Elementary and Secondary Practicum Courses (LIBMEDIA 793E and 793S)

UW-Whitewater Practicum Agreement1/11

Elementary and Secondary Practicum Courses (LIBMEDIA 793e and 793s)

Instructions

Each practicum student must develop, in coordination with the practicum coordinator and cooperating library media specialist, a series of professional projects to further develop specific competencies acquired during coursework. Focus should be on areas of further professional development, or on areas of deficiency identified in the portfolio review. Along with the activities recommended on the practicum checklist, these projects become a plan for the experience. Some may be done in one school while others will require research and observation across a series of schools. There should be at least one project in each of the major areas in which the student will be assessed on the program’s competencies and tied to Wisconsin DPI standards for initial licensure across the two practicum experiences (elementary and secondary):

Collection Development, Organization and Access
Information Literacy and Teaching
Technology
Literature and Reading
Administration

In each practicum experience, the student and cooperating LMS should plan at leasttwo of the five projects. Some projects may incorporate more than one area, but at each site one of the two projects should include work with students in a small or large group teachingor literature experience or reference work. Each project must include evaluation of the project.

You should do a practicum agreement for each practicum experience (elementary and secondary). If you are doing two experiences in one semester, you need to do a practicum agreement for each.

Procedure for developing and implementing practicum agreement:

Activity / Timeframe
Submit portfolio from coursework to practicum coordinator (Eileen Schroeder) and receive feedback on any potential areas of need. This portfolio should include a reflection for each course indicating where you feel your strengths and weaknesses are. / By one month before the end of the previous semester
Develop and discuss at least two project ideas in collaboration with cooperating LMS based on the suggestions from the portfolio review, remembering that you want to cover all five areas across the two practicum experiences and work with students and teachers in each. This may be done via phone, but it is advisable to visit the school to get a better feel for the context when doing this. / 2-3 weeks before the beginning of the semester of the practicum
Submit the agreement draft to the practicum coordinator electronically. The plan includes a description of the competencies the student will focus on in the experience (found under each course at projects to be undertaken in those areas, and methods that will be used to determine if project was successful (e.g., feedback from teacher, student skills assessment, survey, feedback from administrator or others in school). Revise as necessary based on feedback from practicum coordinator. / At least two weeks before the beginning of the semester
Practicum coordinator sends approved agreement to university supervisor and cooperating LMS at beginning of semester.
NOTE: No hours can be counted toward practicum until this agreement is approved by the practicum coordinator. / First week of semester
Complete practicum projects during the practicum experience, receiving feedback from cooperating LMS and university supervisor throughout.
NOTE: All projects must be completed at a Proficient or Target level to pass the practicum in addition to satisfactory evaluations from the university supervisor and cooperating librarian. / During practicum experience
Weekly submit an electronic log of daily activities with reflections on what you did each day to university supervisor. / At end of each week of practicum
With cooperating LMS, track activities on checklist to be included in final portfolio / During practicum experience
Answer these questions about your overall practice, not just what you have done in the practicum. Put the answers in your practicum portfolio.

How do you see yourself as a library information specialist benefiting students and teachers?
How have you demonstrated forward thinking in your work with children and colleagues?
How you have helped facilitate curiosity and learning beyond the curriculum?
Out of what you have learned in this program, what new things have you done for individual children in your classroom, outside your classroom or in your library?

/ Near end of practicum
Develop portfolio of practicum projects and other activities as appropriate with a reflection on achievement of competencies and areas of strength and weakness. Submit to university supervisor with completed checklist, practicum agreement form, answers to questions, and logs by end of final week of classes at the latest (i.e. before the start of finals week). It would be most useful to have this ready by the supervisor’s final visit, but it may be submitted electronically or by mail so that it reaches the supervisor by the deadline. The cooperating LMS’s evaluation will also be sent to the university but you should also get a copy to include in this portfolio. / Before finals week for the semester
University supervisor will write recommendation and assign grade based on observations, portfolio, and cooperating LMS’s evaluation. / End of finals week
Review of the combined portfolio from both experiences by university faculty at the end of the second practicum will determine if 902 initial level licensure or 902 professional with stipulations for those currently holding a professional teaching license is granted. / After second practicum experience when submitting licensure application

Eliminate the instructions (pages 1-2) and the sample projects (pages 3-4) of this document when you submit your agreement.

Project ideas:

These are just suggestions. Develop projects based on your needs and interests. Projects may be accomplished at your main practicum site or may be explored across various sites. Some may incorporate more than one area. Projects must be approved by the practicum coordinator and the cooperating LMS before you begin your practicum.

Access (reference)

Reference: Develop a webpage of resources for an upcoming unit including website, databases, etc.
Reference: Interview students about their use of reference services and materials including print resources, online databases and the open web. Determine areas that need further instruction and / or tools to direct students to appropriate resources.
Reference: Select a teacher with an information need. Interview and develop an extensive bib/webliography to meet their need. Provide search structure for ongoing updating. Get written feedback.
Reference: Review the library’s website and develop suggestions for improvement or additions in resources, organization, design, and services.
Privacy and intellectual freedom: Examine the school’s policies that impact student and staff privacy and intellectual freedom rights. Analyze how these policies impact students’ access to information. Interview the LMS and administration on the issue.
Collaboration: Examine collaboration with public library and develop plan for increasing.

Collection management and use (collection development, cataloging and classification)

Cataloging: Examine the cataloging for materials in an upcoming unit. Enhance the cataloging through the use of summary notes, levels, genre, etc.
Cataloging: Examine materials appropriate for use by ESL students and enhance the cataloging.
Collection development: Gather resources for both students and the teacher in all formats for an upcoming unit. Recommend items for acquisition or interlibrary loan that are not currently available in the school.

