Confidential
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Examples of EffectivePractice
Facultyof Education (Practicum)
TheFacultyof Educationseeks topromote theprofessional andscholarlygrowthof teacher
candidates as reflective, caring, andcompetent teachingprofessionals. All students enrolled in
Pre-ServiceTeacher EducationProgramsmust completeapracticum(EL) component aspart of
theBachelor of Education (B.Ed.) degree requirement. Experiential learning in theB.Ed.
programenables students todemonstrate their overall competence in the fundamentalsof
classroompractice through their ability toanalyzeand reflect on their practice, toassess the
effectsof their teaching, and to refineand improve their classroominstruction.
Kolb’s (2014) EL cycle, focusingaround“experiencing, reflecting, thinking, andacting” (p. 295),
is evident in thedesignof theFacultyof EducationB.Ed. degreeprogram,which integrates field
practicumplacementswithacademic studies. Thedesignanddeliveryof B.Ed. courseshave
beenset up toscaffold learningduringexperiential fieldpractica,withcourse-based
instruction. This supports theapplicationof theory inpractice; thepracticahasbeendesigned
toprovide learningexperienceswithwhich toapply theory inpractice, praxis.
Topromote reflectionand thinkingabout learningandprofessional development, directed
mentoring isprovided throughout practica. FacultyAdvisors andAssociateTeachersmentor
andassess each teacher candidate’sprofessional development and reflectivepracticeby
providingmodelling, guidance, support and feedback. Additionally, to foster self-reflection, the
FacultyAdvisor facilitates each teacher candidate’sdevelopment of an individual Professional
GrowthPortfolio (akin toanePortfolio)withwhich they caneffectivelyarticulateand reflect
upon their growthas a teachingprofessional.
NursingSimulationLab (Laboratory)
TheFacultyofNursing’s simulation facility replicatespalliativecare suites, hospital rooms, and
primary careoffices, all designed tohelpclose thegapbetween research, theory, andpractice
byproviding studentswithopportunities toengage insimulated learningopportunities that
prepare themfor and/or enhance their actual clinical practice.
Simulations are levelledanddesigned toprovide studentswitha concreteexperience toapply
what theyhave learned in theclassroombyengaging ina life-like scenario. Scenarioshave
clear andspecific learningobjectives andareappropriately linked to theory. Through the
scenarios, students areable toapply their knowledgebyassessing their patients andmaking
clinical decisions. Because simulations are life-like, theyoften involvehighemotional
engagement andproduce lastingmental images that are thought to increaseknowledge
retentionand improveclinical judgment abilities (Dillardet al., 2009; Fanning&Gaba, 2007).
