1. Countdown to Proseminar 2017
Susan R. Hughes, ED. D.

2. Getting ready for the big event!
Congratulations on your accomplishments thus far. Having made it to EDUC 602, now is the time to get ready for Proseminar.
In the next month or so, we will be finalizing our class list for Proseminar, 2017.
All students who are eligible to attend Proseminar will receive a packet in the U.S. mail with important documents regarding this exciting event.
Included in the packet will be housing information for the days that you are required to be on campus (July th, registration information, information about the books that you are required to read in advance, and the directions for the book synthesis paper that you will submit.

3. Proseminar Schedule
Proseminar begins with a Kickoff on Tuesday morning (Registration at 8am) and introductions by the Dean of the School of Education, Math, and Science, Dr. Ted Wilson, as well as the Assistant Dean, Scott Mihalovic.
You will have a schedule to follow that includes book discussion groups, research presentation times (each time slot includes three presentations in a room that are typically similar in nature – for example three studies on early literacy would be scheduled in a room), and our newest event, the Portfolio Fairs.
You will have opportunities to choose to attend research presentations that interest you. Once you choose a room, you are expected to stay in the room for all three presentations.

4. How Groups are Established
Once the final number of students is determined, faculty members are hired for Proseminar.
Each faculty member is assigned students; these students become the instructor’s ‘class’ for the week.
Students meet with their faculty members for book discussion groups, and submit the initial book synthesis paper to their assigned faculty member through Moodle.

5. Books for Proseminar
Each year, a theme for the week is developed, and books are chosen that relate to the theme.
This year’s theme is: Teaching Students to be Good Citizens in a Diverse Society
Near the end of the fall semester, the book titles are published on the website, and students are encouraged to buy the books early and get started reading the books to prepare for Proseminar. See Website for More Info:
By June 15, students are expected to submit a synthesis paper that draws from the common themes across the books, the theme of Proseminar, and the mission, vision, and values of the Graduate Programs in Education, as well as the theme for Proseminar 2017.
Students submit this paper via a Moodle course that is set up for EDUC 604.

6. Preparing your Research Presentation
I like to call this presentation your ‘15 minutes of fame’.
You have poured your heart and soul into an action research study, and you will now have the opportunity to share your journey with your peers.
Each student prepares a presentation that typically includes a visual aid (PowerPoint or Prezi, or some other multimedia work) that is presented to a small audience of your peers (typically under 20 attendees) and one or two faculty members.

7. Presentation Details
Each student is allotted 15 minutes of presentation time and five minutes of question/answer time.
The faculty member who serves as the juried member for the presentation will time the presentation and provide a two minute warning at 13 minutes.
Students must cover the required information in the 15 minutes allotted, as it is imperative that we keep to the schedule so that all students have an equal opportunity to shine!
Each student’s presentation is scored using a rubric that is included in the mailing. Please visit the course Moodle for the presentation rubric.

8. What to Include in Your Presentation
There are four major areas that are scored during your 15 minute presentation, including:
What was learned?
Each of the parts of the research paper, including Introduction (problem investigated, purpose for the study, and research questions) literature review (VERY BRIEF), methods (type of study and tools), results and data analysis, and conclusions.
Impact of your research on the future (your practice, your students, your future as an action researcher).
Overall presentation – professionalism, clarity, timing, confidence, visual display, and engagement with audience.

9. Scoring/Grading
Each of the elements is scored on a rubric, and the score becomes a part of your overall grade for Proseminar, along with your attendance at sessions, and the two papers that you write (one prior to coming to the event, and a reflection paper that you will write on Thursday afternoon/evening).
Public sharing of research results is common for master’s degree programs that include a research component.
This is not intended to be something to fear, but an opportunity to celebrate and share the findings of your study with your peers.

10. Preparing your Portfolio
Students will present their portfolios at a type of Portfolio Fair, and the Portfolios will be scored by two instructors.
To see the documents that relate to the preparation of the Portfolio, please visit the website at education/electronic-portfolio
For additional questions regarding the preparation of the portfolio, please contact Susie Hughes at

11. ED LEADERSHIP E-PORTFOLIO
All Educational Leadership students will present their electronic portfolio at Proseminar during the Portfolio Fair.
Primary focus should be on growth over the course of the Master’s/Principal program by highlighting some activities that were ah-ha moments in your journey.
Consider which Principal-like activities may have changed some previous thinking about school leadership and the role of the Principal in our schools.
Consider how you have personally and professionally changed in your role as a teacher and provide evidence through the e- portfolio.

12. Portfolio Fair
Students will submit an electronic portfolio by June 1, 2017, and will be required to ‘present’ at one of the Portfolio Fairs that are part of the scheduled activities during Proseminar, 2017.
During the Portfolio Fair, students will have portfolios accessible on their personal computers and other students will choose to interact with students whose backgrounds/interests are similar to their own. There will be a list of ‘discussion starters’ so that students can come away with certain pieces from the portfolio sessions.
Please visit the MAE website for all of the portfolio documents that will assist you in developing your portfolio.

13. Best Practice Sharing by Job Alike Groups
One of the highlights (according to feedback from our students) is a Job Alike group sharing time.
Each student brings one example of a ‘best practice’ that he or she shares with others who have similar teaching assignments.
Students are expected to bring copies of the best practice to hand out to others in the group. The instruction packet will tell you how many copies to bring (typically about 22).

14. Other Aspects of the Week
As it is often a student’s first experience on the Viterbo campus, there are things that are made available that one might not experience otherwise.
Once such event is a chapel tour, when one of the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration leads a tour of the amazing chapel that sits just adjacent to our campus. The sisters have so much to share about their mission and their involvement in establishing and maintaining our campus.
The alumni office hosts a Riverboat cruise on one of the evenings that includes a boat ride with pizza and beer – this is not to be missed!

15. GRADUATION!!
Finally, the day that you have been waiting for will be here!
Graduation takes place on Friday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.
This is a small, intimate event when only the graduates of the Master of Arts in Education are conferred degrees.
It has all of the pomp and circumstance of a typical graduation, but due to the smaller numbers, usually takes only about an hour.
As there is plenty of room for family and friends, we encourage our students to invite as many people to share in this event as they care to. All are welcome to come and celebrate this accomplishment!

16. If you have other questions . . .
If you have other questions, please feel free to contact:
Susie Hughes or
Vickie Schaefer or
Linda Hinkley or
Scott Mihalovic or