Form C
Eligibility
In order to eligible to submit your portfolio and take your final oral examination, the following items must be verified:
- All course work must be satisfactorily completed. Students must maintain an overall GPA of 3.00 for graduation.
- Your MS program of study must be approved and on file in the Graduate School.
- Any changes in the program of study must be approved and on file in the Graduate School.
- All incomplete grades must be officially removed and on record in the Registrar’s Office.
Portfolio Expectations
The portfolio is an indication of the quality of work completed by the prospective teacher. The various components of the portfolio will serve as a reflection of the individual’s knowledge of subject matter, pedagogy, secondary school students, curriculum, and research. The purpose of the portfolio is to help you integrate what you have learned and to display your work in a manner that best represents your abilities as an Agricultural Science and Technology teacher. Furthermore, the portfolio presents your work to your graduate committee and potential employers.
Portfolios are to be written at a level of quality that is consistent with Graduate School Standards. The content of the portfolio will include revised papers and projects completed as part of your course work. It will also include your work samples, pictures of your teaching, and materials documenting course activities in Agricultural Science and Technology education. It is important that you demonstrate professional consistency between your theoretical knowledge and your practical application of this knowledge.
Compiling the portfolio is a significant undertaking. It is THE evidence of your professional growth. Consequently, you should allow ample time for its development. Confer with your major professor periodically throughout the program about developing your portfolio and preparing for the final oral examination.
A complete draft of the portfolio must be submitted to your major professor for review two (2) weeks prior to your oral examination. A copy of the written portion of the portfolio that has been approved by your major professor must be given to each member of your committee one (1) week prior to the oral exam. Committee members may require the student to make revisions prior to and/or subsequent to the oral examination.
A completed final copy of the written portion of your portfolio and a final copy of your electronic portfolio must be submitted to the Department before graduation. These documents will be kept on file in the department for program evaluation by TSPC (written portions for one year, electronic versions for seven years).
Expectations for the Oral Examination (see the Graduate School website for additional information on the oral exam process)
All students qualifying for the MS degree must pass a final oral examination. The examination is scheduled for a two-hour block of time. It is your responsibility to schedule all aspects of the examination.
The examination will be conducted by your major professor and the other two committee members. You are required to have your major professor and one subject matter specialist (i.e. Agricultural Education) on your committee. The third member can be any qualified, graduate school approved committee member (which could also be from Ag Ed). They must have been approved by Graduate School and on file in the department. Check with the Ag Ed office to be sure they are approved. Please note that serving on a committee is not a faculty requirement, so make sure your committee is appreciated for their time and efforts.
During the examination, you will be asked to provide evidence of your skills and abilities as an Agricultural Science and Technology instructor. You will be provided 10-15 minutes to present on what you feel are elements of effective teaching. The remainder of the exam time will be open to questions from the various committee members on topics ranging from specific aspects of the portfolio and opening discussion to your subject matter course work, your Agricultural Science and Technology education course work and other projects in progress. The role of the committee is to appraise your competence as an Agricultural Science and Technology teacher in terms of your integration of knowledge, and application of subject matter knowledge, to pedagogical practices that are developmentally appropriate in public education, as well as your ability to evaluate your own teaching effectiveness.
Scheduling Procedures
To schedule your oral examination, please follow the procedure outline below. It is advisable to begin this process at least one month prior to the anticipated date of the examination. Review Graduate School Deadlines to determine filing dates, etc: http://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/success/deadlines . Normally, in order to participate in Commencement and graduate in spring term, students must complete their oral defense by the third week of May. Check with the Graduate School for specific dates.
- Schedule the date and time with each of your committee members.
- Schedule a location.
- Make a formal application to the Graduate School via their online application process at: – date, time, and place of your exam, confirm the committee membership and notify the committee of the exam date, time, and place (you are M.S. non thesis). http://oregonstate.edu/dept/grad_school/phpforms/event.php This must be done at least one (1) week in advance of the examination date.
- Apply to graduate through your Student Online Services account. This should be submitted at the same time you apply to do your final examination.
If you have any questions or problems with the process of preparing for your oral examination, please do not hesitate to contact your major professor. Any exceptions to the process or requirements must be negotiated with your major professor.
The Exam
On exam day, the process will go like this:
- The student is at the front of the room and the committee will be around the table or will be facing the candidate.
- The major professor runs the meeting:
- Candidate is asked to tell the committee about your self – make it concise, but don’t leave out important details. The committee is interested in your background, but is most interested in hearing how you got to this point – your student teaching experience and why you are interested in teaching. Similar to the question that will be asked in a job interview
- Present your teaching presentation
- Each committee member will ask approximately 20 minutes worth of questions. When all committee members are finished, each member will have an opportunity for follow-up questions
- At the end of your defense (approximately 2 hours), the candidate will be excused from the room while the committee deliberates the outcome of the defense
- Your major professor will then come out to get you and provide you with the final results.
- Sign the examination form, copy, and deliver form to graduate school.
