SPECIAL EDUCATION DOCTORAL STUDENT MANUAL. Revised 2013

Transcription

1 SPECIAL EDUCATION DOCTORAL STUDENT MANUAL Revised

2 2 Organization of This Manual This manual is organized to provide quick access to information for doctoral student advising and self-advising in the Department of Special Education at the University of Illinois.

3 3 Chapter I - Introduction Table of Contents Welcome 6 Doctoral program overview 6 Professional and personal citizenship 7 Representing yourself, the Department, College, and University 10 Chapter II - Program Milestones Overview Academic Activities 12 Selecting an advisor 12 First year review 13 Coursework 17 Teaching and supervision 19 Research Specialization 19 Early Research project 20 Qualifying Exams 21 Dissertation 29 Professional Activities 29 Supervision 29 Teaching 31 Presentations 32 Reviewer and publications 33 Professional organizations 33 Chapter III - Resources and Evaluations

4 4 SpEd Doc plan 36 Formation of the Student's Research Committees 36 Policy for Academic Credit for Early Research Requirement and Qualifying Exams 37 Assistantship/Traineeship Information 38 Annual Student Progress Review 39 Appendices Glossary of terms 44 General department guidelines 52 Department space 52 Department resources 52 Doctoral Student - advisor agreement form 54 First Year Review Evaluation Form 56 Supervision Contract 61 Evaluation Form (TA/RA/ GA Supervision) 63 Special Education Doctoral Student Progress Summary 59 Ph. D. Program Activities Checklist ( Doc Plan ) 66 College of Education 66 Department of Special Education 66 Proposed Coursework 71

5 5 Chapter I Introduction

6 6 Welcome The faculty, staff, and students of the Department of Special Education at the University of Illinois would like to welcome you to our family. Although members of our department have varied interests and duties as they relate to the progress of the department, we are all a family. You will find that department members support both the professional and personal lives of our members. This is a wonderful place to further your academic education. We look forward to working with you. Doctoral program overview The doctoral program is composed of teaching, research, and service activities. For the purposes of this manual, the program activities have been categorized into academic and professional activities. Academic activities include: selecting an advisor, coursework, Research Specialization, Early Research requirement/capstone Project, Qualifying Exams, and the Dissertation. Professional activities include: student teacher supervision, college teaching, presentations, publications, and membership in professional organizations. To monitor student progress, the student will be evaluated annually within the department and in the Graduate College. The activities and regular progress monitoring will provide you with a rich and expansive experience and help you develop a skill set appropriate for a leadership position in the field of Special Education. Teaching, research, and service activities are identified in the SpEd Doc plan. In order to prepare students for teaching and research, all doctoral candidates are required to take courses that fulfill both College of Education and Special Education department requirements. Courses include, but are not limited to, research methods, Special Education foundations and current trends, theoretical courses, and seminars. A description of required

7 7 courses and electives can be found here. Students funded on a doctoral leadership grant may have additional required courses and should discuss with their advisor as to that grant s requirements. Doctoral students have the opportunity to work with faculty and doctoral student research projects and will also conduct at least two research projects of their own. Faculty members conduct a variety of research projects using qualitative and quantitative methods. Doctoral students are required to complete an Early Research project, a Capstone Project (required for Research Specialization - often the same project as the Early Research project), and their dissertation. These experiences should be aligned with your research interests, as they will provide the basis of your future scholarship. College teaching is an important skill doctoral students will develop. Teaching activities include assisting faculty members in teaching college courses and supervision. All doctoral students will assist or co-teach a special education course. Additionally, doctoral students assist faculty in supervising student teachers. Service is a critical component of your doctoral program and includes service within the department, college, and special education field. Service activities include committee work, article review. These activities support the mission of the department, college, and, more broadly, the special education field. Professional and personal citizenship The education field, and special education field in particular, is a small and connected community. Many faculty members are leaders in their respective fields. This provides you with an opportunity to interact with local, regional, state, national, and international level leaders in the field of special education. It is important to remember that the connections you make during

