STATE UNIVERSITY of NEW YORK (SUNY) Potsdam
Department of Computer Science, Organizational Leadership, and Technology (CSOLT)
Educational Technology Specialist Program

ITED 657 - Practicum in Technology
- Course Syllabus -
Dr. Anthony Betrus: Instructor
Summer 2011

Credit: Three semester hours

Time/Dates: 100 hours of total contact time, individually arranged

Location: On Site in a K-12 school setting

Course Description: This course provides students in the Educational Technology Specialist program an opportunity to synthesize technology knowledge and skills. Each student works in a selected field setting to improve the use of technology. Working from an approved plan of action, the student works with field staff, maintains a log of activities and accomplishments, and submits a final report.

Learning Objectives:

- To provide the students with an opportunity to work with a technology specialist in the field of education (CF 1.8)
- To provide the student with experience in providing instructional support to teachers (CF 1.1)
- To provide the student with experience in providing technical support for a school (CF 1.6)
- To provide the student with experience in supporting a school network (CF 2.9)
- To provide the student with experience developing, delivering, and evaluating an instructional training workshop for school staff. (CF 3.7)

Requirements:

Daily Journals - Each student will keep a daily journal. In this journal they will record their daily activities and reflections of them. Students should include images from their internship, including both still pictures taken on site, as well as appropriate screen captures. At the end of each daily entry the time allotted to [Instructional Support], [Technical Support], and [Network Support] will be noted. At the end of the week, each student will compile their daily journals and submit them via e-mail attachment to their campus supervisor (the site supervisor may opt to receive a copy of the journal as well). Total hours spent in each area (Instructional, Technical, and Network) should be noted at the end of each weekly reflection.

Mid-Internship Site Supervisor Evaluation (50 hour) - At the mid-point of the internship the site supervisor will fill out an evaluation. The evaluation will be e-mailed directly from the campus supervisor to the site supervisor.

Teacher Training - The intern will develop training for a group of teachers (from 3 to 20) that will be delivered as part of the internship. Specific deliverables include:
- A demonstration/statement of need (think rationale) for the instructional workshop
- Any materials developed for the workshop
- Evaluations filled out by participants from the workshop, scanned in if hand written.
- Your supervisor's evaluation of the workshop if he/she attended or observed
.- A self-reflection by the intern of the workshop

Final Site Supervisor Evaluation (100 hour) - At the end of the internship the site supervisor will complete the final evaluation. The evaluation will be e-mailed directly from the campus supervisor to the site supervisor.

Final Internship Reflection - Upon completion of the internship the student intern will compile his/her journal entries into one document. A final reflection of the internship as a whole will also be added to the document. This is an opportunity for the student intern to look back and reflect on what he/she has learned and experienced.

Final Submission Requirements: Upon completion of the internship and all requirements, materials should be submitted as follows:

PDF #1: (AECT 4.1 - Project Management; AECT 4.2 Resource Management; AECT 4.3 Delivery System Management; AECT 4.4 Information Management).
- Daily journals, compiled weekly, with images included in the journals, and network support, technical support, and instructional support delineated.
- The 50 and 100 hour evaluations from your supervisors. Scan them if filled out by hand.
- Your overall reflections of the internship.

PDF #2: (AECT 1.1 - Instructional Systems Design, ISD)
- Your demonstration/statement of need (think rationale) for the instructional workshop you conducted (AECT 1.1.1)
- Any materials you developed for the workshop (AECT 1.1.2, 1.1.3)
- Any images you took while conducting the workshop (screen grabs or live photos) (AECT 1.1.4)
- Evaluations filled out by participants from the workshop, scanned in if hand written. (AECT 1.1.5)
- Your own self-reflection of the workshop (AECT 1.1.5)
- Your supervisor's evaluation of the workshop if he/she attended or observed. (AECT 1.1.5)

Plagiarism: This course adheres to the College's policy on academic honesty as stated in the Undergraduate Catalog. Plagiarism may lead to grade reduction, course failure, or expulsion from school.

Students with disabilities: Any student with a disability needing academic adjustments or accommodations should speak with the professor as early as possible. Students with disabilities should also contact: Sharon House, Coordinator of Accommodative Services at 267-3267, Sisson 112, or e-mail her at housese@potsdam.edu for further assistance. All disclosures will remain confidential.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: I have not taken the Networking course yet. Should I still complete an internship?
A: No. You should complete the Networking course prior to signing up for the internship (or at least concurrently).

Q: What should I do if I can't make it in one day?
A: The important thing to remember is that you should treat this like a job. If you can't make it in, you need to notify your supervisor as soon as possible.

