Classroom Observations
To see firsthand how Relay students are progressing as teachers, faculty members will observe students' classrooms multiple times over the course of the program to provide formative feedback. Individual faculty members may also choose to observe more often and to provide coaching and feedback. A core set of observations are built into clinical practice coursework. Additional observations may be conducted by field supervisors based on state- and/or program-specific requirements for qualifying clinical experiences. After each observation, faculty members share data collected during the observation and debrief students’ strengths and areas of growth in person, over the phone, through video conference, or in writing. Observations may be conducted in person, via video recording, or synchronously online, depending on program modality and state requirements for observations of clinical experiences.
For students enrolled in a program leading to certification/licensure, state-required observations conducted during a students’ qualifying clinical experience will be documented in Anthology Portfolio. State- and/or program-specific observation requirements can be found in the corresponding EPP Handbook.
Engagement
Relay courses are either hybrid courses, consisting of both asynchronous (i.e., self-paced) and synchronous (i.e., live) components, or fully asynchronous courses.
For hybrid courses, each module contains asynchronous pre-work and a class session that is taught synchronously. The completion of asynchronous pre-work prior to synchronous sessions is essential for accessing the content and practice activities in the synchronous session and counts for 10 to 15% of the total grade for the course. Clinical practice courses also include asynchronous work in the form of reflection journals and clinical experiences (e.g., video-based observations). This work is essential for continuous improvement and, for certification-seeking students, to stay on track for certification.
Relay expects students to be on time to synchronous class sessions in hybrid courses and participate fully to ensure they are not missing essential course material. Attendance makes up 10% of a student’s course grade in hybrid courses. Students who are late to class will earn 80% credit for attendance at that session, which may negatively impact their grade in the course. Synchronous classes are designed for discussion, collaboration, feedback, and practice. Students should fully engage in these activities. With this in mind, please minimize potential distractions during class so you and your colleagues can get the most out of the experience.
In asynchronous courses, all work is completed asynchronously and it is recommended that students stay on track with the course’s pacing calendar to maximize opportunities for collaboration within the course.