8 8 your time here can last throughout your career. As such, being a good citizen, both professionally and personally, is key to your success in both the Ph.D. program and as a teacher educator and leader in the field of Special Education. Professional citizenship. As you begin this new professional venture, it is important to remember to display good professional behavior within the department, college, and special education field. One of the benefits of the doctoral program includes program funding that covers nearly all of the student s tuition and fees and provides the student with a monthly stipend. If you receive a traineeship or assistantship, you will be provided with a letter from the department notifying you of the appointment, the stipend, your start date, the duration of your appointment, and the faculty member to which you must report. Traineeships or assistantships typically occur on a semester-by-semester basis and work obligations start prior to the semester commencing. Fall appointments begin August 15 and end December 21 of the semester. Spring semester appointments begin January 15 and end May 15. Make sure that you take note of these dates and make plans to be available and begin work by your scheduled start date. Be sure to seek out other opportunities that go beyond your identified responsibilities. Faculty are often interested in working with students on research projects or courses. If there is a class you are interested in learning more about or teaching, inquire about how you might help out with the course. Similarly, use your first year as an opportunity to learn about faculty research projects on which you may participate. Also consider actively participating in the Special Education Graduate Student Association (SEGSA), on department/college committees, and in student groups within state and national association (e.g., TASH, TED, AAIDD). The first year of the doctoral program is an excellent time to explore these opportunities. Discuss opportunities

9 9 and potential connections with faculty and doctoral students with similar research interests. Participating in these groups will provide you with opportunities to work with leaders in the department, college and field as well as provide mentoring opportunities to newer students. The doctoral program requires a significant amount of time dedicated to studying, reading, writing, supervising, conducting research, and teaching. Your workload can fluctuate as can your progress on different projects. Develop and maintain strong and consistent communication with both your advisor and your cohort as this can keep you on track and help you navigate program milestones. Your advisor will be both your harshest critic and your strongest ally. It is important for you to frequently communicate with him/her regarding any concerns you have and to obtain feedback on your work. Your cohort and other doctoral students can also provide professional and personal support. Personal citizenship. The Ph.D. program is demanding of your time and energy but remember that it is a marathon, not a sprint. Concentrate on building the best academic program for your interests and skills without concerning yourself with the progress of other doctoral students. After your coursework is completed, much of the work you will do is self-driven and self-designed. Therefore, some members in your cohort may move through the program more quickly than you while others might move more slowly. Enjoy your time while you are here and maintain a sense of yourself independent of your work life. It is important that you engage in activities that support and nurture your physical and mental health. You can take advantage of the many recreation, artistic, or service-related opportunities within the university and Champaign-Urbana community to relieve stress and develop new hobbies. Most importantly, maintain your relationships with family and friends through social media, phone calls, and visits

10 10 home. These connections provide the social and emotional support critical to success in the program. Representing yourself, the Department, College, and University The Department of Special Education, College of Education, and University of Illinois have long histories of academic, scholarship, and service excellence. As such, it is important to remember that in your doctoral program activities, you are a representative of the university, college, and department. Activities include, but are not limited to, college-wide (e.g., Graduate Student Conference; college committees), university-wide (e.g., Illini service day), research sites (e.g., public and private schools), national conferences (e.g., TED, AAIDD), and national organization work (e.g., membership on a national organization). When involved in program activities, standards of professional conduct, public representation, and branding should be strictly adhered to. It is important that new students continue the tradition of strong academic and scholarship excellence. The Special Education department faculty and students welcome you to our doctoral program. You are embarking on a professional journey filled with new knowledge and connections that has the potential to make a significant impact on teacher education and the supports and services available to individuals with disabilities and their families.

11 11 Chapter II Program Milestones Overview

12 12 Major program milestones can be divided into two categories: (a) academic activities and (b) professional activities. Academic activities include the following: (a) Selecting an advisor, (b) first year review, (c) coursework, (d) Research Specialization, (e) Early Research project, (f) Capstone Project (for Research Specialization), (g) Qualifying Exams, and (h) Dissertation. Professional activities include: (a) supervision, (b) teaching, (c) presentations, (d) publications, and (e) professional organizations. Annual student evaluations include the first year review (described in the academic activities section) and subsequent annual evaluations within the Special Education department and Graduate College. Following is a description of the doctoral program milestones. Academic Activities Selecting an advisor Doctoral students are assigned a temporary advisor when they enter the doctoral program. The temporary advisor is typically a tenure-track faculty member outside the student s area of interest; he/she helps guide a student during his/her first year. The assignment of a temporary adviser allows incoming students to get to know faculty outside their area of interest. During the beginning of the second semester of their first year, doctoral students choose a permanent advisor whose research interests closely align with their own (see selecting an advisor). This does not preclude a student from selecting the temporary adviser to be his or her permanent adviser. The student must select a permanent adviser by the time of the First Year Review (second semester of the first year). Responsibilities of the temporary adviser include: a) meeting with and advising the first year student until a permanent adviser is selected, and b) running the First Year Review, unless the permanent adviser has been selected prior to the semester of the review or has offered to assume this duty.

