Northern Illinois University
Department of Educational Technology, Research and Assessment
College of Education

Definition/Description of the Field Experience Diversity Experience

The field experience portfolio contains specific directions and formats for reporting on diversity experiences

The ETRA department will count as "extensive and substantive" diversity experiences the field experience, ETT 586: Internship in Instructional Technology and the field experience, ETT 569: Practicum in which at least one of the following criteria is met by the candidate:

• Delivers a lesson to a group of students at least 20 percent of whom are members of ethnic minority groups, are from low socio-economic status households, have limited English proficiency, or have a disability;
• Delivers a lesson appropriately modified in content or methodology in order to address ethnicity, low socio-economic status, limited English proficiency or disability;
• Interacts one-on-one in a tutoring relationship or other educational setting with a student who is a member of an ethnic group or socio-economic status different from their own or with a student who has limited English proficiency or a disability.

The diversity experience will be documented in the ETT 586 or ETT 569 student journals, by the supervising teachers and academic supervisor, and in the internship, practicum, and masters' portfolios.

Diversity Experience Data Collection

Data for the "extensive and substantive" diversity experience will be collected using the Diversity Report form. This form identifies K-12 students based on race, class, income and special needs. (This document also identifies faculty diversity.) The field experience student will obtain diversity information for their field experience school from the Illinois Report Card and/or from the local district.