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Department of Educational Technology and Foundations

University of West Georgia

School Library Media Volunteer Handbook

M.Ed. and Non-Degree StudentsIn

School Library Media

Table of Contents

Contact Information…………………………………………… 1

Volunteer Introductory Information ……………………………2

MEDT Course Volunteer Process ……………………………...2

Activities Checklist …………………………………………….4

Tk20 Data ………………………………………………………5

Dr. O.P. Cooper Dr. Dawn Putney Dr. Phyllis Snipes

678-839-6108 678-839-6151 678-839-6154

Program wiki:

Tk20: and

Department contacts: 678-839-5259 or 678-839-6558

School Library Media Volunteer Introductory Information

The University of West Georgia preparation program for School Library Media Specialists focuses on the development of applicable knowledge and skills that school library media specialists must possess for successful media programs that will positively impact school improvement. The volunteer experiences involve students as volunteers in PreK-12 settings that provide opportunities to learn how newly gained and refined knowledge, skills, and dispositions can be applied in school library media centers. Each of the school library media MEDT courses in the program incorporate volunteer experiences that require students to apply specific aspects of each course through interaction in a school library media center. The volunteerexperience component of the program concludes with a semester long course (MEDT 7487) in which the students complete the development of their electronic portfolio documenting their course work and volunteer experiences as well as the completion of course specific assignments..

Description of Volunteer Experience

The volunteerexperience component of the school library media program is program long and has required volunteer experiences incorporated into each of theschool library media MEDT courses. Students are expected to complete a minimum of 50 clock hours as volunteers in media centers during the program.Included in those 50 hours students must also spend time at each level – elementary, middle school, and high school. Each of these courses has embedded volunteer experiences that students complete and record. In each of the courses there are specific assignments as well as general day to day operational tasks.

MEDT Course Volunteer Process

Each school library media MEDT course includes assignments that will require students to spend time in media centers and/or communicate with media specialists. Students are required to spend at least 5 hours during each school library media MEDT course but are encouraged to spend as many hours as possible per course volunteering in media centers. In manycourses more than the minimum 5 hours will be necessary in order to successfully complete the specific course assignments. Students must complete a minimum of 50 hours volunteering in school library media centers during the program. Students are NOT required to complete any volunteer hours before the midpoint of their first semester in the program. This allows time for students to work with instructors to identify appropriate volunteer sites.

Students who are NOT employed in a public school MUST work with the school library media instructors who will be able to help students locate appropriate volunteer sites. If students who are NOT employed in a public school, contact schools or districts directly will not be able to spend time in those schools or districts – PLEASE contact your instructors for assistance in locating appropriate volunteer sites.

The following procedures must be followed:

1. School Data Forms must be completed in the Professional Practice tab of Tk20 for each of the three levels – elementary school, middle school, and high school.

2. Activities Checklist/Time Logmust be continuously maintained throughout the program. The Activities Checklist/Time Loginformation must be entered in the Professional Practice tab of Tk20 at the end of each semester.

3. Volunteer Reflection notes should be written at the end of each school library media MEDT course. This reflection is like a journal. During your last semester in the program, you will post your compiled reflections in the Professional Practice tab of Tk20 related to all of your experiences in media centers throughout the program. That reflection should include notes about volunteer experiences completed during each MEDT course. Some instructors may require you to post your reflection for a specific course in CourseDen D2L. You can store your ongoing reflection in Tk20 and just replace it at the end of each semester. You should keep a Word document that you will add to at the end of each MEDT course. During your last semester in the program, you will post your finalized reflection paper in the Professional Practice tab of Tk20.

4. During Fall and Spring semesters the volunteer activities must be completed in school library media centers where the media specialists hold clear renewable Georgia certificates in school library media. Most students are employed in public schools and will complete the majority of their volunteer experience hours in that school. Students who are NOT employed in a public school MUST work with the school library media instructors who will be able to help students locate appropriate volunteer sites.

