(Career Management & Experiential Learning)

Philosophy, Principles and Policy

FIELD PERIOD PHILOSOPHY

Field Period is based on  experiential learning theory.  Experiential learning has been  at the heart of Keuka College  since George Ball founded the  College in 1890. Field Period  integrates and synthesizes  theoretical and applied  knowledge; it is a connection

between the classroom and  external environment. Field Period, the most visible manifestation of experiential learning at Keuka College, was instituted in 1942.

Experiential learning is powerful because it requires student initiative and active learning skills. It is powerful because it involves application and students can see concrete results of their work and learning. The active aspect of the learning is challenging and it requires students to take risks. These risks can be intellectual,social, or physical. Because the learning takes place in the external environment, there are consequences to the risks. And because experiential learning thrusts students into new and challenging environments with risks and consequences, it also requires close faculty advising and support.

WHAT IS FIELD PERIOD PRACTICUM?
Although Field Period Practicum is based on experiential learning theory, it includes two aspects at Keuka China Programs, which are FP401 I Career Management and FP401 Ⅱ Experiential Learning for three credits. Students at all academic levels apply learning to external environment’s challenges. By pursuing goal-oriented learning in a carefully selected setting, students integrate knowledge learned in the classroom with practical experience to make connections and enrich learning. Field Period provides opportunities for awareness of social responsibility, cultural literacy, personal growth, and career possibilities. Each student initiates and designs her or his learning experience in consultation with a faculty advisor at the partner university. The faculty advisor helps the student prepare for and reflect on the experience and evaluates the learning accomplished.

The out-of –class aspect of Field Period is a four-year experience, that means from freshman to senior. A Field Period Practicum is a student initiated and directed learning process which includes:

1. finding and securing an appropriate Field Period site;
2. developing learning objectives, writing a learning contract, and gaining approval of the learning contract;
3. real-world work during the field experience;
4. reflection, synthesis, and experimentation during and after the experience;
5. assessment and evaluation;
6. assistance from the counselors of all the partner universities is required in the aspect of life-long learning; therefore it is a four-year experience from their entry until graduation.

WHEN IS FIELD PERIOD?
Field Period is conducted and spread out through 4 years of the Keuka China Programs. Prerequisite for Field Period (FP401 Ⅱ) is the Career Management Course (FP401Ⅰ)

TYPES OF FIELD PERIOD PRACTICUM EXPERIENCES
Each student consults with a faculty member of each partner university, who acts as the faculty Field Period evaluator, to establish individual learning objectives and to complete the follow-up evaluation. Each student also prepares a written and oral presentation and unique evaluation project subsequent to the Field Period. Placements may be either paid or unpaid.
1. Career Exploration- Includes those Field Periods which a student uses to investigate a potential profession, occupation, or field. While participating in a Career Exploration Field Period, a student will normally be in an entry-level position with commensurate responsibilities. These Field Periods are excellent opportunities for a student to find out if she or he is interested in and/or wants to pursue a career area. Students often choose a Career Exploration Field Period as first-year students. Challenges to a Career Exploration Field Period include the fact that students often have taken only limited course work relevant to the field, limiting synthesis of theoretical and applied learning. Tasks can also seem simplistic.
2. Career Development - Includes those Field Periods where a student is gaining more experience in an area related to the career the student wishes to pursue. Students doing a Career Development Field Period will normally be in a more advanced position, with more advanced responsibilities, and more course work upon which to reflect.
3. Service Learning - Includes those Field Periods in which the student wishes to give something back to the community. While pursuing a Service Learning Field Period a student can have a variety of levels of responsibility and pursue tasks ranging from entry level to more advanced. Often the new environment in which the student works is a challenge in and of itself.
4. Diversity/Cultural Exploration - Includes those Field Periods where a student is immersed in an environment different than the one in which she or he lives. Environments can be different culturally, geographically, or economically. Students doing a Diversity/Culture Exploration are usually in a very explorative role, with the new environment in which the student works creating a challenge.
5. Personal Growth - Personal Growth Field Periods are difficult to categorize because they are so diverse. They can include intellectual inquiry, adventure, personal exploration, or other individual investigations endeavors.


