PRACTICUM

 

For the third and final semester of the International Education Management program, students must complete a practicum at a site of their choosing. Practicum postiions are applied for independently during the second semester of study. To successfully complete the practicum, students must submit 7-11 deliverables, or projects, that are mutually benficial to the student and organization, and that demonstrate knowledge of IEM program learning outcomes, skills, and competencies.

 

IEM Learning Outcomes:

 

International Education Theory and Best Practice: Demonstrate foundational knowledge in the field of international education by articulating trends and debates and applying best practices

Intercultural and Linguistic Competency: Work with and support others appropriately and effectively in culturally and linguistically diverse environments

Program Design and Assessment: Design, implement, and assess international education programming

Resource Generation: Engage stakeholders and generate financial and human resources through marketing, recruitment, enrollment management, and/or fundraising initiatives

Resource Management and Administration: Contribute to effective program administration through project management, strategic planning, data management, budgeting, and staff management skills

 

 

Practicum at the Middlebury S.V. Starr School in Germany (Mainz, Germany)

My personal goal for practicum was to find "a position overseas that will allow me to apply the skills I have gained in my coursework in a practical setting, while also using my German language skills." I was fortunate to find a practicum position that matched my goal exactly, and am currently completing my practicum as program assistant for the Middlebury C.V. Starr School in Germany. My main tasks include working on the deliverables mentioned above, as well as providing support to the Middlebury team, split between the school's two locations in Mainz and Berlin. Examples of deliverables to be completed for the School in Germany include:

 

Networking Seminar for the Middlebury School in Germany Staff

A seminar with PowerPoint presentation and handouts, plus a Networking Guide to inform School in Germany staff about networking in the American context

 

Reflection Rubric Assessment for Analytical Notebook Reflections

An assessment of current rubrics used to evaluate the level of reflection (description - critical reflection) in participants' analytical notebooks, which is part of a larger project that will investigate the correlation between participant IDI (Intercultural Development Index) scores and levels of reflection in the analytical notebooks

 

Helping Students Take Risks

A research project meant to answer the question "How do we get program participants to take more risks?" that explores theories of acculturation and acculturative stress, as well as cognitive anxiety, and offers methods for combatting student anxiety abroad.

 

Staff Management Evaluation

An evaluation and subsequent recommendations report to assess the efficacy of relations between staff and tutors (local students hired by the program to run writing workshops for participants), communication methods, and level of engagement

 

Alumni Outreach Project

An interview project that will gather anecdotes, soundbites, and video clips from previous participants to help inform future participants about cultural differences and next steps after study abroad

 

Re-Entry Resource Expansion

A project that will provide program participants with a variety of re-entry resources, as well as a guide to navigate available resources, to be supplemented by the above outreach project