Weber
State University Teacher Education Department
Secondary
Professional Core Level
Criteria for Senior Project Approval and Completion
(use the link at the left to download and print a copy of these instructions)
As an advanced standing
student, the senior project allows the student teacher to bring professional
expertise, dispositions and interests to bear on real situations outside of the
student teaching experience. Typically,
students choose projects in one of three categories of professional endeavor:
teaching, service, or research. Student teachers may choose to: compile
instructional materials, develop curriculum, develop presentations using
technology, provide a community service, complete action research, or another
activity that requires personal and professional skills. To receive credit for the senior project,
complete the following:
- Project Proposal. Obtain written approval for the project
from the designated instructor
before beginning the project. The following criteria must be met for a project
to be approved.
A. Projects that student teachers begin within
six months of the start of the student teaching may be considered for approval.
Projects begun earlier do not reflect the full scope of students’ professional
development. The senior project can also be completed during the student
teaching
semester.
B. Activities for which the student teacher is
paid, are not eligible for approval.
C. The senior project must be independent of the
student teaching assignment. That is, it must be different from anything
required as part of regular student teaching. For example, curriculum a student
teacher would write for the student teaching classes is not eligible. However,
the project
may parallel the student
teaching experience, such as developing and collecting materials to support
future teaching experiences.
D. Senior projects completed in the Department
of Fine Arts/Music (Senior Recital or Art Show) receive automatic
approval. These may be used or choose
another idea.
The Department of History
‘s senior research may be approved, if the following conditions are
met:
1) a scholarly/professional
presentation is made to students, faculty, and other interested parties;
2) advertisement of the “history presentation”;
3) 3 research projects may be presented together;
4) multimedia is recommended.
The Department of Science
has numerous opportunities for senior projects. See Dr. Adam Johnston for
information.
All other departmental
senior projects are reviewed for their connection to the student’s development
as an educator.
E. Projects must take at least 30 hours to
complete.
F. Approval signatures are required from the
Community Collaborator or Other faculty and the designated Teacher Ed. faculty.
2. Project
Log. Document time spent, and
activity: date, amount of time, and one
or two sentences reflecting on the activity of the day.
3. Reflection
Paper. Report on the outcomes of your project. Use only one double-spaced
page.
4. Oral
summary. Present a five- to ten-minute presentation (celebration) of your project during the Senior Synthesis
(EDUC 4960) at the end of the semester.
The presentation must include some visual representation of the project
(video, photos, actual project materials, etc.)
*Submit
items 2-3 at the time of your oral presentation.
Some examples of senior projects that have been done are:
tutoring; coaching; reading more books in your content and lesson planning for them so you can use them in your teaching or submitting a book review to UCIRA journal; creating an exercise program for a senior care center and teaching it; teaching extra classes in an area of expertise; creating an art piece and donating it; advising a group; after school activities; competitions; judging; assisting a teacher with a production, etc.