13 13 A permanent advisory agreement form completed by the student and the permanent adviser, once selected, attests that both parties agree to this important partnership. The department head also signs the agreement form. Once all signatures have been obtained, the form should be given to the secretary who manages student admissions and files (no later than First- Year Review). The completed agreement forms will be placed in students' files. See Appendix C for the student/permanent advisor form. First year review At the completion of the first year, doctoral students will complete a first year review. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the student s current progress in the doctoral program and make a plan to accomplish all necessary requirements for the Ph.D. First year review overview. The first year review is a process intended to provide an assessment of the student s progress, design an activity plan that will guide the student's program activities, and provide the faculty with an opportunity to become familiar with new doctoral students. The first year review is a meeting conducted mid-way through the semester following the student s completion of SPED 592. The student, student s temporary advisor, permanent advisor, and one additional faculty member participate in the meeting. The Doctoral Program Committee Chair determines the composition of the first year review committee. The review consists of four parts: (a) the student's review of his/her background and reasons for pursuing an advanced degree, (b) the student s critique of a research article, (c) the student s presentation and committee discussion of the student s single authored, original unedited paper (e.g., SPED 592 paper), and (d) a discussion of the student s basic knowledge of special education. Each of these components should provide the student and committee members with information regarding the

14 14 student's strengths and potential needs in the doctoral program. On occasion, the committee may determine that the student s current strengths or interests do not indicate that s/he should continue in doctoral studies in the Department of Special Education. In this case, the committee may recommend alternative courses of action on the first year review evaluation form, completed at the close of the meeting. Below is a recommended outline of the format for the First Year Review (Times are approximate and may vary from student to student): Overview and introductions (5 minutes) Student background and goals (15 minutes) Research article review (30-35 minutes) * Student presentation of original paper (25 minutes)* General issues in special education (15 minutes) Committee discussion *Items can be reversed in order, based on student preference. Table 2.1 describes the First Year Review components. Table 2.1 First Year Review Components Component Description Overview The student s temporary (or permanent) adviser should chair the meeting, and introduce participants, and review the sequence of activities (e.g., student introductions presents his or her background and goals, student reviews article and Student background and goals addresses questions, etc.). The student is allowed up to 10 minutes to review his/her background, reasons for pursuing a Ph.D. and employment goals. The student may use his or her academic vita to share this information. Following this period, the committee may ask questions for up to 5 minutes. Research article review The student presents a review of the assigned research article for up to 15 minutes. The review should consist of an overview of the purpose, methods, and findings of the study. Additionally, the student will critique the article by sharing the his/her opinion on the article s strengths and

15 15 weaknesses. Faculty should hold questions until the student completes the review. After the student completes the article presentation, the committee asks the student questions and discusses the article (15-20 minutes). Student presentation of original paper General issues in special education Committee Discussion The student presents an overview of the purpose and major conclusions of the original paper (10 minutes). Committee members should hold questions until the student completes the overview, at which time they will spend approximately 15 minutes for discussion and questions regarding the paper. Committee members and the student discuss general issues in special education. The student should be prepared to discuss his/her basic knowledge in special education in response to committee members questions. The purpose of this discussion is to reflect on the scope and depth of the student's knowledge and identify potential needs. The student is asked to leave the room while committee members discuss their recommendations as an outcome of the review. The student is asked to return to discuss these recommendations and subsequent events or actions to be taken. The First Year Evaluation Form is completed and signed by the committee members (See Appendix C). Post Review Activities. The doctoral student and permanent adviser should meet to discuss both the committee s recommendations and how the doctoral plan can be revised to respond to the committee s recommendations. After this discussion and a modified plan is created, the student should send a revised doc plan to all committee members within 30 days of the first year review. The advisor should provide a copy of the First Year Evaluation Form to the student and to the department secretary for placement in the student's permanent file. Participant responsibilities. All participants in the First Year Review have specific responsibilities. Table 2.2 lists each participant and their corresponding responsibilities.

