Description of Level III Clinical Experience
The Level III Clinical Experience at Marshall University’s College of Education and Professional Development (COEPD) is a semester-long, immersive student teaching assignment that offers teacher Secondary Education and Mater of Arts in Teaching candidates an in-depth experience within public school classrooms. This full-day engagement throughout the semester provides candidates with the opportunity to implement educational theories and research in real-world teaching environments. Undergraduate candidates earn 12 credit hours on a credit/no-credit basis, while candidates in the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program earn 6 credit hours. The structure of placements varies depending on the candidate’s teaching field and grade level; generally, candidates complete two seven-week placements.
The Level III Clinical Experience is focused on several key objectives. Candidates are tasked with applying educational theories, philosophies, and research in practical teaching scenarios while refining essential skills such as planning, teaching, classroom management, assessment, and reflection. This experience is designed to foster professional competence in alignment with the standards set by the COEPD, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), and state competency requirements. Candidates critically analyze both teaching and learning processes, as well as student outcomes, taking on the full responsibilities of a classroom teacher. They are encouraged to use current technologies and strategies that promote critical thinking and maximize student engagement and learning outcomes. Reflective practices are integral to the experience, as candidates continuously assess and evaluate their teaching to promote ongoing improvement.
Responsiveness to diversity is also emphasized, encouraging candidates to address and adapt to the varied needs of individual students and the classroom as a whole. Throughout the Level III Clinical Experience, teacher candidates are expected to uphold the ethical and professional standards of practicing educators, adhering to a professional code of conduct that includes expectations for attire, attendance, and overall professionalism.
Upon successful completion of the Level II Clinical Experience, the Student Center of Professional Education (SCoPES) within the College of Education and Professional Development (COEPD) will enroll teacher candidates in the Level III Clinical Experience. To qualify, teacher candidates must achieve a minimum evaluation score of “2” (Basic) or better, meet the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDOE) requirements, including achieving the minimum passing score on the Praxis II content exams, and maintain a GPA of at least 2.8. Teacher candidates are assessed at both mid-term and final points by their cooperating teacher and an external supervisor appointed by the COEPD. Additionally, candidates must successfully complete the West Virginia Teacher Performance Assessment (WVTPA) and present a capstone project. If a candidate does not receive a score of “2” or better on each element of the Level III evaluation in the clinical course, they are required to retake it in the following semester.
