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College of Education Principal Preparation Field Experience :
Field Experiences

Overview of Field Experiences

This page provides an overview of your Field Experiences and includes the actions you must complete in order to successfully apply for and complete the experiences. You can use this page as a resource as you progress through this portion of your principal preparation program.

Your principal preparation program contains six Field Experiences courses. Each Field Experience course requires a minimum of 40 – 60 hours (depending on your degree level and course) working with your assigned principal mentor in schools near you. Walden University’s Office of Field Experiences (OFE) coordinates your Field Experience placements for you; you must complete your Field Experience hours with the principal mentors assigned by the OFE.

You must submit an Application for your Field Experience courses in your first course of the program. The application is located in Meditrek, which houses your ePortfolio.

Field Experience Preparation Course

To help ease your anxiety in the field experience process, Walden offers a 0-credit Field Experience Preparation course, a structured experience that guides you through the application process and currently available readiness resources. The course is designed to complement other pre-requisite courses you need in preparation for field experiences. There may be reasons why you need to postpone a field experience course, or the readiness course may not be necessary if a field experience opportunity has already been secured for you. In these instances, you may opt out of the course.

Getting Started with Meditrek, your ePortfolio system

Meditrek, a product of HSoft Corporation, is the user-friendly ePortfolio tool that you will use to apply for and track your field experiences.

Meditrek Tips & Tricks

Meditrek Tips & Tricks

Try these top tips & tricks to login into Meditrek!

  • Make sure you are using the correct link: https://edu.meditrek.com/
    • Don’t forget to include the ‘edu.’ before typing meditrek.com or the login will not be successful.
    • Please note that there is no ‘www.’ in the link; if you include ‘www.’, the link will not work.
    • Do not use www.meditrek.com.
    • Do not do an internet search or “google” to find Meditrek as it may bring you to the incorrect site.
    • After logging in successfully, please bookmark the site for future use.
  • Remember the password is case sensitive. Don’t forget to capitalize when needed!
  • Try a different browser!
    • Meditrek is compatible with the following browsers:
    • If you utilize Internet Explorer, there may be issues with the local security system. If you use Microsoft Internet Explorer or Edge, you may have to click “Use Another Account” or “More Choices” at the bottom of the sign-in frame, to force it to provide you with an edit box for your Meditrek username.
  • Using a work computer? There may be a firewall or another security mechanism preventing you from logging on. Try your personal computer.
  • Please note that mobile devices and tablets may not be compatible with the Meditrek system.
  • Try restarting your browser; close all tabs and windows and start the login process from scratch.
  • Disable any pop-up blockers on your browser.
  • Make sure there are no spaces or punctuation in your username or password textboxes.
  • If you have tried to copy and paste the username and password in the textboxes, try typing the username and password directly into the textboxes manually.

Submitting a Field Experience Application

You are required to submit a Field Experience Application during your first course, MEDU 6002/EDSP 7002 Foundations: Educational Leadership and Administration.

The application consists of multiple components you must complete.

The OFE will review your application once you submit all component parts. If you do not submit the Field Experience Application, a hold will be placed on your record. The hold will prevent you from being registered for the next term of courses and will delay your program.

Important Notice: If you began your principal preparation program in Winter 2024 or earlier, you do not need to submit a Field Experience Application in Meditrek.

Professional Liability Insurance

You are also required to submit proof of professional liability insurance to your ePortfolio prior to starting your first field experience. Proof of insurance is due during the third course of the program.

Waiting for Your Field Experiences Placement Confirmation

The OFE will begin coordinating your Field Experience placements after you submit your application. While you wait to receive your placement confirmation(s) you should; 

  • Monitor your Walden email and Meditrek account for updates. 
  • Promptly provide any additional information required by the OFE or potential placement site. 
  • Communicate with the OFE if there are any changes that may impact your upcoming Field Experiences. 

Upon Receiving your Field Experiences Placement Confirmation

You will be assigned to principal mentors at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. You will be able to view each Field Experience placement by logging into Meditrek.

  • Once you receive your first Field Experience placement, contact your assigned principal mentor to introduce yourself and set up a schedule. 
  • Communicate with the OFE if anything changes or if you are unable to complete your Field Experience hours with your principal mentor, as assigned.
  • Wait for confirmation of subsequent Field Experience placements. 

Being Successful in your Field Experiences

  • Regularly communicate with your principal mentor and inform them if you are not able to visit their school on a day you had previously arranged to attend.
  • Start completing your hours at your approved field experience placement site and with your assigned principal mentor. 
  • Log the hours you complete each week on the appropriate log in Meditrek.   
  • Advise your principal mentor to log into Meditrek to sign off on your field experience log weekly and complete the evaluation for each Field Experience course toward the end of each course.
  • Communicate with the OFE if anything changes or if you are unable to complete your Field Experience hours with your principal mentor, as assigned.
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