Course Contacts

 Instructor

 

 Course Characteristics

 Course Context

 Course Summary

The SBE program views supervised field experience as an effective method for students to network with professionals, meet deliverables on a project, and apply the knowledge obtained in their classroom academic settings to meaningful moments in work environments they are likely to see post-graduation.

The DCP 4942 Field Experience course provides students with a unique experiential learning opportunity through internship with an institutional sponsor addressing challenges of sustainability and the built environment. The specific sponsor and their institution may be self-selected by an SBE student or through placement in any other approved competitive internship opportunities.

 

The Florida SUS classifies experiential learning across seven types of activities. (Source: State University System of FloridaLinks to an external site.)

 

 Course Overview & Purpose

The Field Experience in SBE course consists of three core components:

1. Connect
   • Faculty mentor connects and collaborates with sponsor institution to create mutually beneficial student-to-supervisor field experience
   • SBE student connects to faculty mentor to establish a support network
   • SBE student collaborates with the sponsor institution supervisor on an agreed upon and manageable project
2. Explore
   • SBE student observes and participates in projects with their supervisor and multidisciplinary staff in the sponsor institution
3. Reflect
   • SBE student reflects and shares observations and experiences with faculty mentor to reinforce learning
   • Faculty mentor provides tools, technologies, strategies, and related guidance to support student success

 

 Objectives & Experiences

 Student Learning Objectives

During the semester, students will be…

• Exploring a specific sector of sustainability and the built environment;
• Understanding professional practice through a targeted project;
• Learning to think and act critically and creatively, both independently and within team settings;
• Gaining real world, direct field experience; and
• Living and learning through eight career readiness competencies (summarized below).

 

 

 Experiential Examples

In this four minute SBE Senior Capstone Public Service Announcement (PSA) vignette,  Denise TranLinks to an external site.  (Summer 2020 SBE Interdisciplinary Specialization) describes her field experiences as a  summer internLinks to an external site.  in the  Smart Infrastructure offering within SiemensLinks to an external site. . She shares some details in how  smart sensors are used to improve indoor environmental qualityLinks to an external site.  within green buildings. Thanks Denise!

 Course Texts & Technologies

 Required Texts Available for Free Online

 

  

Beyond the required textbook(s) for this course, optional text(s) that may support student success in their field experiences can be found in various SBE core course content within the UF Canvas e-Learning portal (https://elearning.ufl.edu/).

 

 Hardware & Software Technologies

The required and optional technologies for this course are dependent upon, and determined by, the sponsor institution providing the student with their field experience.

Should you encounter a content issue with this Canvas course shell, please inform the instructor. All other technical issues with the hardware and software you may use for this course should be directed to the UF Information Technology Computing Help Desk.

• https://helpdesk.ufl.edu/Links to an external site.

 

 Miscellaneous Course Costs

Out-of-pocket student incidental expenses are highly varied, dependent on the student and their mentor, and may include those associated with field experience travel expectations, personal mobile computing, and/or web-based services to research, present, and share information (as dictated by the sponsor institution)

 Modules

 Start Here

For students who plan to stay in the course, please visit the Course Wayfinding page to learn about the your path, including the course structure, expectations, and preparation actions.

   Start Here > Course Introduction

 

 Course Structure & Supporting Resources

The general course structure is summarized best through the UF Career Connections Center (C3) diagram below. Any additional course content will be posted within Canvas and is subject to change.

 

    Course Credits

 

  Informational Resources

 

 Assignments & Grading

Course Assignment Deliverables

The student should work for, or be engaged with, a sponsor institution and supervising individual, for a period of 50 to 300 hours. The student shall document their experiences and be reviewed on a weekly basis by a supervising mentor that can attest to the educational value of the activities undertaken. Throughout their field experience, students will periodically engage with this Canvas shell and/or the course instructor(s) for guidance about the expectations and assigned deliverables.

Assignment details, deliverables, due dates, and grades are published on Canvas and may be subject to change. Grades are based on 1000 points over the course of the semester. See the syllabus page "Summary" (at the bottom of this page) and the "Assignments" tab (left sidebar menu) for the most current information. The following assignments, organized across three major "Acts" (or phases) of your experiential rite of passage, are the touch points between you and your mentor, as well as the course instructor(s), and contribute to the final grade you will earn in this course.

 

Act 1 (A1) > The Departure

First, in the departure phase of the journey, you'll be leaving some aspects of what you know about the world and Lighting the Fire (LTF) for what new is yet to come in your growth as a person and an emerging professional. 

• LTF.01 > From Ordinary to Extraordinary
• LTF.02 > Meeting a Mentor at the Threshold

 

Act 2 (A2) > The Initiation

Next, in the initiation phase of the journey, you'll be doing the deeper work of self-improvement as you level-up your skills. This progression builds across a series of anticipatory, active, and recollective reflections in your Experiential Learning Journal (ELJ).

• ELJ.01 > Anticipatory Reflection #1
• ELJ.02 > Anticipatory Reflection #2
• ELJ.03 > Active Reflection #1
• ELJ.04 > Active Reflection #2
• ELJ.05 > Recollective Reflection

 

Act 3 (A3) > The Return

Finally, in the return phase of the journey, you'll come back into yourself by Summarizing Your Experience as you integrate the power and potential of your new perspectives and processes into your current and future communities of practice.

