Experiential Learning Credit

You may be interested in becoming a Lutheran Elementary School teacher because you have served as a paraprofessional, volunteer classroom aide, or guest speaker/teacher at your congregation's school or your local public school. These professional experiences may be applicable toward completing the Early Field Experience I, Early Field Experience II, or Literacy Clinical requirements. 

Each of the field experience courses has specific requirements that must be demonstrated through the submission of a portfolio of collected resources. 

• Early Field Experience I requires 40 hours of classroom observation and guided teaching (e.g. reading a book identified by the classroom teacher, leading the class in an activity, or supporting individual students during a lesson) that learners must complete before their student teaching term. In addition to demonstrating the completion of 40 hours of observation, learners must complete a reflection journal. 

• Field Experience II requires 40 hours of classroom observation and guided teaching (e.g., administering tests, listening to student recitations, leading opening activities, assisting in the supervision of recess or other non-academic activities) that learners must complete before their student teaching term. In addition to completing 40 hours of observation, learners must complete a case study. 

• Literacy Clinical requires 40 hours of classroom observation 

Please note that field experience credit by experience will not be awarded for observations where  

• A student teacher is assigned. 

• A substitute teacher is assigned. 

• A family member is the instructor of the class. 

Additionally, as you consider credit by experience, please note that 

• All forty hours of observation for Early Field Experience I should be completed with one group of students and their licensed teacher(s), e.g., a first and second grade class, a third-grade class, or a departmentalized sixth-grade class. 

• All forty hours of observation for Early Field Experience II should be completed with one group of students and their licensed teacher(s), e.g., a first and second grade class, a third-grade class, or a departmentalized sixth-grade class 

• The same group of students and their licensed teacher cannot be observed for both Early Field Experience I and Early Field Experience II. 

Learners attempting Experiential Learning Credit will be enrolled in an ELC Field Experience course in Brightspace. The course begins with a resume activity so that the instructors of the course can determine which courses can be completed through experiential learning credit. The course provides additional resources, including the required reflection journal questions; model reflection journals and case studies; templates; and rubrics, as well as a space to submit the portfolio of evidence and required reflection/case study for the courses you are assigned. The final submission will be reviewed by the Director of Field Experience, the Licensure Office, and the Director of Nontraditional Education. 

If you believe you have professional experience that should be considered for courses beyond these three courses, please contact the Director of Nontraditional Education for guidance on the next steps. All other courses will follow the MLC process for Experiential Learning Credit. The learner must provide supporting documentation in the form of a portfolio. Three faculty members evaluate the portfolio to determine if the prior experience fulfills course objectives. Application forms may be obtained from the academic deans. A $50 nonrefundable fee is charged for each application.