16 16 Table 2.2 First Year Review Participant Participant Responsibility Doctoral Acquire the names of students to be reviewed each year. Programs Committee Select a First Year Review Committee for each student. This committee should be comprised of up to four people: (a) the student s temporary adviser, (b) a faculty member with interests that overlap with the student s interests, (c) a randomly selected faculty member outside the student s areas of interest, and (d) the permanent adviser, if different from the temporary Doctoral Student Temporary Advisor adviser. Two weeks prior to the review, the student submits, to the committee, the following three items: An original, single-authored paper, up to 15 pages, to be examined by the committee. This paper is the final draft of a final paper submitted in SPED 592. The paper should be one that the student feels adequately reflects his/her current writing skills. The SPED 592 instructor sends this document electronically to the permanent advisor who will distribute the paper. The student should be prepared to discuss the purpose and major conclusions of this paper. An updated copy of his or her Curriculum Vitae. The Graduate College has excellent resources to assist students in designing their Curriculum Vitae. A completed Doc Plan During the review meeting, the student will present a critical analysis of a research article selected by the adviser, including the purpose, methods, findings, strengths, and weaknesses of the study. The student will discuss his or her basic knowledge of special education, but should not attempt to study for this component of the review. At least two weeks prior to the review, the student will select a permanent adviser. Arrange a meeting time with committee members and the student. A minimum of 1.5 hours should be scheduled. Select a research article for the student to critically analyze. Distribute this article to the student and members of the committee two weeks prior to the review. Prepare and distribute 4 copies of the materials submitted by the student for the meeting (i.e., the student's original paper, vita, and doctoral plan); one for each committee member and one for the student. Arrange a room for the review. Meet with the student to prepare and advise him/her of first year review procedures. Participate as a member of the review committee. Complete and sign the first year evaluation form. Give a copy of the First-Year Review evaluation form to the student and place the original in the student s file.

17 17 First Year Review Committee Note: The permanent adviser may assume these responsibilities if mutually agreed upon. Prior to the review meeting read the student's original paper and the assigned research article; review the student's Doc Plan and vita. During the review meeting, individually and collectively reflect on the student's discussion of the original paper, oral critique of the article, Doc Plan, vita, and knowledge of special education as a field of study. At the conclusion of the review meeting, confer with committee members to determine recommendations for the student s Doc Plan, based on the student s strengths and needs. The committee and/or the adviser should explain the recommendations and identified strengths to the student. Subsequently, either the Advisor or Committee members summarize the recommendations on the First Year Review Evaluation form. Sign the First Year Review Evaluation Form. Coursework Required coursework. Doctoral students must take 64 hours of graduate credit beyond their master s degree. There are several classes required of all doctoral students by the Department of Special Education. Table 2.3 lists the required courses. Additionally, students are encouraged to take courses outside the department and college. For example, coursework in Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, or Human Development and Family Studies can provide the theoretical foundation from which to ask research questions and explore how education policy creates systems to support children and adolescents with disabilities and their families. Course SPED 592 SPED 593 SPED 550 (Research Methodology) EPSY 580 (Research Methodology) Title Concepts and Issues in SPED I Concepts and Issues in SPED II Methods of Educational Inquiry Statistical Inference in Education

18 18 Supplementary coursework. The diverse backgrounds and focal areas of doctoral students mirror the wide range of special-education services that are available to persons with disabilities across the lifespan. Therefore, entering doctoral students will be variously prepared to step into positions in which they provide leadership and supervise others. While all doctoral students are required to complete a professional supervision experience, the nature of that experience will be shaped by the student s focal area and prerequisite skills and knowledge that he/she brings to the doctoral program. Content Knowledge. Doctoral students will have completed a minimum of two-three courses in the curriculum and instruction of their designated content area (e.g., severe disabilities, ECSE). Students who have not completed comparable coursework prior to admission will need to complete the coursework early in their programs in order to prepare for the supervision experience. Decisions about coursework will be made with the advisor and submitted as part of the Supervision Contract. While other courses may also be appropriate, some examples are: Course SPED 414 SPED 436 SPED 437 SPED 440 SPED 441 SPED 444 SPED 446 SPED 447 SPED 448 SPED 465 SPED 470 SPED 471 Title Assessment in Early Childhood Special Education Systematic Instruction in SPED Curriculum Development for Severe Disabilities Instructional Strategies Instructional Strategies II Career Development for Students with Disabilities I Curriculum Development I Curriculum Development II Curriculum Development III Curriculum and Methods in Early Childhood Special Education Learning Environments I Learning Environments II

