Whether you’re completing an internship or a practicum, this is your chance to pull it all together. Your field experience should serve as the culminating project in your program—where all your learning comes to life!
In the Digital Learning Specialist (DLS) track, you’ll likely be teaching, planning, and collaborating, with a strong focus on technology integration. If you’re in the School Library Media Specialist (LMS) program, your practicum will involve observing and participating in the day-to-day world of school libraries across grade levels.
No matter your path, a rich field experience includes a variety of learning opportunities—and the more well-rounded your experience, the more rewarding (and fun) it will be.
Here are some ideas to deepen your experience and log meaningful hours:
Attend PD at Different Grade Levels
Sit in on PD sessions at elementary, middle, and high school levels to see how strategies shift across age groups. Compare classroom management, grading practices, or digital tool use. Conferences, district trainings, or webinars geared toward unfamiliar levels = great insights + alternate hours!
Read (A Lot)
Read picture books, YA novels, academic articles, and everything in between. Read across content areas and grade levels. Interested in a specific topic? Do a mini literature review and add it to your ePortfolio as a showcase of your scholarly skills.
Build Your ePortfolio
Start building your professional identity now. Choose a platform (Google Site, VisualCV, Padlet, etc.) and begin organizing your work. Link your portfolio to your resume and bring it to interviews—it will speak volumes.
Shadow Across the School
Spend time with tech integrators, special educators, interventionists, administrators, counselors, or even the IT team. Notice how tech, data, and instructional support flow between roles. Ask how they collaborate—or wish they did. Log the overlaps and insights.
Co-Design a Learning Experience
Partner with a teacher to design a mini-unit, station rotation, or student choice board. Integrate media literacy, inquiry, or design thinking. Even better? Test it with a small group and reflect on what worked.
Run a Micro-Workshop
Offer a short PD session for teachers or students: 15 minutes on Canva, podcasting, digital citation tools, or AI. Keep it low-key and conversational. It’s all about building confidence and community.
Explore the Learning World
Binge a podcast series on equity in edtech, school library trends, or AI in K-12. Host a “listening club” chat with a peer or your mentor. Take notes on what inspired you and how it could show up in your future practice.
Facilitate a Student Voice Session
Ask students what they want in a library, what tech tools they actually use, or how they search online. Use Flip, Padlet, or old-fashioned sticky notes. What you learn can help shape a future collection, lesson, or space design.
Try Emerging Tools Thoughtfully
Experiment with AI tools, digital portfolios, or mixed reality apps—and document not just how they work, but how you might teach legally, ethically, and creatively with them. Consider writing short tool reviews to share with your mentor or colleagues.
Conduct a Mini Needs Assessment
Survey students or staff: What tools do they use? What books do they want? What would make the library or tech support more helpful? Analyze the data and share a quick summary with your mentor.
Your practicum or internship is more than just a checklist of hours. It’s your launchpad. Fill it with creativity, risk-taking, and curiosity—and make it your own.