3.1.a

3.1.a Collaboration Between Unit and School Partners

Summarize processes and outcomes of collaboration between unit and school partners in the
design, delivery, and evaluation of field and clinical experiences, and in sharing of responsibilities,
resources, and expertise.

Eastern's EPP views meaningful field and clinical practice as an important cornerstone for integrating
and implementing our conceptual framework (and candidate learning outcomes) in all of our
certification programs. Our EPP has a long-standing and mutually beneficial relationship with diverse
schools in eastern Connecticut. The overarching principle guiding field and clinical experiences is to
provide multiple, strong experiences in diverse settings where candidates can develop and practice their
pedagogical content knowledge, demonstrate professional knowledge, skills and dispositions to support
and promote all students' learning. All field/clinical observation evaluations are aligned with the
Connecticut Common Core of Teaching Standards, while other clinical-based assessments are aligned
with the Candidate Learning Outcomes. See alignment of our Conceptual Framework and Candidate
Learning Outcomes to the Clinical Competencies.

The Office of Educational and Clinical Experiences (OECE) selects and maintains an updated database
of clinical partners (see Host Districts document) based on district demographics, proximity
to Eastern, types of programs, diversity of school settings and availability and qualifications of district
personnel. The OECE determines characteristics of selected placement sites in relation to our EPP
program needs and placement categories (rural, suburban, urban) to target a broad range of experiences
for candidates. Within the context of location, the OECE strives to maximize the range of available sites
and foster teacher candidates' understanding of the wide range of needs and abilities of P-12 students.
This process ensures experience across a broad range of students and communities for each teacher
candidate. The same process is maintained for our advanced candidates as well. Several of these
candidates already hold state licensure and several are in service for their school district. Advanced
candidates complete their one required clinical assessment within their school district, provided the
clinical expectations are met. If not, the OECE assists with finding placements, following the same
process as for the initial candidates.

Our EPP's clinical collaborators include district facilitators, administrators, university supervisors,
cooperating teachers for student teaching, and mentor/host teachers for field experiences. These partners
are critical to our professional development of our candidates. Their collaboration with our EPP
contributes to the continuous improvement of the overall clinical experience of our candidates and to the
ongoing development of our field and clinical evaluations. School collaborators are responsible for
assistance in placement, supervision of candidates and cooperating and mentor teachers, and overall
evaluations of clinical experiences. See specific sections (IV and IV) from the Clinical Handbook that are
pertinent to responsibilities of school collaborators.

Ongoing field and in-depth clinical collaborations occur in our core districts of Coventry, Hebron,
Killingly, Lebanon, Norwich, Tolland, Windham and others. These supporters are knowledgeable of
Eastern's programs and are purposefully kept informed about changing certification and program
regulations. In turn, they have also consistently kept us informed of any school, personnel, or curricular
changes occurring in their organizations and also offered timely feedback to improve the quality of our
program and field experiences. See highlights of clinical experiences.
Starting academic year 2016-2017, we have articulated and executed an year-long internship/residency
program with Coventry School District at the graduate level (initial level). Admitted graduate students
will complete their field and clinical experiences on a full-time basis with some monetary compensation.
This partnership is supportive of our candidates' professional development and training in the field while
also forming a collaborative P-12/Higher Education partnership that supports the enhancement of both
the members. See the Memorandum of Understanding.

Expertise and resources are shared between the unit and school collaborators through a myriad of means
involving direct communication, monthly meeting of all university supervisors with the Coordinator of
Educational and Clinical Experiences, and direct consultation with school personnel. Triad members
(i.e., student teacher candidate, cooperating teacher and university supervisor) are in constant
communication with each other during the student teaching experience, and meet formally the mid-point
and final evaluations, and for intervention, as often as needed. P-12 stakeholders have identified the high
frequency of seven visits by the university supervisors as a strength of Eastern's programs. Frequent and
ongoing email contact is another mode of communication consistently employed by university
supervisors and cooperating teachers to support teacher candidates. Online materials including lesson
plan forms, observation report forms, reflection forms and Clinical Experiences and Student Teaching
Handbook (also distributed in hard copy prior to the student teaching semester) are
accessible to support teacher candidates' professional growth.

In conjunction with these tools, the EPP takes pride in offering guidance for all candidates and resolving
all formal and informal conflicts. The Coordinator for Educational and Clinical Experiences visits a
broad range of school partners each semester to support candidates, seek feedback from cooperating
teachers and administrators, and to intervene, when necessary. Additionally, P-12 stakeholders are
invited to participate in an Annual Teacher Education Advisory Council breakfast meeting to discuss the
impact of changes and to plan next steps.

All field and clinical evaluations are managed within the UAS. The Assessment Committee, in
collaboration with the CAEP coordinator, present findings to the EPP faculty during annual retreats.
Improvements are implemented both in education courses and for field/clinical experiences, as relevant.
Our P-12 supporters are critical stakeholders for the professional development and evaluation of our
teacher candidates, as they are actively engaged in the entire process.

Unit faculty conduct informal training and collaborative sessions for/with regional schools, some of
which are grant funded. These professional development opportunities maximize the shared expertise
and resources offered to teacher candidates throughout the EPP. An important extension of this shared
expertise is also found on campus in co-requisite courses and student teaching seminars where
professional educators, administrators and cooperating teachers often visit Eastern's student teaching
seminar classes as guest speakers to share expertise and extend the P-12 school experience of our
candidates.

Overall, Eastern EPP's school partners are a valued extension of our learning community; their expertise
and guidance further promotes excellence among teacher candidates and initiates them into the P-12
professional communities.

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