5. During Summer semesters, the volunteer activities are completed in a slightly different manner. There are some media centers that are open for student and teacher use during the summer. Those media centers may be willing to accept volunteer help. Instructors for the MEDT courses will have a list of media centers that are willing to have MEDT students as volunteers in their media centers. Public libraries typically run summer reading programs for children and youth and usually welcome volunteers.

6. Ideally students should complete at least twofull days in public school media centers. These full days must be completed during Fall and Spring semesters. The two full days must be spent at other levels and schools different from the student’s worksite. School library media certification is PreK-12, therefore, students must spend time at all three levels: elementary, middle, and high school. Practicing media specialists must also spend two full days in other sites at levels other than the worksite.School data forms must be completed in Tk20 for each level.

Tk20 Requirements Related to Volunteer Experience

School Data Forms for the three levels in the Professional Practice tab of Tk20:

  • Site and Level – Name of district, school and level – elementary, middle school, or high school
  • School and Student Demographics – information from GA Department of Education site related to Students by Race/Ethnicity and Students by Other Subgroups. This information can be found at:
  • Click on the School Reports map on the right side of the page.
  • Select district. Select school, click on Report Card on the left of the page.
  • Click on Student and School Demographics tab at the top of the page.
  • Click on the Enrollment by Demographics tab just below the Student and School Demographics tab.
  • Scroll to the bottom half of the page to the Percentage of Enrollment section.
  • Record the information for each category provided for the school.
  • Name and e-mail of Media Specialist – Information about the media specialists at the site

All data is not always available at the GA DoE site – complete as many of the items as possible. Data may not be up to date, but use the data available.

Volunteer Reflection in the Professional Practice tab of Tk20

Volunteer Reflection notes should be written at the end of each school library media MEDT course and submitted in CourseDen. This reflection is like a journal. During your last semester in the program, you will post your compiled reflections in the Professional Practice tab of Tk20.

Additional Tk20 Information can be found at:

As students are working to complete Tk20 items or upload items into Tk20, they can also request assistance and send questions to:

The following page is a copy of the Activities Checklist and Time Log. Students should keep this page handy and enter information at the end of each semester. Most instructors will request a copy of this page each semester.

ACTIVITIES CHECKLIST FOR MEDIA SPECIALIST VOLUNTEER

The following is an overview of the day-to-day tasks necessary to keep media centers operating. It is understood that not every media specialist carries out all of these tasks; however, the opportunities for candidates to visit and work in a variety of media centers across grade levels will provide multiple opportunities during the program to experience most, if not all, of these activities.

ACTIVITIES / DATE(S) AND LOCATION(S) OF COMPLETION
Teacher Collaboration
Impact on Learning
Locate and review the Policies and Procedures Handbook
Assist students locating information through OPAC/social sites
Assist students with technological needs
Assist students with multimedia productions (PowerPoint, etc.)
Assist students with research and reference needs
Produce or assist with video distribution, news broadcast
Assist with reading promotions (booktalks, reader’s theater, etc)
Design display promoting reading or media
Catalog new materials (from scratch & not copy cataloging)
Download MARC records from Internet and enter into OPAC
Process new materials, Apply bar codes/Affix spine labels
Maintain student records in OPAC
Work with/troubleshooting computers, video, other equipment
Circulate non-print materials / Circulate media equipment
Collect fines/issue overdue notices/reserve items
Check books in and out
Shelve materials
Attend meetings – place to list
Other course required activity – place to list

Time Log for the three levels (add rows per semester as needed):

Elementary School Level

Semester/YearSchoolDistrict Media Specialist Name/E-mail # of Hours

Middle School Level

Semester/YearSchoolDistrict Media Specialist Name/E-mail # of Hours

High School Level

Semester/YearSchoolDistrict Media Specialist Name/E-mail # of Hours

Total Hours ______

Virtual Volunteer Experiences (up to 6 hours) completed ______

(Documentation required to verify completion of virtual hours)

Summer 2015