DESCRIPTION
The practicum course will deal with a broad range of activities and representative
issues in school and classroom leadership. The primary purpose of the course
is to provide educational leadership students with an opportunity to apply
the theoretical concepts studied in the prerequisite courses to actual day-to-day
administration of a school library media center.
COURSE FORMAT
This course will require a great deal of student interaction through class
dialogue, e-mail communication, class readings and on-site visits. Students
will participate in action research and practical application in the field,
where most of their practicum work will be conducted.
The Education Leadership Practicum is considered a culminating experience, and thus, it is best to complete it after all 901 courses have been taken. The practicum may be completed during the last semester of coursework, but students will be expected to be knowledgeable of all facets of the library media profession during their placement. NOTE: Practicum is only offered during the Spring semester at UW-Oshkosh.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Students will work with one or more cooperating Library Media Specialist
(LMS) during the semester. It is the responsibility of the student to directly
contact the potential local supervisor(s) to obtain permission to do the practicum
with him or her at least one month prior to the spring
semester. After
receiving the names of the local supervisor(s), the UW-Oshkosh professor will
contact them with further information.
The practicum student agrees to perform in a professional manner, carrying out the roles and responsibilities agreed to by themselves, their professor and local supervisor. The student develops practicum objectives in cooperation with the local supervisor and university professor, and works to fulfill them during the semester of the practicum experience.
TIME REQUIREMENTS
The UW-Oshkosh 901 certification program requires three credits of
practicum. To fulfill requirements for this K-12 license, students must log
two hundred hours of practical experience, with one hundred of these hours
at the elementary level, and one hundred at the secondary level. These hours
should be completed during the semester in which the student registers for
the practicum. The student accounts for clock hours of activity by maintaining
a log to show progress toward this time requirement and to document its completion.
PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS
It is recommended that students do both elementary and secondary practicum
experiences outside their home district, but particularly for students working
under emergency licenses, this may not be possible. For students presently
working under emergency licenses, the hundred hours spent at the level other
than the one in which the student is presently working, should be completed
outside the home district. This gives students a broader view of the profession,
and the opportunity to see other library media programs. Ways in which these
hours may be accumulated will be discussed at the first seminar meeting.
CREDIT
Three semester credit hours are required. Normal deadlines for registration
and payment of fees, according to UW-Oshkosh policies, must be met.
CONTACT INFORMATION
For more information, contact:
Sherry Freiberg
Library Media Program
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Nursing/Education 618
800 Algoma Blvd.
Oshkosh, WI 54901
920-424-7251 - work
freiberg@uwosh.edu