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Field Experience: Riley College of Education and Human Sciences: FAQs for Candidates

FAQs for Teacher and Principal Candidates

How do I get to my ePortfolio and who should I contact if I have technical problems?

The link to your ePortfolio is found under the Academics tab on your myWalden portal. Please contact Customer Care with any technical questions regarding your ePortfolio (support@mail.waldenu.edu or 1-800-925-3368).

What are Transition Points and how can I monitor them?

Transition Points are specific times during the program when you must meet certain requirements in order to move on in the program and ultimately be recommended for licensure. It is your responsibility to manage your own progress through the four transition points. The transition point requirements for your program are listed in your Guidebook, which is located on your myWalden page. You will also see a placeholder for each transition point requirement in your ePortfolio which you can use to self-monitor your progress.

What field experience forms are required during my program?

Each program has specific field experience forms that will be due at various points in the program. Please refer to the program page on the Field Experience website and the Field Experience Handbook or Candidate Guidebook for a list with descriptions and deadlines of each form.

Do I need to complete a background check or any other requirements before starting in the field?

Many field experience placement sites will require candidates to complete a background check or fingerprinting process prior to starting the placement. Upon notification of your field experience confirmation, the Office of Field Experiences will notify you if the district/school will require this of you. It is your responsibility to complete the necessary steps prior to starting the placement; otherwise your field experience could be delayed. Please also note that many states require candidates to complete a background check screening process before being approved for a license. Please read additional information about background checks in your Candidate Guidebook. 

When can I expect to receive notification about my placements?

The timeframe for the OFE to confirm your placements can vary greatly. With some placements there are many details involved in setting up a quality experience that meets program requirements. The OFE will make every effort to finalize all of your placement details at least 1-2 months prior to the start of the experience; however, at times the details may not be made available to the coordinators until 1-2 weeks prior. Once the placement details are confirmed, you will receive all of the necessary information via Walden email. Please feel free to contact the Field Experience Coordinators (fieldexperience@mail.waldenu.edu) to inquire about your placement status at any time.

How do I document my field experience hours?

For the teacher licensure and endorsement programs, you will keep track of your hours on timesheets. The timesheets are located in your ePortfolio. Please print them off, have your host teacher sign off on them, then scan and save them to your computer for uploading into your ePortfolio. You will be required to submit a timesheet for each field experience course in the program. 

For the principal licensure programs, you will keep track of your hours on a field experience log sheet. These are located in your ePortfolio in placeholders called “Field Experience Forms” under Transition Point 3. Please print them off, have your principal mentor sign off on them, then scan and save them to your computer for uploading into your ePortfolio. You will be required to submit one log sheet and one Principal Mentor Field Experience Sign Off (also located in the Field Experience Forms placeholder) at the conclusion of each field experience placement.

Can I submit my classroom verification forms instead of timesheets to my ePortfolio?

For the BSEE and MAT programs, you will complete verification forms for submission with your course assignments. In your ePortfolio, submitting the timesheets is preferable, but it is acceptable to submit all of the classroom verification forms you submitted with your weekly application assignments during a course instead of a timesheet.

Who do I contact if I have questions about my Major Assessments?

You should contact the faculty member of the course in which the Major Assessment was due.

How do I find out information about the application for licensure process for my state and/or any exams I need to take for program completion or state licensure?

The licensure programs have a Certification Officer who is available to answer these types of questions for you or refer you to the appropriate resources. Please email educlicensure@mail.waldenu.edu for help with these types of questions.