COLLEGE OF INFORMATION STUDIES

Fall 2012

LBSC 640: School Librarians as Information Professionals

Wednesdays, 5:30 - 8:15 p.m.
Hornbake Building, Room 115

INSTRUCTOR

Dr. Sheri Anita Massey

4111J Hornbake Building

(301) 405-4580 (office)

(202) 904-4662 (mobile)

OFFICE HOURS
By appointment

BLACKBOARD COURSE SPACE

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Over the past 100 years, education in the United States has grown in size and–even more–in complexity. Part of this development has involved the developing recognition of the importance of the library media program as an integral part of the educational system. In order to function effectively within that system, school librarians must understand a number of elements that affect their position in the school: the historical, organizational, and contemporary contexts of library media programs; the principles of teaching, learning, and information literacy that underlie the library media program; and the leadership role that school librarians can playwithin the school community. This course introduces candidates to all these elements, concentrating on the various roles of the school librarians in supporting student learning.

Those roles are derived from the mission statement adopted in 1988 by the American

Association of School Librarians (AASL) and the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) to guide the development and improvement of library media programsnationwide.The roles were reaffirmed in the second edition of Information Power in 1998.They have since been revised in, Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs, published by the American Library Association in 2009. As stated below, the mission statement underlies the College’s School Library Specialization and LBSC 640, which is designed to introduce candidates to the specialization and to the information professions in general:

The mission of the school library program is to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information. The school librarian empowers students to be critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful researchers, and ethical users of information by:

  • collaborating with educators and students to design and teach engaging learning experiences that meet individual needs.
  • instructing students and assisting educators in using, evaluating, and producing information and ideas through active use of a broad range of appropriate tools, resources, and information technologies.
  • providing access to materials in all formats, including up-to-date, high-quality, varied literature to develop and strengthen a love of reading.
  • providing students and staff with instruction and resources that reflect current information needs and anticipate changes in technology and education.
  • providing leadership in the total education program and advocating for strong school library media programs as essential to meeting local, state, and national education goals.

The course also will introduce candidates to the Standards for the 21st Century Learner, launched by AASL in October 2007. This document outlines the skills that candidates need for understanding, thinking and mastering subjects; the dispositions that guide their thinking and intellectual behaviors; the responsibilities that reflect behaviors used by independent learners in researching, investigating and problem solving; and the self-assessment strategies that enable candidates to reflect on their own learning.

TEXTS[1]

American Association of School Librarians (AASL) and Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT). (1998). Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning. Chicago and Washington: American Library Association and Association for Educational Communications and Technology. [$26.00]

American Association of School Librarians. (2009). Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs. Chicago: American Association of School Librarians, a division of the American Library Association. [$32.00]

Donham, Jean. (2008). Enhancing Teaching and Learning: a Leadership Guide for School Library Media Specialists (2nd ed.). New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc. [$62.00]

LIVETEXT

This semester, candidates in LBSC 640 will pilot a program that will later be adopted in fall 2013. LiveText is an electronic portfolio and accreditation management system. The College will use LiveText to support and document candidate growth.

As you progress through your program, you will find that LiveText allows you to work more efficiently, communicate effortlessly, and grow academically. Benefits for students include:

• Unlimited digital storage accessible via the web (which eliminates the need to purchase external jump drives);

• Ability to create professional electronic portfolios that can be easily shared;

• Ability to submit major assignments and receive feedback electronically;

• Resources, including a rubric maker, searchable standards, assignment templates, and more; and, a

• Personal file manager, which allows you to upload and manage external files, such as MS Office, PDF, videos, pictures, and text documents – and which includes labeling capabilities to make document management easy.

In addition to the student benefits listed above, LiveText will enable the program faculty to collect and analyze course assignments and assessment data more quickly and efficiently. LiveText also will allow the College to access teacher candidate data for accreditation needs and to address program improvement issues in a timely manner. LiveText will be explained in greater detail in class.

READINGS

As assigned (See list at the end of this syllabus). Readings are available through the course website, and some readings have direct link to the article/report.

GRADING

Candidates grade will be determined through performance on three reflective papers, a professional development experience, a presentation and report on your observations in three library programs, responses to presentations by other candidates in the class, and a final exam.

  1. Reflection on first scholarly reading50 points
  2. Reflection on second scholarly reading50 points
  3. Reflection on third scholarly reading100 points
  4. Reflection on professional development experience150 points
  5. Observation presentation 200 points
  6. Responses to presentations 50 points
  7. Observation paper 200 points
  8. Final exam200 point

Each component is expected to reflect the highest professional standards, and both substantive and technical quality will be considered in determining candidate’s grade for each. Thoroughness, accuracy, salience, and effective organization are required; correct English grammar, spelling, punctuation, and usage are expected. Adherence to University policies on matters of intellectual integrity is also imperative. Candidates with disabilities should see the instructor during the first week of the course to make sure necessary accommodations are in place. Attendance at each class is required unless prior arrangements have been made.

