EDUC 400 - Seminar in Student Teaching
Frequently Asked Questions
(Click on the question to get to the answer.)
1.
Where do I find the
portfolio templates?
2.
How can I access the templates from my home computer?
3.
Can we change the templates to individualize our portfolios?
1.
What is a performance task?
2.
How do I find out what the performance tasks are for my major(s)
and minor(s)?
3.
How do I address the performance tasks in my portfolio? Where do I "put"
them?
4.
Do I have to include all the projects from the performance tasks in my
portfolio?
5.
Do
I have to reflect on all the performance tasks for my major?
6.
How
to I relate the performance tasks to the WTS?
7.
How do I indicate that my evidence
(artifacts) refers to a particular standard or standards?
8.
What if I didn't have to do
the project/paper/performance task when I took a particular course OR if I took
the course at another institution? How do I show this and reflect on it in
my portfolio?
9.
Could I use an actual IEP in my portfolio if I remove the names and
other information that could identify the student?
1.
Which form does
my cooperating teacher fill out?
2.
Do
all my cooperating teachers have to fill out an evaluation form?
3.
Can a letter of
recommendation or reference be used instead of the evaluation form?
4.
Why
do we need to include our observation forms in our portfolios?
1.
Do I need permission to use students' pictures and/or examples of their work in
my portfolio?
2.
Do I
need an official copy of a transcript in my portfolio?
3.
What grade do we need to get on our portfolios to pass ED 400?
4.
What documents are included in my credentials?
5.
How do I organize my portfolio?
6.
I'm concerned about identity theft if I put my
information on the web. Can I make a binder portfolio instead?
7. When I click on one of my links in my
portfolio, it always asks me if I would like to save or open the following
document. Is there any way that when I click on the link it will take me right
to the page?
Answers to FAQ's
I. School Of Education portfolio templates
Q. Where do I find the portfolio templates?
A. The portfolio templates were sent to you when
you took ED 200. If you need them again, they may be accessed at
link:
http://www.uwsp.edu/education/kbuchana/portfolio/index.htm.
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Q. How can I access the templates from my home
computer?
- The
following link is to the UWSP computer site which tells you about Virtual
Private Networking, which is necessary for obtaining access to your H drive
off campus.
http://www.uwsp.edu/it/vpn/#Setting%20up%20VPN
Once VPN has been downloaded, you can access your
"myfiles" and download the
SOE templates.
Caution:
there may be some problems with some computers programs! If you have
problems, please contact Information Technology here on
campus:
helpdesk@uwsp.edu
If you have problems with VPN, the Help Desk
people are the only ones who can help you.
- You can also use "Off Campus Access" to get to
your "myfiles" on campus. Please see the web page of Information
Technology for directions on how to use Off Campus Access:
http://www.uwsp.edu/it/offcampus/index.htm
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Q. Can we change the templates to individualize our portfolios?
- You must use the seven templates provided as they are for your
portfolios; HOWEVER, links from these templates to web pages containing your
personal artifacts may be creatively personalized.
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II. Performance Tasks and WI Teacher Standards (WTS)
Q. What is a performance task?
- A performance task is a culminating project or paper required in a
course within your major or minor area of study. This paper or project
shows evidence of learning the content of that course. Performance
tasks represent a minimum of what needs to be referenced in your portfolio.
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Q. How do I find out what the performance tasks are for my major(s) and
minor(s)?
A. Go to this link to a web page
https://www.uwsp.edu/Education/Reference/PerformanceTasks.asp on the School
of Education
website. Performance tasks are listed by majors/minors.
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Q. How do I address the performance tasks in my portfolio? Where do
I "put" them?
A.
Performance tasks
� completed through your coursework � can be put in several areas of your
portfolio: lesson plans that incorporate the performance task from a particular
class; assessment that uses elements of performance tasks, in reflections that
draw on performance tasks (e.g. you checked students� IEP�s (performance task
for ED 351) so you know how to make accommodations and modifications, etc.
When you make a reference to the ED 351 performance task, you will also indicate
that it relates to WI Teacher Standard (WTS) #'s 2, 3, 4, and 7. Remember
that each artifact should include a brief reflection (not a report!) of its
meaning to you as a learner and teacher.
You can refer to or include some of the projects you did in your coursework if
you have used them in your student teaching. However, if the project you
did in your coursework was "tweaked" and then implemented, your reflection
should include a reference to the Performance Task, the applicable standards,
and a rationale for why you "tweaked" it, what you learned from it, what you
believe your students learned, etc.
For those performance tasks that don�t seem to �fit� anywhere, you can put them
under �Subject Knowledge�
in the electronic portfolio (For the binder portfolio, you can create a
section with this heading.). You could have a list of the courses, their
corresponding performance tasks, and a brief (1-2 paragraphs) reflection of the
ways in which completing each task contributed to your learning and teaching.
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Q. Do I have to include all the projects from the performance tasks in my
portfolio?
A. No, all projects from the
performance tasks do not need to be included in their entirety in your
portfolio. However, each project must have, as a minimum, a reflection
accompanying a reference to it.
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Q. Do I have to reflect on all the performance tasks for my major(s) and
minor(s)?
A. Yes. All performance tasks for both your major(s) and minor(s)
must be reflected upon in your electronic portfolio. This reflection
should include the ways in which this project/process had meaning for you and
what you learned as a result of it in your student teacher setting, if
applicable.
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Q.
How to I
relate the performance tasks to the WTS?
A. Please refer to the PowerPoint and other information found under
Course Information. (return to top)
Q. Where do I "put" the WTS in my
portfolio?
