Practicum FAQs
This resource is designed to answer common questions about the practicums.
Please note that assigned observations and practicums are mandatory. Alternate
assignments cannot be provided as substitutes. Instructors are charged with
helping students address issues related to practicums. Please do not refer
students to advisors to resolve practicum concerns. If you need assistance in
responding to a student’s question about practicums, please consult the Faculty
Specialists at http://fsi.gcu.edu/
Please refer to the practicum manual available at the GCU College of Education
website for details on all issues related to the practicums.
Why does the learner need to complete practicum hours?
Practicum experiences are field-based learning opportunities that focus on observation,
application, and reflection. Practicum experiences require the College of Education
learner to spend a prescribed amount of time in a real-life classroom setting in order to
demonstrate competency with predetermined activities that are aligned to professional
standards in the field of education. In order to establish on-going connections between
what learners learn in their courses, some courses require that learners perform
practicum hours.
What happens if students do not submit their Practicum Agreements?
They need to submit them by the last week of the course. If not, the student doesn’t
receive credit for any assignments related to the practicum.
Can the practicum hours be waived for the learner who is a classroom teacher?
No. Continuous learning by today's classroom teachers is necessary for the survival and
improvement of the American educational system. Teachers improve their instructional
practices when observing/working with other teachers; it provides insight into their own
practices as well as introducing them to new ideas and techniques. Grand Canyon
University recognizes that it is a challenge for the classroom teacher to find time to do
this, but believes it is a necessity as it affords the classroom teacher the opportunity to
observe and participate in diverse education settings and to apply the theories and
concepts learned in their program coursework.
Where do students and instructors locate the forms associated with practicums
and the practicum manuals?
The forms are located on the COE website, available to both faculty and students.
How does the learner select a practicum/field experience setting?
During the school year, it is important that the learner adhere to the guidelines that are
outlined for the practicum requirement for the course for securing the appropriate
practicum setting. However, during the summer months, the learner is encouraged to be
a critical thinker when selecting a practicum/field experience setting.
This will involve the learner:
 Thinking ‘out of the box’.
 Using several sources of information to find an answer.
 Considering any and all possibilities.
 Questioning, probing, analyzing and evaluating.
Possible thinking ‘out of the box’ resources (for summer months only):
 Local School Directory (All states listed)
http://www.localschooldirectory.com/
 State Department of Education Websites:
Arizona Department of Education http://www.ade.state.az.us/
 Private School Review (All states listed)
http://www.privateschoolreview.com/
 Faith-Based Schools (All states listed)
http://www.faithbasedschools.org/
 K-12 Academics, Special Education Schools (All states listed)
http://www.k12academics.com/national-directories/special-education-sch
 Summer Camp Programs (All states listed)
http://www.mysummercamps.com/camps/summer-camp-guide.html
 THINK Together
This tutoring program is one of California’s leading and largest providers of
academically-oriented outcomes-focused out-of-school programs. This school
year, THINK Together will serve 50,000 learners and their families at more than
200 sites in communities across a four-county region of Southern California (Los
Angeles, Orange, Riverside & San Bernardino Counties).
 Tutoring Programs – Kumon Math and Reading Centers, Sylvan Learning
Centers
 Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA/YWCA
 Summer School Programs
 Continuing Education Courses
 English classes offered by the United States Office of Immigration and
Naturalization Services
 English classes offered by the Catholic or Lutheran Social Services
In a master's in secondary education, can a student observe 6th grade?
No, students must observe in a grade that relates to the degree. This is true across all
programs.
What if a school district tells the learner that they need a letter to complete their
practicum hours?
The Regional Field Experience Specialists in the College of Education can provide a
letter that confirms that the learner attends Grand Canyon University and states the
learner’s degree program, the class in which the learner is completing practicum hours,
and the number of hours required for the practicum. However, in order for the Field
Experience Specialist to complete this in a timely manner, the learner must provide the
following information to them in an email.
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Learner’s full name
Course prefix, number, and full course title
Number of practicum hours to be completed
Name of the school district and the contact person’s name
E-mail address or fax number where the letter is to be sent
What is a benchmark assessment assignment?