Grade range that will be used to determine the final grade for this class is 95+ points will be an

A; 92-94.9 points will be an A-; 89-91.9 points will be a B+; 86-88.9 points will be a B; and below

85.9 will be a B-.

COURSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

  1. The candidate will understand the educational system within which the library media program exists and the school librarian functions.
  2. The candidate will identify the formal organizational structures of federal, state, county, and local educational systems and will describe the impact of each systemon the development and improvement of library media programs.
  3. The candidate will discuss and analyze major issues facing educators, policy makers, and parents and the impact these issues have on the development and improvement of library media programs and on the roles and responsibilities of the school librarian.
  4. The candidate will compare and contrast the relationship of the library media profession to other segments of the information profession and the role of the school librarian to the roles of other information professionals.
  1. The candidate will understand the role of the school library media program and that of the school librarian within the educational system.
  2. The candidate will identify and characterize the objectives, functions, and clients oflibrary media programs.
  3. The candidate will identify and describe the major functions performed and roles assumed by school librarians.
  4. The candidate will explain foundational concepts in information studies as they relate to the library media program and the roles of the school librarian.
  5. The candidate will describe the results of recent research on the nature and effectiveness of library media programs and explain its significance.
  6. The candidate will describe the relationship of professional standards andguidelines, state standards and expectations, and other appropriate documents to the library media program and the school librarian.
  1. The candidate will understand the issues and concepts related to the teaching/learning process as these affect the library media program and the school librarian.
  2. The candidate will summarize current theories about learning and will relate these to the development of an effective library media program.
  3. The candidate will describe the importance of collaboration and leadership in the development of a library media program that is integral to teaching and learning.
  4. The candidate will describe the importance and value of an effective learning community and the role of the LMS and other information professionals in creating such a community.
  1. The candidate will analyze, evaluate, and create new knowledge about the major topics covered in the course.

Please include the University of Maryland Honor Pledge on all submissions and your final exam. The following should be written on your submission; more information available at:

I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistanceon this assignment/examination.

Procedures for Delayed Openings and Campus Closings Due to Inclement Weather

Please check the University's inclement weather number (301-405-SNOW [7669]), which is used for inclement weather and other emergency situations. The University announces late openings and closings for snow early each day, not the night before. While local television and radio stations report on University closings, the information is not always correct. Please use the telephone number given above or check the University website (

See Procedures for Delayed Openings and Campus Closings Due to Inclement Weatherat

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in this class is the best way to grasp the concepts and principles being discussed. However, in the event that a class must be missed due to an illness, the policy in this class is as follows:

  • For every medically necessary absence from class, a reasonable effort should be made to notify the instructor in advance of the class. When returning to class, candidates must bring a note identifying the date of and reason for the absence, and acknowledging that the information in the note is accurate.
  • If a candidate is absent more than TWO times consecutively, the instructor may require documentation signed by a health care professional.
  • If a candidate is absent on days when exam/ reflection/assignments are due, he or she is required to notify the instructor in advance, and upon returning to class, bring documentation of the illness, signed by a health care professional.

REFLECTIONSONSCHOLARLYWRITINGS

Postingsdue: September 19, October 3, and November 4by5:30PM

Inpreparationforclassdiscussions,youareexpectedtohaveread andconsideredcriticallyall articlesand/orchapterslistedintheCourseScheduledocument. Inreadingtheassigned materials,itisimportanttomaintainobjectivity;tobesomewhatskeptical;andtoask the questionslistedbelow.You mustmaintainalevelofskepticismandexpecttheauthortomake logicalargumentsandconvincethereaderofhis/herauthority.Aftercarefulreading,youwill beexpectedtocontributeyourthoughtstotheacademicdiscussionbydrawingsome conclusionsaboutthetopic.

