EKU’s Clinical Model
The clinical model at EKU is designed to meet the needs of learners in today’s schools and provide teacher candidates with the content, pedagogy, and assessment skills needed to assure they are meeting the needs of all learners. Our professional education programs provide a framework that supports our candidates’ development of content knowledge, practice and professional behaviors. This is accomplished through high quality instruction, engaging course-learning tasks and clinical learning experiences requiring candidates to think critically and creatively, communicate effectively and act fairly. Our candidates will be prepared to affect change in the culture of learning in their classrooms, in our region and beyond.
Course Integration
The clinical model combines coursework with vital clinical experiences, offering candidates a wide range of professional exposure. This integration of content knowledge and hands-on experiences aligns with the EKU Conceptual Framework, TASC, and CAEP accreditation standards, preparing our education candidates to become leaders in their field. EKU candidates will develop the ability to diagnose, assess, prescribe, implement, and monitor the learning of every student in their classrooms.
Clinically focused professional education programs provide diverse and extensive opportunities for candidates to apply their learning, guided by experienced clinical educators. Performance-based assessments at crucial points in the program are crafted to showcase candidates’ growth in knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions that contribute to a positive influence on the learning and development of all P-12 students (CAEP, 2014).
Clinical Preparation Program
The clinical field experience program at EKU is integrated with professional education (co-requisite) courses, forming the essential core for all teaching majors at EKU, including IECE, elementary, middle, secondary, and P-12. The “Clinical Overview Chart” visually represents the Clinical Model, alongside the professional core courses (hub courses), clinical hours, and professional experiences for each level. Six clinical courses are identified with the CED prefix. CED 450, Practice Teaching (previously known as methods), and CED 499 (student teaching) create a year-long residency. Candidate evaluation is based on student performance data, including formative and summative assessments, as well as structured observations of candidates’ classroom skills by supervising teachers and clinical educators, along with their professional dispositions. Teacher candidates will gain a diverse array of experiences, both in laboratory and clinical settings, to enhance their expertise. Each clinical experience will conclude with an evaluation of the candidate using a performance rubric that aligns with the Kentucky Teacher Standards and the Teacher Professional Growth and Evaluation System (TPGES). As candidates progress through the program, the expectations for teacher performance will escalate.
KECS- Kentucky Education Credentialing System
Students are required to log their hours in KECS, documenting their time spent completing requirements for clinical courses.
EPSB- Education Professional Standards Board
Students will create an account with EPSB when they begin their journey towards teacher certification, beginning in their first clinical course.
PES Clinical Closet
Students have the opportunity to “shop” our Clinical Closet to choose two professional outfits for clinical observations. The Clinical Closet is a FREE resource that gives students the chance to arrive at their observations prepared and confident. You can schedule an appointment with the Clinical Closet HERE.
Teacher Education Portal
Through the Teacher Education Portal, students can complete their required background check documents, view their school placements, update their placement preferences, view lesson plan templates, apply to the Teacher Education Program, apply for Student Teaching and more! If you are enrolled in a CED course, or an Education major/minor or concentration, you can access the Teacher Education Portal.
Access the Teacher Education Portal