19 19 Teaching and supervision Doctoral students are required to perform teaching and supervision duties. Teaching opportunities typically involve being a teaching assistant for a large undergraduate course. Other teaching opportunities include assisting or co-teaching a higher-level course in your interest area for independent study credit. Doctoral students are also required to supervise student teachers. With advisor approval, students with no teaching experience may participate in an internship related to their area of interest/expertise (e.g., transition, job training). More information about teaching can be found here. More information about supervision can be found here. Research Specialization Doctoral students must select their research specialization area before the end of their third semester. The four specialization areas are: (a) evaluation, (b) qualitative, and (c) quantitative. In agreement with their advisor, the student will complete the preliminary Research Specialization form (which acts as a plan), state objectives to be learned in this area, the courses to be completed, and a plan for the Capstone Project. The student submits this information to the chair of the specified research specialization committee (e.g., Quantitative Specialization Chair). After approval, students can proceed with coursework. Once all coursework is completed, the student submits, to the Research Specialization chair, evidence of coursework completion with advisor signatures, a brief paper explaining how the objectives were learned, and the courses taken. The student should also submit the Capstone Paper the represents the student s knowledge in the identified research specialization area. Most doctoral students use their Early Research project (described below) as their Capstone project. Information on the different research specializations can be found on the college website and the research specialization form can be found here.

20 20 Early Research project The Early Research (ER) project is semi-independent research project led by the doctoral student to be completed prior to taking qualifying exams. Under the guidance of their advisor, doctoral students develop research questions, write a literature review, design a study, collect and analyze data, and write up the results. Students form a committee composed of 3-5 faculty members who guide the student during the ER proposal and ER defense meetings. All committee members can be from within the Department of Special Education, though committee members from outside the Department of Special Education are welcome also. Tenure-track as well as non-tenure track Ph.D. level faculty may serve on the committee. Additional information about forming an Early Research committee is in Chapter III. The College Graduate Handbook also has information about the Early Research committee. ER proposal meeting. Before the preliminary proposal meeting occurs, the student should obtain approval for Human Subjects Research from the Campus Institutional Review Board (IRB) by completing the IRB-1 form. Additional information about the IRB approval process and guidelines can be found on the college IRB section website. Students are strongly encouraged to review this website which includes a video tutorial, general information, and important deadlines. After IRB approval is received, and two weeks prior to the proposal meeting, the student should present to committee members a written proposal consisting of the rationale for the study (i.e., Chapter 1), a literature review (i.e., Chapter 2), and the methods section (i.e., Chapter 3). The proposal should be in APA 6 th edition format. Students should be prepared to submit paper copies to all committee members although some faculty may request an electronic copy.

21 21 Implementation of the study should not begin until the student has received IRB approval and approval from the Early Research Committee. The adviser should schedule a room for the proposal meeting and he/she should assist the student in preparing for this meeting. The faculty member who leads this meeting (the permanent adviser or a research adviser if this person is different from the permanent adviser) should follow the same format used during dissertation proposal meetings (e.g., ask the student to leave the room prior to beginning the meeting and following the student's presentation, etc.). ER defense meeting. After the study has been conducted and the findings have been written up, the student presents the results to the Early Research Committee. The final document reflects the same format as a dissertation with the following chapters: Chapter 1, Introduction; Chapter 2, Literature Review; Chapter 3, Methods; Chapter 4, Results; and Chapter 5, Discussion. Again, the written study should be given to the committee two weeks prior to the oral presentation. After the student presents his/her early research project to the committee, the committee will decide whether the project satisfactorily meets all of the requirements. If the project meets the requirements, the committee will sign the College of Education s Early Research Committee form. (See COE form: Early Research Committee). This form should be submitted to the Academic and Instructional Services Offices. The College of Education s online graduate student handbook has additional information about the Early Research Project. Qualifying Exams After all coursework is completed and the ER project is defended, doctoral students may take their qualifying exams. Qualifying exams (sometimes referred to quals) are meant to test a

22 22 student s general and specific knowledge about the Special Education field. There are two qualifying exams: (a) General Field and (b) Special Field. In place of a Special Field exam, students can choose to defend a portfolio of three high-quality papers (See Portfolio option in the Special Field Exam section). The purpose of qualifying examinations is to assure that students' core knowledge is sufficient to permit them to contribute to the scholarly community in their chosen area, and to determine their qualification for admission to the dissertation stage of doctoral study. The examinations provide information concerning students' ability to: Demonstrate an acceptable knowledge base in the field of special education and in areas of specialization; Integrate material from various sources in formulating responses; Constructively critique writings, practices, and/or research designs; Utilize research findings, expert opinion, and logic in a suitable manner in building arguments; and Formulate statements, which are logically organized, persuasive, and grammatically sound. While the Department of Special Education has specific guidelines for the qualifying exams, students should also read information about qualifying exams in the College Graduate Handbook. Overall Guidelines. Qualifying examinations will be offered twice per year, once in October and once in March. A student must have completed all coursework and successfully defended their Early Research project before the student is eligible to take qualifying examinations. At the Advisor's discretion, the student also may be required to complete any

