in Standard 1, Element 4, mentor teacher assessments indicate that candidates in the BEd in Elementary and Early Childhood Education (EECE) and BEd and Post-Baccalaureate in Secondary Education meet or exceed expectations on professional standards at the conclusion of student teaching. Similarly, field assessments of candidates in the BEd in Elementary and Special Education and MEd in Special Education indicate that they attain overall acceptable or target ratings on professional standards at the conclusion of student teaching/internship.

Standard 1 includes detailed discussions of special education candidates' ability to meet or exceed Council for Exceptional Children Standards as they align with Hawaii Teacher Performance Standards. See Table 3.5 Evidence of Student Teachers' Competencies (2001-06).

As indicated in the Counselor Education Practicum and Internship Handbook, assessment of school counseling candidates is a continuous activity and joint responsibility of field and university supervisors that occurs in collaboration with candidates. Assessment is based on attainment of Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) School Counseling standards, which align with the HTSB School Counseling standards. For example, CACREP standard, Ethical and Professional Conduct aligns with HTSB Standard 9, Demonstrates Professionalism.

Ongoing assessment includes weekly journals, tapes, and other assignments (e.g., consultation report and assessment). Moreover, mentor counselors and faculty supervisors complete two formal comprehensive evaluations for each practicum and internship placement at the middle and end of the semester. These evaluations consider candidates' knowledge, counseling skills, dispositions, and professional behaviors, as well as candidates' positive impact on P-12 students' academic and social development and learning (e.g., reinforcing and supporting students' achievements, and cultural and family values). A narrative may accompany the formal evaluation. Candidates also evaluate mentor counselors and faculty supervisors at the end of each practicum and internship semester.

Opportunities for Reflection and Feedback in Field Experiences and Clinical Practice
Candidates in the initial programs have numerous opportunities for reflection and feedback. Reflection fosters individual assessment of performance, enhances understanding of theories and their practical application in school settings, and leads to continuous professional development. Field experiences and clinical practice require candidates to reflect upon and reconstruct their observations and experiences with all students, parents, teachers, and professionals; identify problem situations and potential responses; and determine future professional practices. Site-based clinical faculty and University supervisors are vital components of field experiences. See discussions in Standard 1 Element 7 and Element 8 regarding candidates' impact on P-12 students.

Opportunities for reflection are integrated throughout courses and built into field requirements. Field experience handbooks identify specific activities that facilitate candidates’ reflection and self-evaluation. Representative examples include:
• Reflective writing about course readings that link with classroom practices;
• Triadic conferences among candidates, clinical faculty, and university supervisors that focus on reflections of candidates' effectiveness and impact on student learning;
• Reflective journaling (mainly electronic) with University supervisor and/or clinical faculty;
• Completion of individual and unit lessons that include required written reflections on outcomes, and which are shared with the University supervisor and clinical faculty;
• Analysis and self-evaluation of video-taped assessment and lesson activities with peers, clinical faculty, and University supervisors;
• Portfolios that include summary reflections that examine and reflect upon field experiences from initial through final clinical practice placements.

Candidates in the MEd in Counselor Education must ensure that all assignments address diversity variables among P-12 students. Opportunities for reflection in practicum and internship experiences occur as candidates conceptualize and complete written case reports, audio- and video-taped interviews and counseling sessions with P-12 students, and weekly journals, as well as ongoing meetings with field and university supervisors who make suggestions for improvement and encouragement based on assessment of the candidate's strengths and areas in need of improvement. In some instances, candidates must revise and resubmit assignments that ignore diversity variables and variations.

Summary

The unit’s conceptual framework delineates personal and professional characteristics and values expected of program candidates. Field-experiences link teacher education coursework to help candidates connect theory and practice, and improve their ability to meet the needs of all students. They also allow candidates to integrate academic content, as well as professional and pedagogical knowledge, skills, and dispositions identified in the conceptual framework. Field experience and clinical practice observation and evaluation criteria reflect these principles and underlying institutional, state, and national professional standards.

Initial program candidates participate in field experience and clinical practice settings where they receive expert supervision as a result of long-standing collaborations between the College and partner schools throughout Hawaii. Candidates are in settings that provide an opportunity to engage racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse students, as well as students with disabilities and others at-risk of school failure. Furthermore, these experiences provide candidates with opportunities to apply technological advances to instructional practice and to expand their skill in adapting instruction to individual needs.

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