SUMMARY OF FIELD PERIOD PRACTICUM PROCEDURES
To successfully complete a Field Period Practicum each student must execute the following steps:
1. Successfully complete Field Period Ⅰ: Career Management Course during the second semester of the first year and the first semester of the second year attending as a Keuka China Programs student (required of all new Keuka students).
2. THINK about goals and objectives and EXPLORE options and write out general goals for the Field Period Practicum over the four years.
3. MEET with faculty advisor to:
a. Assess individual interests, skills, goals and review written general learning goals; 
b. Research and consider Field Period Practicum possibilities;
c. Gain tentative approval to develop type of Field Period and site from the potential placement.
4. COMMUNICATE with potential placement site and DEVELOP tentative agreement; 
5. COMPLETE and DESIGN Learning Contract and WRITE Confirmation Letter; 
6. MEET with faculty advisor to gain approval of Learning Contract and Confirmation Letter.
7. RECEIVE Sponsorship and Learning contract forms back from organization and SUBMIT forms to the University who will submit to Keuka College, Registrar Office.
8. Continue to COMMUNICATE with your site to reaffirm your placement and start details.
9. PARTICIPATE in Field Period Practicum (follow the required hours stated in COURSE ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE), continually ASSESS learning experiences and progress toward goals, and COMMUNICATE with Field Period Practicum Advisor as necessary; 
10. Upon completion of field time, MEET with faculty Field Period Practicum evaluator for discussion and evaluation of learning accomplished. 
11. Submit final signed Learning Contract, Supervisor Evaluation form and Summary paper for final grades to your instructors.

PRINCIPLES OF GOOD FIELD PERIOD PRACTICUMS
1. Field Periods are experiences in which a student is in direct contact with the subject being studied. The learning is student-directed and largely unfiltered by “experts,” teachers, etc. Good Field Periods involve the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains and they immerse a student in some kind of community or organization. They involve consequence and risk vulnerability. In these significant aspects, Field Periods are different from independent study or research projects.
2. Field Periods are opportunities for students to explore the world and open new horizons. Placements which broaden a student’s personal development, enhance cultural understanding or a diversity of socioeconomic or geographic experiences develop, a sense of service, or increase career development and/or career exploration are to be encouraged.
3. Field Period Practicum involves experiential learning experiences spread out in 4 years. The Field Period Practicum generally provide more opportunity and a better chance for students to understand the culture within which they are working, to experiment, to make changes and demonstrate improvements, and to grow.
4. Field Periods help students fulfill the Mission of Keuka College, particularly in encouraging curiosity, scholarship, and active participation in the learning process. Field Periods help students achieve College graduate outcomes, particularly those relating to:
a. Communication skills
b. Thinking skills
c. Breadth of knowledge
d. Intellectual initiative
e. Values
f. Independence/interdependence
g. Diversity
h. Responsibility
5. Field Period is an example of experiential learning. Students should complete/engage in:
a. Frontloading and preparation
b. Concrete experience
c. Observation and reflection
d. Abstract conceptualization and generalization
e. Experimentation and evaluation
6. As an example of experiential learning, Field Periods should include appropriate challenge, consequences, and risk (intellectual, social, and/or physical). Because of risks and consequences, students require support and assistance, particularly during their initial Field Periods. Communication with and/or site visits by Field Period evaluators are encouraged for all students.
7. The process of finding and securing a Field Period is an important part of the learning process. It is also a skill very transferable to career placement. Reflection, synthesis, experimentation, and evaluation are critical elements for a good Field Period. “Education is a journey, not a destination.” Close support and critical advice from the faculty advisor are critical here.
8. Written communication is an important aspect of the learning and skill building involved with a Field Period. All written material, including correspondence, evaluations, reports, etc., should conform to the standards set forth by the Keuka College Graduate Student Outcomes Statement for Effective Written Communication.
9. Sites, roles, tasks, and supervision should support the goals and objectives of Field Period as defined in this handbook. In addition, the placement should support the College goals of developing breadth of knowledge, intellectual initiative, independence, and responsibility. Therefore, sites at which the student has worked, volunteered, or studied within the previous three years are strongly discouraged.
10. Goals and objectives, as specified in the Field Period Learning Contract, are critical measures of how the Field Period meets the College’s mission and goals. The more measurable the learning objectives, the easier Field Period evaluation will be.
11. As for all academic course work, faculty are ultimately responsible for approving and evaluation and assessing the learning which takes place in a Field Period.

FIELD PERIOD POLICIES
General
1. Credit:
As a graduation requirement, each student is required to satisfactorily complete one part per year of Field Period Practicum FP401 Ⅱ, encompassing four different experiences.
2. Time Commitment:
a. Field Period encompasses real world participations during 4 years of study term.
b. Any deviance from this minimum will be approved only by special arrangement with the student’s faculty advisor or evaluator. In cases of less than minimum hours, additional projects of an Incomplete will be assigned.