23 23 revisions of the Early Research project prior to being eligible to take the qualifying examinations. Written verification of the completion of the Early Research requirement must be filed with the Academic and Instructional Services Offices. Students taking qualifying examinations also must have satisfactorily completed 40 hours of their required doctoral coursework, including the research specialization requirements, prior to taking the examinations. Typical General Field and Special Field exams are four-hours a piece and are completed within one week of each other. If the Special Fields Portfolio option is selected in lieu of the Special Fields exam, it must be completed no later than the end of the semester following the one in which general fields were completed. The Department Qualifying Examination Committee should notify students/advisors of specific dates for the upcoming qualifying examination prior to the end of the previous semester. Students can receive an excellent, satisfactory, or unsatisfactory rating on their quals. Students receiving excellent and satisfactory ratings pass the qualifying exam. Students receiving an unsatisfactory rating do not pass the qualifying exam. Students are permitted two attempts at Qualifying Exams. General Field. The General Field exam assesses a student s knowledge about major topics in the Special Education field. Examination questions are drawn from these major topical areas: research design, policy development and legislative issues, general knowledge and issues, assessment, service delivery, and personnel preparation. Should the Qualifying Examination Committee change topical areas, a list of revised topical areas will be sent to all doctoral students and faculty a minimum of 2 months prior to the date selected for each examination. The Chair of the Qualifying Examination Committee is responsible for working with the Department Admissions Secretary to process paperwork for the General Field examination (i.e., pre-exam and post-exam paperwork). The Chair will distribute paperwork to the appropriate

24 24 offices/files in the Department of Special Education and in the College of Education. This responsibility includes assigning and following up on readers (i.e., three members of the Qualifying Examination Committee) for General Field exams. Evaluations by readers will be returned to the Chair of the Qualifying Examinations Committee or Departmental Secretary. The standard format for the General Field examination is a four-hour on-site examination. The Qualifying Examinations Committee along with the Advisor will work together to find a quiet office in which the student can work. No resources (notes, books, etc.) are permitted. Students with disabilities who need testing accommodations provide a letter from the Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES) unit. English as a Second Language (ESL) students may also request accommodations. The student and advisor must submit a written request for accommodations or a DRES letter to the department Qualifying Examination Committee 30 days prior to the examination date. The student will receive a list of questions (typically 6); one research design question and other general topical area questions. The student will complete the research design question and three additional questions within the four-hour examination. Students are expected to answer the questions in an essay form, formatted in APA 6 th edition with appropriate citations. Special Field. The Special Field portion of Qualifying Examinations is available in two formats. The student must decide with their advisor which format they will complete. The decision regarding taking the special fields qualifying exam or completing the portfolio option begins during the First Year Review meeting. Standard Format. The Advisor is responsible for working with the student to form a committee of 3 members (including the advisor) to develop and read Special Field examinations, and providing this information to the Qualifying Examination Committee Chair, who completes

25 25 the necessary paperwork. Standard format for the Special Field examination is a four-hour onsite examination (see General Field exam above). The Advisor is responsible for informing the student of potential topical areas from which Special Field examination questions will be drawn and/or for negotiating special emphases to be included on the examination. Final topics should be identified and discussed during the semester prior to the examination. The Qualifying Examination Committee is responsible for distributing and collecting the Special Field examinations and for distributing the completed examinations to readers. Evaluations by readers are returned to the Qualifying Examinations Committee Chair or the Department Admissions Secretary. Typically the advisor informs the student of the outcome of the special fields exam (e.g., excellent, satisfactory, or unsatisfactory). The Special Field exam should be completed within one week of the General Field exam. Portfolio format. The portfolio option is available for those students for whom the advisor and student believe can be completed without delay of progress through the doctoral program. The portfolio format consists of assembling a focused collection of three high-quality papers and/or projects, which are then defended before three faculty readers. The subject and length of the required papers or projects are decided by the adviser in consultation with the student. A written proposal for the portfolio option describing the three papers and identifying readers must be submitted to the Special Field Qualifying Examination Committee for approval prior to beginning the exam. The format for the Special Field Portfolio submissions can include collaborative work on which the student would be the senior author, but independent work must also be reflected in the portfolio. The portfolio may include content from other work completed to satisfy other