All Grand Canyon University teacher preparation programs are based on professional
standards for educators (such as, the Arizona Professional Teacher Standards/APTS
and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium/INTASC). In
order to determine whether or not the graduates of our programs possess essential
knowledge, skills, and dispositions related to high quality teachers, benchmark
assessment assignments have been developed for each course. These benchmark
assessments, the heart of the course in terms of the core learning objectives, will
require COE learners to demonstrate competency of essential learning experiences that
are standards-based and program-essential.
Can the Field Experience Specialist make any practicum/field experience site
accommodations or adjustments to the benchmark assessment assignment?
No. It is the learner’s responsibility to communicate any challenges they are
experiencing with the practicum/field experience to the Angel instructor;
accommodations and/or exceptions are left up to the instructor’s discretion.
Are there any specific requirements a learner should consider when selecting a
practicum/field placement site?
Yes. It is important for the learner to consider the course practicum/field placement
setting requirements when selecting their site. It should be noted that it is not necessary
to meet all the following requirements in each and every course; rather, they must be
met over the entire program of study. The following categories demand consideration
when planning the selection of sites:
 Two (2) experiences must be in a school with a 65% or more ethnic learner
population.
 At least one (1) experience must be in a Title I school setting.
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One (1) experience in each grade-level group.
o Elementary Education
 K - 2nd
 3rd – 5th
 6th – 8th
 Secondary Education
 7th- 8th
 9th – 12th
 Elementary/Special Education
 K – 2nd
 3rd – 5th
 6th – 8th
At least two (2) experiences must be in a different school.
A total of three (3) experiences must be in public schools.
What is a Title One School?
 At least 40% of children in the school attendance area or the learner enrollment
are from low income families.
 Most frequently measured by the percentage of learners receiving free and
reduced lunch.
How do I know how many hours of practicum are required for my course?
Consult the information in the document entitled “COE Courses with Practicum Hours.”
What if a student fails to complete the full number of hours required for the
practicum?
For an “N” course, the instructor could award an Incomplete IF the instructor is going to
remain involved with the student beyond the contract period of the course; otherwise,
the student will fail the class since the benchmark assignment (which requires the
practicum) is worth so many points that the student cannot pass the course. If the
instructor decides on an incomplete, it will require a personal commitment on her part
and she’ll need to fill-out the official Incomplete form through the university policy. Note
that the Incomplete cannot extend beyond 5 weeks. If the student fails to complete the
work, the grade converts to F.
For” non-N” courses, instructors may choose to award the Incomplete as described
above or simply drop the final grade by one full letter grade.
How do instructors keep track of practicum hours?
The students keep track of the practicum hours on their practicum timesheet that they
have to get signed by the co-op teacher and submit to the instructor.
Where do students submit paperwork related to the practicum if there is not a
dropbox in the grading area for the materials?
They should submit everything to TaskStream for documentation, not the classroom
message board or email. They may need to scan and upload electronically to
TaskStream to do so.
Does the Teacher Evaluation Feedback form need to be completed where
students are just doing observations?
Yes, the co-op teacher should fill out the form and write it from the perspective of
“observation.” This will ensure that some qualitative feedback is available about the
student’s involvement.
What if students do not submit to TaskStream the practicum related assignments
that are required to be submitted to TaskStream?
They do not receive credit for the assignments related to TaskStream.
Are student practicum observation reflections graded by the faculty?
No, they are just verified.
Are original signatures needed on practicum forms?
Students may submit forms with electronic signatures or just type in the names, but
students must retain hard copies with original signatures of all practicum related forms
that require signatures.
What about students who are active military stationed in war zones?
Practicums and observations are mandatory activities, but exceptions can be made in
such cases. If no school is available, the students can submit a 5-10 page APA style
research paper on an aspect of the topic of the course that is most interesting to them
What if students are to complete a practicum in an ESL classroom and there are
no English as a Second Language students in the school?
If an ESL classroom is not available, then a remedial Language Arts classroom, a
remedial reading classroom, or a special education language arts class is acceptable.
What, specifically, is the instructor’s obligation for verifying the practicum
documentation?
There is no obligation beyond just checking if there is a suspicion.