EdF Field Experience: Be informed and transformed
The following FAQ is for general information only and is not a substitute for reading the EdF Field Experience Handbook.
All students in EDST 332/338 and EDST 333/339 are required to download and read the handbook before their first official EdF Field Experience in Winter term.
2023 FIELD EXPERIENCE HANDBOOK (PDF Download)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- What is the purpose of the Educational Foundations Field Experience?
- Where are the placements?
- How do I sign up for a field placement?
- Who do I get in touch with if I have questions?
- What if I get sick/am absent?
- How do I receive a “pass” for this field credit?
- How can I succeed at my site?
1. What is the purpose of the Educational Foundations Field Experience?
The purpose of the Educational Foundations field experience is to provide a contextual experience for understanding the socio-cultural framework within the theories and research addressed in Educational Foundations courses.
2. Where are the placements?
Educational Foundations field experience sites include classrooms, organizations, and undergraduate research:
- Classrooms (Required Vaccination): For this location, the site is a K-5 classroom in a local elementary school. A classroom host teacher may provide a field experience student with directions/support to facilitate an activity for small groups during a lesson featuring stations. Or, a classroom host teacher may set up time for the field experience student to provide academic support to an individual student.
- Organizations (Required Vaccination): A wide variety of sites offer a range of ways for you to support families and students in the community. For example, an organization host at Kidsports may provide you with directions/support to facilitate a movement activity for small groups in after-school programming. Or, the organization host at NAACP Tutoring will set up time for you to provide academic support to an individual student or small groups of students.
- Undergraduate Research (Required Vaccination): Field experience student supports faculty who are in the midst of research projects. This is an opportunity for a field experience student to be actively engaged in the full cycle of research.
- Employment (Vaccination requirements vary): If you are already working in a professional setting that serve K-5 students, you may apply employment hours to your field experience. Students in pre-K educational settings should check with Puja Clifford. pujac@uoregon.edu) to determine if their employment fulfills requirements.
3. How do I sign up for a field placement?
1. Review list of field placement options in Community Canvas: https://community.uoregon.edu/courses/18722
2. Review your winter term course schedule.
3. Complete the SignUpGenius UG EdF Field Placement form during the Nov 14 to 23 window.
NOTE: The link to the SignUpGenius form will go live on November 14.
4. Who do I get in touch with if I have questions?
Puja Clifford (pujac@uoregon.edu) is the EdF field experience coordinator and the instructor of all EdF field experience credits (EDST 338 and EDST 339). Puja is responsible for supporting your field experience, from signing up for a site all the way to submitting documentation to confirming completion of field experience hours. Puja is available to meet with EdF students via phone, Zoom or in-person.
5. What if I get sick/am absent?
If you experience any symptoms of illness, please stay home. Contact your organization host to inform them that you will not attend. Also contact Puja Clifford (pujac@uoregon.edu).
If you feel that your illness or other extenuating circumstances will prevent you from fulfilling your 30 hours at your site, you have three options for making up the hours virtually. (See checklist below.
Checklist for Illness/Absences:
- Feeling sick? Don’t go to your placement.
- Contact your host promptly to let them know you will not be able to attend.
- Inform Puja Clifford (pujac@uoregon.edu) about your absence.
- Fill out the “Absences and Make-Up Hours” log. Set up a plan to make up the hours missed:
- Option 1: Make up the hours at your placement site. Record the make-up hours in the hours log (reverse side). Highlight the added hours for the host and Puja to see when reviewing the log.
- Option 2: Listen to one of the following podcasts: Cult of Pedagogy, Teaching to Thrive or Heinemann Podcast. Count the number of hours in your log based on the length of each episode. Record the make-up hours and a summary of your learning in the time log below. Indicate what podcast you selected, the title of the podcast, and three takeaways you want to remember.
- Option 3: Learning for Justice has self-guided professional development resources. Explore any of the topics of interest to you to make up the missed hours. Record the make-up hours and a summary of your learning in the time log below. Indicate what resources you explored and three takeaways you want to remember.
6. How do I receive a “pass” for this field credit?
- By Wednesday of Finals Week, submit via Community Canvas the completed Hours Log documenting 30 field hours, with all needed signatures. If the Hours Log is turned in late or does not have the required 30 field hours, you will receive an Incomplete. After the needed field hours are completed, the Incomplete will then be changed to a Pass.
- By Wednesday of finals week, submit a Thank You Note (winter term) or Reflection (spring term) via Community Canvas.
- The final evaluation submitted is by the field experience host via Qualtrics Survey. The survey indicates the EdF student meets or exceeds expectations in the field. Not meeting professional expectations results in a No Pass grade for the field credit. The field student will then need to take the same field credit again in a different term or possibly the next academic year.
7. How can I succeed at my site? (Please make sure to read the full version of this section in the Field Experience Handbook)
A successful field experience is mutually beneficial: the field experience student gains experience to contextualize and better understand the theories and concepts in their undergraduate courses, and the host organization is positively impacted by the experience. A successful field experience will prepare the EdF student for the next steps in their career.
The field experience student can think of their success in three different areas: communication, initiative, and professionalism.
- Communication: When communicating with your host, use professional language and make sure there is a mutual understanding of your schedule. As detailed in Section 5, in case of illness contact your host BEFORE your scheduled time of arrival. If field experience questions or concerns arise, communicate directly with your host and/or with Puja Clifford (pujac@uoregon.edu).
- Initiative: Take risks and try new ideas. Ask your host how you may best assist with the needs of the youth. With your host’s permission, initiate supporting the youth with their activity or in positive reminders of classroom expectations.
- Professionalism:
- Arrive on time! This means a few minutes early.
- Ask your host what the organization-wide expectations are and support those expectations by reminding students of them and upholding them yourself.
- Put away cell phones, laptops, or other electronic devices during the contracted times at the field site. It is unacceptable to be checking personal cell phones or emails or social media while being responsible for assisting the youth at the field site.
- You may not take photos of the youth.
- If you want to officially interview the students for an EDST course assignment, you must provide a letter from your course instructor to the students’ families and ask permission for the interviews.
- Keep the names of all children, teachers, and staff confidential by using pseudonyms or code names if referring to your field site in a UO course assignment. Do not mention any student or staff names via texting or on any public or private social networking sites, blogs, discussion boards or chat rooms.