26 26 requirements for the doctoral degree such as course papers, the early research paper, master's thesis, and the Research Specialization paper. Suggested manuscripts for the Special Field portfolio include the following: Early research paper revised for publication Collaborative paper with other faculty; the student should be the first author Individual effort which student completes specifically for the portfolio The portfolio must be submitted with an original, independently written synthesis paper (maximum five pages) that defines the special field and articulates how each piece of the portfolio connects or contributes to the special field and its literature. If the portfolio option is selected, the student will discuss this work at an oral defense before the three faculty readers, after which the readers will determine whether the student has demonstrated competence in the special field, or whether revisions are needed. The portfolio defense meeting format is similar to that of the Early Research and Dissertation defense meetings. The portfolio option should be completed no later than the end of the semester following the one in which the General Field exam was completed. A faculty member, upon agreeing to become any student's Permanent Advisor, should discuss the Special Field exam option with their student beginning at the first year review. Both Advisor and student should target a timeline for completion as during year 2 or 3 of the student s progress. Evaluation of Qualifying Examinations. Grading procedures for the four-hour examination is based on procedures identified by the College of Education. All examinations are graded as exceptional, satisfactory, or unsatisfactory. For each of these options, the final designation of exceptional, satisfactory, or unsatisfactory is based on responses to the set of

27 27 questions as a whole, based on the committee's judgment with respect to the student's knowledge and information of the broad field being sampled (i.e., General Field or Special Field). Criteria used for grading include: Are responses factually correct and drawn from an adequate fund of information? Does the student demonstrate the ability to synthesize, to draw from various fields, sources, and/or disciplines in formulating answers? Does the student demonstrate analytical thinking? Does the student make adequate use of research findings and other sources in the literature to buttress arguments? Does the student demonstrate a suitable grasp of skills in designing and critiquing research? Does the student communicate in a professional writing style? The overriding criterion for assigning a grade is therefore whether the student demonstrates broad knowledge and the ability to organize and present it in a logical manner. Time Frames. The Qualifying Exam Committee Chair will work with the Qualifying Exam Committee and the student s advisor to review General and Special Field written examinations. Written examinations will be distributed to readers within 2 days of completion of the exam. Qualifying Exam Committee members will evaluate and provide grading results to the Quals Committee Chair within three weeks of receipt. Advisors will be informed of results within 2 days of the Chair receiving all evaluations; if all evaluations are satisfactory, the qualifying exam committee and/or their advisor will also inform students of their satisfactory evaluations.

28 28 The Portfolio defense meeting will serve as the rating mechanism for Portfolio examination. All readers should complete the same form used by readers for the sit down option. Follow-up Procedure for Unsatisfactory Examinations. The College of Education and the Department of Special Education have outlined procedures for students receiving an unsatisfactory rating on their qualifying exams. Department procedures mirror College of Education procedures on this matter. A student who receives an unsatisfactory qualifying exam rating will be given an opportunity to sit for a second set of examination questions for one or both of General Field exam or Special Field exam (four-hour exam, Portfolio). Students in the portfolio option will meet with the committee to decide whether to continue with revisions. For the four-hour exam format, a new set of questions will be prepared for any re-taken examination; as with the original set, these new questions will be designed to sample the student's base of knowledge, and will be developed by the respective General and Special Field committees, based on their collective judgment of the most appropriate content for that student. The Advisor should make arrangements for any examinations to be re-taken within the same semester of receiving the evaluations for either the General or Special Field exam. The following procedures will be used: Advisor arranges to meet with the appropriate committee(s) A new set of questions is developed (by the appropriate Committee) for one or both exams Advisor makes arrangements with the student for re-taking the examinations, to occur within the same semester as the original exam

29 29 Any unsatisfactory evaluation on any part of the re-take exam will be taken by the Advisor to the readers as a committee, and then, if there is not general agreement for passing the examination, to the full faculty for discussion. This action will occur at the first scheduled faculty meeting after the meeting of the team of readers, or at a specially called meeting if the Advisor judges this to be necessary. After discussion, the full faculty will make a recommendation as to the final outcome of the qualifying examination. It will be the responsibility of the Advisor to bring all relevant information to the meeting. Once all steps are completed, responsibility for forwarding all information to the College lies with the Qualifying Examination Committee Chair and the Department Admissions Secretary. Students who do not pass their qualifying exams may not proceed to the dissertation phase. Dissertation The final project in the doctoral program is the dissertation. In this project, the doctoral student organizes their committee, creates research questions, designs a study, proposes the study to the committee, implements the study, writes up the results, and defends the study to the committee. More information on the dissertation can be found here. The Graduate College has formatting requirements and deposit procedures and deadlines. Professional Activities Supervision Personnel preparation is a significant component of special education in higher education and at all levels of service from infant education through post-secondary services. While various terms are used (e.g., teacher education, professional development, staff development, technical assistance, continuing education, ongoing development), personnel preparation is an umbrella term that encompasses all of these. Professors and educational leaders often hold positions in

