Practicum Paper
Just a reminder. Your practicum paper is nearly three fourths of your grade. In essence for majors, the paper represents the work of a 3-credit class. For minors, it represents a 2 credit class. You don't want to gloss over this. You'll want to put some effort into it.
The following is also available as one-page PDF file which can be easily printed. The PDF file is reached from this link: Practicum Check-off List. Either print the PDF file - or print this page directly - and check off each item to make sure you've covered all requirements:
At least a four-page typed summary and analysis of your practicum project. Provide an overall summary what you did in your practicum. Include the following - or, if some of the topics are not applicable in your situation, it's fine to substitute other topics:
What sort of preparations were required?
What were some of the highlights of the practicum?
What aspects of it did you particularly enjoy?
Were there some of the parts of the practicum that didn't go as expected?
Did you have any difficulties working with any of the participants in the activity?
Did you feel challenged at times?
Did you come away from the practicum with any new skills or knowledge?
Is this something you'd like to do in a future career?
You'll notice by reviewing the list of topics, above, that this summary report is more than a list of tasks you completed - that's a part of it, yes - but you also want this to be a reflection upon the practicum. You may find that you are repeating some of your reflections and insights that are found in your journal. That's fine. What you want to do here is to distil the important parts of your journal in summary form. A person should be able to read this and get a good feel about what you did during your practicum and what you learned from it - without having to read all of your journal entries.
A copy of your journal. If you like, you may use a notebook initially to make journal entries, but the journal that you turn in must be typed. Let me elaborate a bit more on what should be covered in the journal:
An entry for each day or segment of the practicum. With each entry, be sure to include:
- Date
- Start time and ending time and total elapsed time
- If this is preparatory work, explain what it is
- If this is actual work with participants, indicate:
- Location
- Number of participants involved
Description of activities assisted with
Specific skills taught
Any follow-up work required by the on-site supervisor.
Observations and reflections:
- helpful teaching techniques
- new ways of working with groups
- any new personal skills and knowledge you learned
- would you do things differently next time. If so, what?
Note: that for some practicums, you may not be covering all of the topics listed above. In that case, you may substitute more appropriate journal entries in lieu of those on the list.
Any supplementary materials: sign-up sheets (it's okay to blot out signatures of participants if the privacy policy of your agency requires it), promotional materials for the activities in which you were involved, hand-outs, power point print-outs (if you did a presentation), any other materials that might be related to the activities in which you assisted.
Note: that some of you may be working with a person who can provide you with a reference - or may be a direct contact for future work. In those cases, prepare a short letter thanking them for their time. Such letters can go a long way to develope and nurture a network of employment contacts. Send the letter by mail (not email) and include a copy of the letter with your practicum report.
Lesson Plan of an activity or skill learning session planned during the practicum. If you were involved in a practicum in which a lesson plan wasn't used, you still need to turn in a lesson plan. Instead, create a lesson plan on some activity related to your practicum which could be taught.
The two signed forms: Practicum Placement and Practicum Verification Form. If you worked under more than one practicum supervisor, include the two forms for each supervisor. Copies of the forms are found here: Practicum Forms.
Submitting Your Report
Hard Copy. I prefer hard copies of your practicum. Drop them off at the Outdoor Adventure Center.
Electronic. I will accept electronic copies, but you must obtain permission first. Don't plan on submitting it electronically unless you have talked to me. Once you get permission, here are the requirements:
1. Provide the whole package in a PDF. Include everything. What you'll need to do is to scan anything that you don't have digitized including the signed practicum forms or any other materials that will be included with the report. The following computer labs on campus have scanners: Rendezvous - 2nd Floor - Drop In Oboler Library Lab - Room 213 - Drop In Turner Hall - Room 111 (Basement)
2. Assemble all the parts of the report into one PDF. You want to have a cover page, your report summary, the log (or journal), lesson plan, signed practicum forms, and any additional materials or photographs. It all needs to be packaged in one PDF file.
(Note that to create one PDF, you'll probably need to combine several PDF's. On Apple computers, you can use a feature built into the PDF viewer to do this. On a PC, however, you'll need to use a web program like this one: FoxyUtilities. FoxyUtilities has been around for a while and is rated safe, but while using it, if you see a link to download other software, you'll want to remove it. Here is a YouTube video on how it works: Video)
3. Send an email to me with the PDF attached. If your PDF file is too large to attach to an email, then use Drop Box. You can get a Basic Account for free which provides plenty of space. If you use Drop Box, drop me an email with the Drop Box link to the PDF.
This page was created for the Outdoor Methods website. Outdoor Methods is a course for Outdoor Education Majors and Minors at Idaho State University.
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