• SYE.01 > Audiovisual Experiential Learning Summary
• SYE.02 > Mentor Debriefing Letter

 

Course Grading

Students will earn an S/U Satisfactory (≥ 80%) or Unsatisfactory (< 80%) grade according to the following grade distribution

• Act 1 (A1) > The Departure (20%)
  • LTF.01 (100 points)
  • LTF.02 (100 points)
• Act 2 (A2)  > The Initiation (30%)
  • ELJ.01 (50 points)
  • ELJ.02 (50 points)
  • ELJ.03 (50 points)
  • ELJ.04 (50 points)
  • ELJ.05 (100 points)
• Act 3 (A3) > The Return (50%)
  • SYE.01 (300 points)
  • SYE.02 (200 points)

 

Grades are awarded by the course instructor of record and based on evidence that students have completed all required deliverables with a high level of student-to-supervisor engagement and project due diligence throughout the semester. Completed tasks will be evaluated based on pertinence of content, critical thinking, creativity, and communication. Further details, due dates, and rubrics for assignments are posted on Canvas.

Final student grades will follow University of Florida grades and grading policies.

• Undergraduate Students:
  • https://catalog.ufl.edu/UGRD/academic-regulations/grades-grading-policiesLinks to an external site.

 

 Roles & Expectations

We highly recommend that both the students and the supervisory mentor explore the following NASPA blog post for how to make the most of your time together.

• NASPA > Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education > Blog > Lessons through Practice - First-Time Supervisors Stories
  • https://naspa.org/blog/lessons-through-practice-first-time-supervisors-storiesLinks to an external site.

 

 Mentors

Sponsoring Institutions > What to Expect of the Field Experience Process

To be added...

 

Supervisory Individuals > What to Expect of Your Field Experience Student

To be added...

 

 Students

Students > What to Expect of the Field Experience Process

To be added...

 

Students > What to Expect of Your Supervisory Individual

To be added...

 

 Attendance, Punctuality, & Professionalism

 Attendance

Attendance at the Midterm Presentation and Final Capstone Conference & Celebration is mandatory and participation is graded based on your preparation and punctuality. Lack of preparedness and/or tardiness leads to point deductions for those deliverables.

Requirements for participation, assignments, and other potential make-up work in this course are consistent with University policies as found at the following link.

• https://catalog.ufl.edu/UGRD/academic-regulations/attendance-policiesLinks to an external site.

 

 Professionalism

As future sustainability professionals in training, you are preparing for potential future meetings and collaboration. Thus, for all public milestones, deliverables, and/or events, students are encouraged to participate in-person and/or online with dress and demeanor befitting a professional environment.

 

 Netiquette & Communication Courtesy

All members of the class are expected to follow rules of common courtesy in all email messages, threaded discussions and chats within Canvas and other online services. Please refer to these resources.

• http://biostat.ufl.edu/resources/e-learning-resources/e-learning-basics/etiquette-onlineLinks to an external site.
• https://teach.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/NetiquetteGuideforOnlineCourses.docxLinks to an external site. 

 UF Academic Policies & Accommodations

 Policies

For more information about academic policies (e.g., attendance, accommodations, grading, conduct, honesty, in-class recording) and resources (e.g., technical support, career services, library support, writing studio, academic complaints), please visit the official University of Florida syllabus policy links page.

• https://syllabus.ufl.edu/syllabus-policy/uf-syllabus-policy-links/Links to an external site. 

 

 Accommodations & Special Considerations

The principle of equal treatment of all students is a fundamental guide in responding to requests for special consideration. No student shall be given an opportunity to improve a grade that is not made available to all members of the class. This policy is not intended to exclude reasonable accommodation of verified student disability or the completion of work missed due to religious observance, verified illness, or absence due to circumstances beyond your control. Reconsideration of subjective judgments of an individual student’s work will be done only if all students in the class can be and are given the same consideration.

 Wellbeing

 Safety, Health, & Wellbeing

Your safety, health, and wellbeing are important to our University community. Students experiencing crises or personal problems that interfere with their general well-being or academic performance are strongly encouraged to talk to the instructor and/or to utilize the University’s confidential counseling resources, available at no cost to currently enrolled students.

Below is a helpful resource portal that UFID holders may access through the UF single sign-on (SSO) service affiliated with their @UFL accounts.

• One.UF > Whole Gator
  • https://one.uf.edu/whole-gator/discoverLinks to an external site. 

 

 Growth Mindset

"A growth mindset’s defining characteristic—the belief that intelligence is malleable—provides a powerful formula for improving student outcomes. Students who believe that they can get smarter and that effort makes them smarter will put in the effort that leads to higher achievement." - American University School of EducationLinks to an external site.

Change is the only constant. Within the SBE Program, we focus on a triple-E approach to intrapersonal and interpersonal growth and development. That is, we support our students in placing their attention and intention on effortLinks to an external site., earnestnessLinks to an external site., and equanimityLinks to an external site. in the pursuit of eudaimoniaLinks to an external site.. In the lab of life, lessons are best learned when seeing failure as feedback for your future fitness and adaptability in uncertainty. Your instructor encourages you to foster a growth mindset and to leverage the University and SBE resources available to help you thrive.

Below is a helpful resource page for SBE students to make the most of their active learning opportunities, student living experiences, and wayfinding within our program and beyond.

• UF > DCP > SBE > Where
  • https://dcp.ufl.edu/sbe/where/Links to an external site.