Inadditiontoreadingcritically,youareaskedtoreflectinwritingaboutspecificreadings identifiedbytheinstructor. Writtenreflectionsonthestarredreadingsaretobesubmitted electronicallyontheBlackboardcoursesiteatleast48hourspriortotheclass sessionat whichthearticlewillbediscussed(Week 4 - Jentz & Murphy (2005); Week 6 – Subramaniam, Ahn, Fleischmann & Druin (2011); Week 11– Todd (2009)). Toenteryour reflection,clickontheDiscussionBoardlinkonthemenuontheleftsideofthefrontpageofthe courseBlackboardsite.Thelinkwill takeyoutotheDiscussionBoard.Clickontheappropriateforum,andthenaddanewthread. PutyournameandthenumberoftheReflection inthesubjectline(e.g.,Fred Rogers –Reflection#1).Inadditiontopostingyourown reflection,pleasecommenton at least onepostingbyanothercandidatepriortoclass. For eachreflection,respondtothefollowingquestions.

1.Whatistheauthor’smainpointormainargument?

2. Uponwhatevidencearetheauthor’sconclusionsbased? Doyouagreeordisagreewith theauthor’sconclusions?

3. Howdoesthisworkrelatetootherpaperswehavereadforthisclass?

4. Whatimplicationsmightthisworkhaveforthedevelopmentofeffectiveschoollibrary mediaprogramsandhowdoesthisworkcontributetoyourunderstandingoftheschool librarianasan informationprofessional?

REFLECTIONONPROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT

Posting due by 5:30 pm on:
October 31 (MLA Kids Are Customers, Too)

October 31 (MASL Annual Conference)

November 21 (iSchool Symposium on Diversity in LIS Education)

Professionaldevelopment isanimportantelementinthecareerofeveryeffectiveschool librarian. Throughongoingcontinuingeducation,theschoollibrarianmodelsacommitmentto lifelonglearning.Asamemberoflocal,state,regional,and/ornationalorganizations,school librarianshavetheopportunitytoparticipateinconferences,meetings,andworkshops;receive printandonlinejournalsandnewsletters;contributetoonlinediscussionsandlistservs;mentor orbementoredbyotherprofessionals;andbuildandsustainvaluablenetworks.

Todemonstratethevalueofongoingprofessionaldevelopment andtoenableyoutobegin buildingprofessionalnetworks,youwillbeexpectedtoparticipateinandreflectuponatleast ONEcontinuingeducation/professionaldevelopmentmeeting. Fouroptionsareavailable.

  1. Kids are Customers, Too Conference - Maryland Library Association

October 18

Westminster, MD

“In it’s 16th year, the Kids are Customers, Too Conference is an opportunity for public librarians and school media specialists throughout the state to meet new people, renew contacts, and learn the latest information affecting the diverse field in which they work. The exciting programs lined up for the morning include sessions for incorporating healthy living concepts into your library programs.”

  1. Maryland Association of School Librarians (MASL) Annual Conference

October 19

Linthicum Heights, MD

The topic for this year is “Libraries at the Core”- guest speaker Kathy Schrock and author luncheon with Sharon Draper. Scholarships available:

  1. iSchool Symposium on Diversity in LIS Education

November 8 & 9

University of Maryland, College Park

“On Thursday November 8th & Friday November 9th 2012 the Symposium on Diversity in LIS Education will bring together information professionals and faculties to focus on preparing all LIS students to be ready to design & deliver inclusive services to diverse populations in the Information Age.This event is free and open to the public, and will be hosted at the University of Maryland College Park in College Park, MD. Talks and panels include – Changing demographics of library patrons; Designing academic programs for cultural competency; Recruiting diverse student populations to MLS programs; Funding diversity-related academic programs.”

  1. Identify on your own a rich, authentic professional development experience on which you will be able to reflect.

You are only requiredtoattendandreflectonONEoftheaboveprofessionaldevelopment activities.However,youareverywelcometoattendallevents.

You mustinformmeyourchoiceofprofessionaldevelopmentactivityby the third class of the semester.

Followingparticipationintheprofessionaldevelopmentactivity,youaretoreflectonyour experiencebyrespondingtothefollowingquestions:

1.Whatdidyoufindtobethemostvaluableaspectoftheexperience?

2.Whatdidyoufindtobetheleastvaluableaspectoftheconference?

3. Howmightyourexperiencecontributetoyoureffectivenessasaschoollibrarian?

4. Whoarethelibrariansthatyouwereabletoconnectornetworkwith?Howdoyou intendtosustainthenetworkthatyouhavebuilt?

5. Howmightparticipation ineventssuchasthesecontribute toyourabilitytobealeaderinthefield?

TherubricfortheassessmentofthisReflectiononProfessionaldevelopment willbepostedon theBlackboardsite.

OBSERVATIONSOFLMPANDANALYSIS
Presentations, PapersandPresentationResponsesdue:November 28 by5:30pm

Thisassignmentisdesignedtoenableyoutocomparethevisionandexpectationsdescribedfor schoollibrarymediaprogramsandtherealitiesthatyoufindinschoolsinyourcommunity.