Technology

Production: Work with a teacher to collaboratively plan and implement a unit involving student production utilizing technology.
Problem solving: Develop a problem-solving manual for common technology issues in the library, the classroom, and the computer lab.

Administration

Public relations: Interview staff, administrators, and students on expectations of the library media specialist and the library program. Create a public relations campaign to elevate the image of school librarians in your area.
Advocacy: Attend a school board meeting where literacy, libraries, and/or technology are discussed. Analyze the support for libraries and information literacy among board members.
Staffing: Define an ideal staffing level for the information and technology program in the school. Develop an advocacy plan for appropriate numbers of professional and other staff to meet the learning needs of the school.
Staffing: Discuss appropriate roles for the LMS in technology in the school. Describe strategies that might be used to prevent assigning technician duties to the LMS.
Scheduling: Examine the arguments both for and against flexible scheduling as well as the scheduling currently in place in the school. Develop a proposal for the best scheduling for this situation.
Facilities: Examine the current library and technology facilities in the school and make recommendations for changes over the next 10 years to support learning in an information age.

Instructional leadership (information literacy, literature)

Information literacy: Develop and implement an integrated information literacy lesson that is collaboratively planned with a teacher in the school. Examine the level of thinking required of students.
Information literacy: Examine the schools information literacy program and analyze its alignment with state standards for information and technology literacy as well as integration into curricular units.
Staff development: Examine the current program for staff development in information and technology literacy as well as the role of the LMS. Develop a plan for staff development in these areas for the coming year.
Assessment: Develop a series of assessments that might be either used by the LMS or provided to the teacher to evaluate students’ information literacy skills.
Literature: Examine the research on reading motivation and develop an argument for the role of the library media center in support of literacy.
Literature: Develop a plan for a reading motivation program for the school.
Literature: Develop a literature unit for students that supports literacy instruction in the classroom.
Literature: Examine the use of a computerized reading management program in the school (e.g., Accelerated Reading, Reading Counts) and its impact on the library media center and voluntary reading.

Combined projects:

Gather resources for both students and the teacher in all formats for an upcoming unit. Recommend items for acquisition or interlibrary loan that are not currently available in the school. Develop a webpage of resources for an upcoming unit including website, databases, etc. (Access and collection management and use)
Work with a teacher to collaboratively plan and implement an integrated information literacy lesson involving student technology production. Examine the level of thinking required of students. (Technology and instructional leadership)
Discuss appropriate roles for the LMS in technology in the school. Describe strategies that might be used to prevent assigning technician duties to the LMS. Develop a set of procedures and / or instructions for common technology problems that could be used to relieve LMS of some basic technology problem-solving duties and make teachers and students more self-sufficient. (Administration and technology)
Review the library’s website and develop suggestions for improvement or additions in resources, organization, design, and services. Develop template webpages for the website and/or teacher unit pages. (Access and technology)
Examine collaboration with public library and develop plan for increasing. Work with the public library on developing and implementing a reading motivation program for students (Access and instructional leadership and administration)

Practicum Agreement

It is agreed that the following projects will be accomplished in accordance with the guidelines established by the library media program at the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. Signature of the student and practicum coordinator indicate that each has reviewed the projects and accepts the description and goals as stated. Signature of the cooperating library media specialist and university supervisor indicate these are possible in the practicum timeframe and setting. Any changes to this plan to reflect changing conditions at the practicum site or additional skill building for the practicum student must be agreed to by all parties and noted on the form.

Student name:

Practicum Course Number: LIBMEDIA

Email:

Work Phone:Home phone:

Student Signature:Date:

Practicum Coordinator:

Practicum Coordinator Signature:Date:

Site:

Cooperating library media specialist:

LMS Signature:Date:

University supervisor:

Supervisor Signature:Date:

Practicum Sites

List all the schools and library media specialists who will be involved in this experience along with appropriate phone numbers and email addresses. Dates for these visits should be set up as early in the experience as possible.

School / LMS / Phone / Email / Dates

Completion of practicum:

Successful completion of the practicum occurs when:

The time log documents achievement of minimum clock hour requirements
All projects in the plan have been successfully completed.
Student’s self-assessment indicates reflection on competencies.
Student’s responses answer the final questions.
The cooperating library media specialist has completed the practicum evaluation form indicating the student has reached all competencies at least at the proficient level.
The university supervisor and the cooperating library media specialist both believe the student has successfully completed the experience.
The university supervisor has reviewed the student’s portfolio and determines all competencies have been reached at least at the proficient level.

Date accomplished / Signature
The time log reflects minimum clock hour requirements / Supervisor
All projects in the plan have been completed at an acceptable level (Proficient or Target). / Supervisor
The cooperating library media specialist has completed the practicum evaluation form indicating the student has reached all competencies at least at the Proficient level. / Supervisor
Student has satisfactorily answered the final questions. / Supervisor
Portfolio with student reflection and artifacts from all projects approved by university supervisor. / Supervisor

Project One:

Areas covered (e.g., Access , Collection management and use, Technology, Administration, Instructional leadership):
Competencies
(from UWW Courses found at
Project to develop competencies:
Evaluation Method (e.g., how you will determine that the project is successful):
University Supervisor Evaluation:
Competency achievement level:
Minimal Basic Proficient Target
Comments:

Project Two:

Areas covered (e.g., Access , Collection management and use, Technology, Administration, Instructional leadership):
Competencies:
(from UWW Courses found at
Project to develop competencies:
Evaluation Method (e.g., how you will determine that the project is successful):
University Supervisor Evaluation:
Competency achievement level:
Minimal Basic Proficient Target
Comments:

Project Three (optional):