A. I think it is helpful to have
a list of the WTS as a page in your portfolio or to create a link to the WTS
page as a reference point for those reviewing your portfolio.
As a general rule, WTS can be part
of those artifacts that you put under the following portfolio headings:
Subject
Knowledge � include standards 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, & 9
Instructional Strategies (lesson plans) � include standards 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
& 9
Assessment � standard 8
Adaptive Instruction � include standards 3 & 9
Standard 10 can go wherever it fits
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A. You can simply add a statement or even phrase in parentheses like this:
(WTS #'s 3, 4, 6, 7).
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A. Some performance tasks may not apply to you if you took a course at
another institution or were not required to do the currently stated project.
I suggest you reflect on the course content as you learned it and the meaning
that it now has for your teaching practice. You might also contact the
instructor for the course in question for more information about the current
performance task.
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III. Evaluation Forms
Q. Which form does my cooperating teacher fill out?
A. Each of your cooperating teachers
fills out the evaluation form found in the Student/Intern
Teaching Handbook. This form is also available online from the Office of
Field Experiences website
http://www.uwsp.edu/cps/field/ Select "Downloads" from the menu and
the click on
UWSP Handbook
for Student & Intern Teaching
(MS-WORD ).
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Q. Do all my cooperating teachers have to fill out an evaluation form?
A.
A final copy of the evaluation form
for major must be in your portfolio
by the time of the Portfolio Exhibition. The evaluation form must show
evidence for all 10 WTS. A draft of the final evaluation for your minor is
strongly encouraged to be in your portfolio by the time of the Portfolio
Exhibition. A final copy of the evaluation form for your minor must be
submitted at the end of your student teaching experience to the Office of Field
Experiences.
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Q. Can a letter of recommendation or reference be used instead of the evaluation
form?
A. No, a letter of recommendation or
reference can never substitute for the evaluation form(s) required for the
electronic portfolio. The cooperating teacher together with the university
supervisor must fill out the evaluation form found in the UWSP Handbook for
Student and Intern Teaching. The handbook is available online at this
link:
http://www.uwsp.edu/cps/field/download/FE-Handbook.doc
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Q. Why do we need to include our observation forms in our portfolios?
A. The main function of the portfolio
is an exit requirement for UWSP School of Education. Thus, all evidence of
fulfilling requirements relating to the student/intern teaching experience are
to be found in the portfolio, including all observation forms (minimum of 4
required per the Portfolio Rubric
http://www.uwsp.edu/education/pshaw/e400/portrub.htm (return to top)
Q.
Could I use an actual IEP in my portfolio if I remove the
names and other information that could identify the student?
A. While this sounds like it
would work, be sure to check with your cooperating teacher, university
supervisor, and/or school principal to insure that 1) you have permission to use
this document, and 2) all identifying information is removed.
YOU MUST USE A
PSEUDONYM OR A PHRASE LIKE "STUDENT A" TO IDENTIFY THE STUDENT. You
should also change the name of the school and any other identifying information.
Further, SAVE THE DOCUMENT USING THE PSEUDONYM - NOT THE STUDENT'S REAL NAME!
(If you do a Google search using a name, it can locate even the file!) (return to top)
IV. General Questions
Q. Do I need permission to use
students' pictures and/or examples of their work in my portfolio?
A. Yes, and be sure to ask your school
administrator what the school policy is and the form used for permission to
photograph and use student pictures and work. A sample permission form can
be found under Sample Documents on the EDUC 400 website
http://www.uwsp.edu/education/pshaw/e400/samples.htm
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Q. Do I need an
official copy of a transcript in my portfolio?
A. Unless an official transcript is requested once you apply for (and
get!) a job, official transcripts are not required. You may use a copy of
your transcript in your portfolio.
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Q. What grade do we
need to get on our portfolios to pass EDUC 400?
A. You must earn a "Satisfactory" on
your portfolio to pass EDUC 400.
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Q.
What documents are included in my
credentials?
A. Your credentials include your
practicum evaluation forms (if applicable), observation forms from your UWSP
student teacher supervisor, your resume, list of references (including their phone and fax numbers, street and
email addresses, and grade transcripts (can be copies unless otherwise
specified). You may also choose, but are not required, to include letters
of recommendation.
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Q.
How do I organize my portfolio?
A. Portfolios will be
organized first, by using the SOE templates. On the templates, you can
create links to your artifacts and reflections. The artifacts and
reflections may be organized in several ways:
Chronologically (especially if you have more than one student teaching
placement)
Thematically (by unit of study, especially if you've done lessons that are
interdisciplinary)
Supervisor visit (Dr. Slick advises using pictures of students engaged in the
lessons taught while being observed, including the lesson plan with references
to WTS and performance tasks, and reflections. She refers to it as a
"package"!).
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Q.
I'm concerned
about identity theft if I put my information on the web. Can I make a
binder portfolio instead?
A. Because the School of Education
must store graduates' portfolios for a period of years, per DPI's instructions,
and space is limited for doing so, we are requiring electronic portfolios saved
to a CD which can easily fit into the respective student's folder.
To alleviate the possibility of identity theft, create your electronic portfolio
on a disk and do not put it on the World Wide Web. (return to top)
Q.
When I click on one of my links in my portfolio, it always asks me if I would
like to save or open the following document. Is there any way that when I click
on the link it will take me right to the page?
A.
This usually means that the link does not go
to a web page but to a Word or Excel or PowerPoint file. Change the target file
to a web page to avoid the question. (return to top)