Preparation and Registration
1. Preparation and Registration Overview-To be registered for Field Period Practicum, a student must: 
a. meet with a faculty advisor to discuss general plans and ideas;
b. find a potential placement site;
c. develop a tentative agreement with the site;
d. write Confirmation Letter, design Learning Contract;
e. gain advisor and/or evaluator approval of the aforementioned paperwork;
f. submit approved practicum paperwork to the sponsoring university;
g. submit the site supervisor-signed and returned Learning Contract to sponsoring university for registration of course.
2. Development of General Learning Goals and Confirmation of Advisor/Evaluator: Before the Field Period practicum, the student meets with an academic advisor to decide on general learning goals and to discuss opportunities for the upcoming Field Period.
3. Learning Contracts - Learning Contracts must be completely filled-out by the student and approved by advisor.
4. Confirmation Letter: Each student writes a formal letter of confirmation to the appropriate individual at the chosen organization for the Field Period experience. Confirmation letters must adhere to commonly accepted business letter format. The letter must be approved by the student’s faculty advisor or evaluator. A copy must be submitted to the sponsoring university for file.
5. Acceptance at Site: Sponsoring organizations respond directly back to the student as to their willingness to have the student complete the experience described. Upon receiving the supervisor-signed Learning Contract back from the site, the approved Contract must be submitted to the sponsoring university. Significant changes made by the site supervisor must be approved by the Faculty Advisor.
6. Registration: The submission, to the sponsoring university, of a Field Period Practicum Learning Contract, with all required signatures, serves as registration for Field Period. The Learning Contract must be returned to the Registrars Office and filed in the Center for Experiential Learning Office in order to receive academic credit. If a student fails to submit a signed Learning Contract, summary paper and supervisor evaluation, the student will not be registered for the Field Period Practicum and will not receive credit.
7. Deadline Dates: Deadlines will be established yearly and will be announced as part of the specific sponsoring university calendar. Students who miss deadlines may be required to obtain advisor approval, pay a late fee, and/or be denied the opportunity to register for that Field Period Practicum. Credit for Field Period will not be granted retroactively.

Evaluation and Assessment
Minimum Requirements for Evaluation of the individual Field Period Experience:
1. journal reflecting on the experience and describing significant events;
2. written report or summary in which theory is integrated with practice and the impact of the experience on the student’s future is described;
3. an oral discussion (preferably in a group) with the faculty evaluator to assess the extent to which goals were accomplished;
4. review of the placement site supervisor’s evaluation. A verbal evaluation may be sought at the request of the faculty evaluator.

Miscellaneous Policies
1. Placements - Placements at which the student has worked, volunteered, or studied within the previous three years are discouraged. In order to merit approval they require particularly ambitious learning goals and objectives and convincing evaluation tools.
2. Compensation - Field Periods may be paid or unpaid. The matter of compensation is arranged between the student and the placement site.
3. To graduate, all Keuka China Programs students must complete one standard individual Field Period Practicum encompassing the four years.
4. Communication - In case of difficulties or problems, it is the student’s responsibility to communicate with her/his faculty advisor at the sponsoring university. It is recommended that all students communicate with their faculty advisor at least once during the field portion of the Field Period Practicum.
5. Departure of Faculty Evaluator: Should the faculty evaluator leave the College between the time of registration and completion of the student’s field experience, the division chair becomes responsible to ensure evaluation of the Field Period. Evaluation will be based on Keuka College Field Period Practicum Policies and the criteria established in the Learning Contract.

FIELD PERIOD GRADING AND EVALUATION
1. Process of Evaluation: Evaluation and grading are based upon established Keuka College Field Period Policies and individual grading criteria developed by the student and the Field Period faculty evaluator during the preparation stage. The student meets with the faculty evaluator to evaluate the Field Period experience.
2. Field Period Grading: Credit is assigned to the Field Period Experience by the faculty evaluator.
3. Withdrawals:
a. The student withdraws from Field Period. A student may withdraw by the end of the first five working days of the placement in which case a grade of Withdrawn (W) will be assigned.
b. The student notifies the faculty evaluator, if the student cannot reach the faculty evaluator, they contact the sponsoring university WITHIN THE FIRST FIVE WORKONG DAYS OF THE PLACEMENT for withdrawal from Field Period Practicum.
c. The student sends written confirmation of withdrawal to the sponsoring university within a week following the original notification.
d. If a student withdraws from Field Period, failure to notify the faculty evaluator or sponsoring university of withdrawal from the Field Period by the end of first week results in an automatic grade of (F) for the Field Period.
e. Withdrawal from the University. Even though a student may not be returning to Keuka College China program at the completion of the Field Period experience, the student may still receive academic credit for the completed Field Period Practicum if all regular Field Period time lines are met. The student must contact the faculty evaluator and meet the evaluation criteria established in the Field Period proposal. Failure to do so will result in a grade of (F) for the Field Period Practicum.