FAQ for Faculty (Level I Student Observations)

FAQ for Faculty Regarding On-Site Observations at the CCF (Level I)

On-Site Observation

• I want my students to conduct observations at the CCF. How do I start?
  Faculty should fill out the Faculty On-Site Observation Request Form (Level I), and submit it to Dr. Kim Pulvers, the University Liaison to the Center for Children and Families.  This can be placed in her mailbox at SBSB 3222, or submitted as a PDF e-mail attachment.
• How much time in advance should I submit the request form before observation?
  Please submit your request at least 2 weeks prior to when you would like to start your observations.
• Do I need to accompany my students when they observe at CCF?

  If your students are observing as a group, you should be there to accompany them.  However, the Center is not set up to have more than 10 students observing at any given time.  If you would like to bring more than 10 students at one time, you many fill out a request form to reserve the on-site classroom, and then have students go out to observe in groups of 10 at a time. 

  Many professors choose to have their students do their observations on their own, and in this case, you do not have to accompany them.  However, the Center is not able to schedule students individually.  Instructions on how to schedule students are given below.

• Can I schedule observation dates & times for individual students?
  The Center does not have the personnel to schedule individual students.  As their instructor, you will need to have students sign up for a date and time to observe with you. This master schedule can be e-mailed, or sent by campus mail, to the Director of the CCF, prior to their observations.  Please instruct your students NOT to contact the Center directly, except for emergencies.  Students who are not scheduled will be turned away.
• When are observations permitted?
  Observations are permitted Monday-Friday between 8:30 a.m. -11:30 a.m.  This is the optimal time for students to observe children in the classroom.  After this time, children are having lunch, napping, or scattered around on playgrounds.  On a case-by-case basis, some observations may be permitted after 11:30 a.m.
• How many students are permitted to observe at one time at CCF?
  CCF prefers that no more than 10 students be in the center at any one time to observe.  In addition, please inform your students that no more than 3 students should observe a given classroom at one time.  Exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis.  If you want to bring larger groups, refer to the information above under “Do I need to accompany my students when they observe”.
• Can I use the classroom that is located at the center?
  To reserve the classroom at CCF, submit the on-line Classroom Request Form.
• Are there any forms that students need to bring with them?

  Yes!  Students need to bring a signed copy of the Student On-Site Observation Requirements Form. Students who do not have this form with them will not be allowed to observe.  In addition, if students are observing without being accompanied by their instructor, students should also bring a copy of the approved and signed Faculty On-Site Observation Request Form (Level I).  Many instructors find it useful to post these forms on Moodle so that students can download them.

• Are there any other instructions that I should tell my students?
  Please be sure that students are fully aware of appropriate conduct and dress, as well as the other requirements given in the Student On-Site Observation Requirements Form. They should also be encouraged to bring earphones (such as iPod earphones), since earphones are limited at the center. 
• Where can students & faculty park while visiting the center?
  Students and faculty are not allowed to park at the Center, since spaces are limited and a special permit is needed.  Students may park at Parking Lot K (next to the Sprinter station), or any of the parking lots around University Village.  It is a short walk from there to the CCF.
• Why are there so many requirements for observing at the CCF?
  We very much want to encourage students and faculty to use the CCF for observations, and believe that it provides a wonderful and unique opportunity for students to observe children in their “natural habitat.”  We want to make this process as easy as possible.  However, our primary responsibility is to protect the welfare of the children who are enrolled at the Center.  We feel that these requirements will help to ensure that these children are protected. 
• If I have other questions about onsite observations, who should I contact?
  For questions regarding observation procedures, contact Dr. Kim Pulvers, University Liaison to the Center for Children and Families.  For questions regarding the center itself, contact the Director of the Center for Children and Families.