Q: What should I do if the school district that I'm interning in is closed (i.e. snow, ice, etc.).
A: Every district is different. When some districts close there will be no access to the building. In other districts, the administrative and office staff may have to come in (this may include your supervisor). Discuss this with your supervisor before it happens at the initial meeting - that way everyone will know what to expect.

Q: The district that I have been assigned only has Windows machines and I'm a Macintosh person and have not used Windows a great deal. What should I do?
A: This will be a great learning experience for you. Many districts now consist of multiple platforms, and you need to be able to adapt to different environments (including Linux, which is often used as a 3rd platform, especially for servers).

Q: I have four classes other than the internship. How am I going to fit the required number of hours in?
A: IT 657 requires you to accumulate 100 hours for your internship. The length of the internship is relatively short when the hours are spread out over the full semester. Remember that you should treat this like a job. If you are scheduled to be at a district at a given time, make sure that you fulfill that agreement.

Q: About this teacher training, do I really have to do this?
A: Emphatically YES. You absolutely must complete this, or you will not be given credit for the course. Keep in mind that you can do this with a group as small as 3, or as large as 20 (or more), so there is some flexibility with this. It does require forethought and planning to accomplish, both of which are good qualities for a technology coordinator to have.

Reflective Journal Scoring Rubric

Criteria Unsatisfactory Developing Skills Proficient Exemplary
Completeness of Journal Entries Daily descriptions are often missing, journals often not submitted weekly. Journal Entries were written for all but 1-2 days. Compilations are submitted for most weeks. A journal entry has been made for each day. Journal compilations are submitted each week. Weekly submissions include additional
reflections about the week as a whole.
Accurate descriptions of daily activities Journal does not detail all of the days activities, many activities/events are missing. Most days are described. Adequate detail for some days are missing Descriptions are detailed, and fully describe the day's activities. Descriptions are detailed, and fully describe the day's activities.
Awareness of candidate and clients emotional states is evident.
What did the student learn/how can they improve based on the experience Student largely omits descriptions of lessons learned and ways to improve themselves. Students reflections of what they learned are included, but ways to improve themselves based on what they learned is inadequate or omitted -or- no overall reflections are included in the final report. Students fully describe both what they learned each day and how they will make changes and improve based on the experience.
Overall reflections about what was learned are included at the end of the experience (in the final report).
Students fully describe both what they learned each day and how they will make changes and improve based on the experience.
In the students weekly submissions, additional reflections of the week as a whole are included. Overall reflections about what was learned are included at the end of the experience (in the final report).
Transcribing of the journals Unorganized, no headers, descriptions not grammar/spellchecked. No separation of days/weeks. Daily journals are hand-written or electronically added to a word document. Weekly submissions are submitted via Word Attachment. Individual Days are separated by bold headers. Graphic/images of experience are included.


Teacher Training Workshop Scoring Rubric

Criteria Unsatisfactory Developing Skills Proficient Exemplary
Analysis of Training Needs Documented Training was done with no documentation of the needs of the teachers shown. Needs were based on conversations with 1-2 teachers. Needs were based on input/feedback from 3-5 teachers. Needs based on feedback from 6 or more teachers (informal or formal).
Quality of Instructional Materials Limited/no inclusion of training materials. Adequate materials were prepared, but not professionally prepared. Materials were adequate and professionally prepared. Materials were outstanding and professional.
Evaluation by Teachers No evaluation by participating teachers. Informal feedback by teachers considered. Formal feedback received, revision of materials called for but not completed.
Formal feedback from teachers received, revision of prepared materials completed.
Self Reflection of Workshop No self-reflection included. Reflection is shallow and/or does not make recommendations for change. Reflection is complete with changes based on reflection are recommended but not completed. Reflection is complete and changes based on reflection are completed.

Course Grading:
4.0 - Exemplary in at leats 6 areas on scoring rubrics, developing or proficient in remainder.
3.7 - Exemplary in at leats 5 areas on scoring rubrics, developing or proficient in remainder.
3.3 - Exemplary in at leats 4 areas on scoring rubrics, developing or proficient in remainder.
3.0 - Exemplary in 3 areas on scoring rubrics, developing or providient in remainder.
2.7 - Exemplary in 2 areas on scoring rubrics, developing or proficient in remainder.
2.3 - Exemplary in 1 area on scoring rubrics, developing or proficient in remainder.
2.0 - Developing or proficient in all areas.
0.0 - Unsatisfactory in any area.

Office Information:
E-mail: betrusak@potsdam.edu
Office: Dunn Hall 393
Phone: (315) 267-2670

This page created April 8, 2011.  Last updated April 8, 2011.