Eachmemberoftheclassisexpectedtoobservethreelibrarymediaprogramsduringthe semester,makeanoralpresentationandsubmitananalyticalandreflectivepaperaboutthe observations.Oneobservationistobemadeateachlevel–elementary,middle,andhighschool. Eachobservationmustlastaminimumoffourhoursduringatypicalschoolday. Atleastone observationmustbedone inapublicschoolintheDistrictofColumbia,BaltimoreCity,orthe PrinceGeorge’sCountySchoolDistrict. Nomorethantwoobservationsmaybemadeinany onedistrictsothatyoucanobservedifferencesinexpectations,staffing,collectiondevelopment policies,programming,and/orlevels ofsupportbetweenoramongdistricts. Atleasttwo ofthe schoolsyouvisitmustbepubliclyfunded,butyoumayobserveonenon-publicorindependentschoolprogram.IfyouareobservinginArlingtonPublicSchoolsortheBaltimoreCountyPublic

Schools,youwill needtoobtainthepermissionofcertainindividuals intheschoolsystems beforeapproachingtheschoollibrarian–pleasecontacttheinstructorformoreinformation.

Duringeachobservation,youaretofocusonthefollowingissues,whichalsoarethetopicsyou aretoaddressinyourpresentationandpaper:

1. Doesthecollection–includingprint,non-print,andelectronicresources–appearto provideintellectualandphysicalaccesstoappropriateinformationforcandidatesand staff? Isthecollection uptodate? Whatcriteriadidyouusetoreach yourconclusion?

2.Describeexamplesoflearningandteachingthatyouobservedduringyourvisits. Whatexamplesofcooperation,coordination,and/orcollaborationdidyouobserve betweentheschoollibrarianandclassroomteachers? Whatfactorssupportedor hinderedcollaborationandwhy? Didthestaffinthelibrary mediacenterseemtowork effectivelytogether? Citeevidencethat supportsyouropinion.

3.Inwhatwaysdidthephysicalfacilitysupportlearningandteaching? Whatchanges tothefacilitywouldimproveaccessandusebycandidatesandteachers?

4.Whatfeaturesofbudgetandstaffingdidyouobserveorlearnabout? Howdidthese featuresimpactthequalityanddeliveryofthelibrarymediaprogram?

5.Whatwerethemoststrikingdifferencesthatyouobservedamongtheprogramsat thethreelevels? Whatwere thereasonsforthedifferences?

6.Whatwerethemostimportantthingsthatyoulearnedabouteffectivelibrarymedia programsasaresultofyourobservations?

Informationgatheredistobepresentedtotheclassina20-minuteoralpresentation(and5 minutesofquestionsandanswersession)andina6-8pagetyped,double-spacedpaperin12pt. type. A PowerPoint or other visual presentation must support your oral report. Submit yourPowerPointpresentationorlinkstoothervisualpresentationstogetherwithyourpapervia theBlackboardonlinesubmission.

Boththepresentationandthepaperaretobeginwithbriefdescriptionsoftheschoolsyou visitedandthenfocusonyouranalysisofthelibrarymediaprogramsobserved.Theanalysisin thepaperistobeguided byallsixquestionslistedabove;however,youroralpresentation mustfocusonquestions5and6.

Ifyouneedassistancein identifyingschoolstovisit,theinstructorcanprovideyouwiththe namesofschoollibrarianswhohaveindicatedthattheywouldwelcomecandidatestovisittheir programs.

Therubricfortheassessmentofthepaperandthepresentationwillbepostedonthe

Blackboardsite.

You will beaskedtorespondinwritingtospecificquestionsaboutothercandidates’ presentations. Thequestionswillbedesignedtohelp youfocusyourattentionontheelementsofeffectivelibrarymediaprograms.

TAKEHOMEFINALEXAM TakeHome:November 28Submission:December 5 by5:00pm

This isatakehomefinalexam.Thequestions willbehandedouttoyouonNov. 28th,and youmustsubmityouranswersviaBlackboardbyDec. 5 at5:00pm.Therewillbe fouressaytypequestions. Itisexpectedthatyourcompletedanswerswillconsistofnofewer thaneight(8)and nomorethantwelve(12)typed,double-spacedpagesin12-point type, with standardone-inch margins. Acoverpageand/or pagesofreferencesarenot includedinthepagecount. Your answersshouldbedrawnfromthereadings,classdiscussions, guestspeakersandobservationexperiences. Full citations of referenced and/or directly quoted work are non-negotiable.

[1] The books purchased for this class will be used in other classes.