30 30 which they are responsible for not only the preparation of personnel who provide direct services but also for the initial and ongoing development of professionals who provide training for others. In some contexts, individuals will have the opportunity to design, coordinate, and evaluate new models of personnel preparation. One goal of the doctoral program in special education is to ensure that graduates have the knowledge and competencies that they need to be a leader in personnel preparation. Some doctoral students may need to supplement their teaching experience due to limited prior teaching experience or to become familiar with the context of teaching in the U.S. Students may complete one or more supervised practical experiences through enrollment in an Independent Study or SPED 524 Supervised Practice in Special Education. Arrangement for supervision of the doctoral student in the practicum setting is the responsibility of the advisor. When resources are available and negotiated prior to the semester that the student is to enroll in the independent study or supervised practice, the ECSE or LBS Programs may be able to provide supervision along with, or in lieu of, the advisor. Please note that such requests for resources must be clearly stated in the Supervision Contract. Comparable alternatives for field experience in community settings other than schools may also be designed and follow similar guidelines. Doctoral students will be responsible for supervision of pre- or in-service professionals in field settings for 50% time for one semester or 25% for two semesters. Practicum supervision in the ECSE or the LBS Program is the recommended way of fulfilling this requirement. Graduate assistantships are often available for qualified practicum supervisors. Comparable alternatives for supervision in other service-delivery settings in the community may be designed. Each student will complete a contract (see Appendix C) with his or her advisor that includes:

31 31 A statement of how the student will fulfill the supervision requirement A description of the individual s competencies relative to the task or plan for obtaining the necessary prerequisite knowledge and competencies through coursework, practica, independent studies, or related activities A timeline An explanation of any special considerations, requests, and exceptions Signature of student and advisor. The contract will be submitted for approval to the Doctoral Program Committee sometime during the student s first year. Signatures of Program and Practicum Coordinators and the Department Head on the contracts are needed to ensure that these individuals have received advance notification of the student s supervision activities for department planning and resource allocation. The approved contract will be attached to the student s Doctoral Plan, addressed during the First-Year Review, and included in the student s Annual Progress Review. Significant changes in the plan require new approval by the Doctoral Program Committee. Students should complete activities to meet the Supervision Requirement prior to taking Qualifying Exams. Teaching All doctoral students should perform some form of teaching while in the doctoral program. Teaching can be in the form of teaching assistant or co-teaching. In special cases, doctoral students will be assigned as the lead instructor for a course. Teaching assistants assist faculty with day-to-day course management. Activities may include grading, online course management, photocopying, classroom management, hosting office hours, and sometimes delivering lectures. Students who co-teach take additional responsibilities that include syllabus

32 32 design, planning instruction, delivering course content, additional grading, and managing the classroom environment. Teaching Assistant Orientation. All doctoral students serving as a teaching assistant for a special education course must attend a COE Teaching Assistant Orientation Session held at the beginning of the first semester they are employed in this position. International teaching assistants must attend the International Teaching Assistant Orientation as well as the UIUC Teaching Assistant Orientation Sessions. The Council for Teaching Excellence web site provides information and support for teaching. Evaluation. Their immediate supervisor evaluates Teaching Assistants and Research Assistants in the Department of Special Education each semester. The completed evaluation is shared with the student and a copy of the evaluation is kept in the student s permanent file. Student assistantship evaluation ratings are taken into consideration when students are being recommended for continued funding. Presentations Presentations are an opportunity for doctoral students to share their work with members of the field. Presentations typically occur at conferences but can also be conducted at organizations as part of staff professional development. Conference presentations are either poster presentations or session presentations. Students are encouraged to share their work at local, regional, and national conferences. Poster presentations allow researchers to share their information visually. During a conference poster session, presenters post project information using either presentation slides or poster form (typically 2 x 3 ft. or 4 x 8 ft.) on a bulletin board in a designated room. Information and templates for creating posters can be found on the Office of Advancement website.