IRLS 696D
Current
Resources in School Libraries:
Information Literacy and Educational Advocacy
(L to R) Ryan M.,
David M., Ann Ewbank, Steven P., Sen. Linda Gray (R-10), Michael M.
Library Legislative
Day, 2/24/05
Fall 2005- Phoenix
Location, Day, and Time TBA
Ann
Dutton Ewbank, M.A.
(602)
509-3156 (no calls after 9 pm)
Office Hours:
Immediately prior to class
Email is the best way to
reach me.
Course Content:
The future of school libraries and school library professionals is unknown. Due to the increasing demands of the federal No Child Left Behind Act and decreasing budgets in many states across the nation, school libraries are currently facing a crisis of survival. Despite strong evidence that effective school library programs positively impact student achievement, many stakeholders (from building-level teachers and administrators, to state and federal elected officials) know little about a school library programÕs relationship to the schoolÕs curriculum and to student achievement. It is imperative that todayÕs school library professionals become advocates for strong school library programs, at the school level and beyond.
This course is designed for both the working school library professional as well as the pre-service teacher-librarian. Using Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning as a basis for organizing advocacy work, the student will explore methods of advocacy for the school library- at the building level and beyond.
Course Objectives:
By the conclusion of the course, the student will:
Articulate the link between the
Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning (AASL/AECT) and school
library program advocacy;
Relate information about the fourteen
school library state studies to various stakeholders;
Explain the basis of organizational
behavior and how it relates to building influence for a school library program;
Distinguish between advocacy and
marketing and how these principles relate to the school library program;
Justify the importance of political
advocacy for the school library program;
Relate action research projects conducted
in the school library to advocacy;
Design an advocacy project to build
influence for the school library program.
Required Texts:
AASL/AECT (1999) Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning. Chicago: ALA Editions.
Hartzell, G (2003). Building
Influence for the School Librarian: Tenets, Targets, and Tactics, Second
Edition. Linworth.
Schuckett, S. (2003) Political Advocacy for School
Librarians: YOU HAVE THE POWER! Linworth.
Required Web Downloads:
Toolkit for School Library Media Programs @ your library ª Free download at http://www.ala.org/ala/pio/campaign/schoollibrary/schoollibrary.htm
ALA Library AdvocateÕs Handbook. Free Download at http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslproftools/toolkits/aasladvocacy.htm
ALA A Library AdvocateÕs Guide to Building Information Literate Communities. Free Download at http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslproftools/toolkits/aasladvocacy.htm
Scholastic Research Foundation
(2004). School Libraries Work! Free download at www.scholasticlibrary.com/download/slw_04.pdf
Your School Library Media Program and No Child Left Behind; Brochure for Principals. Free Download at http://www.ala.org/ala/aaslbucket/aaslnclbbrochure.htm
Optional Texts:
Dr.
Lesley S.J. Farmer. (2003). How to Conduct Action Research: A Guide for
Library Media Specialists.
Ordering information: 1-866-SHOP
ALA (1-866-746-7252) or 1-312-944-6780; fax 1-770-442-9742.
Marla W. McGhee and Barbara A.
Jansen (2005) The Principal's Guide to a Powerful Library Media Program.
Linworth. $44.95
Course Requirements:
Participation/Attendance- 40%
The expectation is that you will make every
effort to attend class, arrive on time, and come prepared. More than one
absence and/or chronic tardiness, leaving early, or taking "breaks"
during class time will lower your grade. Please inform the instructor, in
advance, of a planned absence. Students will be expected to make up the work
missed.
Participation is defined as taking an active
part in your learning and that of your classmates by coming to class prepared
with readings and assignments, and contributing to discussions and class activities.
School library visit/teacher-librarian interview- 20%
The student will design an interview protocol focused on advocacy as it relates to school libraries, locate and interview a teacher-librarian, and write a summary report of the interview to be delivered to the class the following week. The summary should be 2-3 typed, double-spaced pages using standard margins and 12-point font. Rather than a verbatim transcript of the interview, the summary report should reflect an analysis of the views and actions of the interview subject. The instructor will provide a list of willing interview subjects or the student may procure his/her own subject.
Advocacy Project 40%
The capstone experience of this course will be an advocacy project designed to build influence for the effective school library program. More detailed expectations for the project will be given in class:
1. an action research study carried out in the school library and the dissemination of results;
2. the creation of a comprehensive school library marketing campaign using the @ your library ª brand;
3. an article suitable for publication in a journal outside library science (such as the Arizona Reading Association Newsletter or the Arizona Council for the Social Studies newsletter);
4. A conference presentation proposal suitable for submission to a conference outside library science (such as the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, ASU Language and Literacy Conference or the Arizona English TeachersÕ Association Conference); or
5. A student design approved by the instructor.
Grading
scale:
93-100 % A
85-92 % B
84% and below C
Tentative Course Outline-
assignments and readings to be added at a later date.
Week 1: Welcome and introductions, philosophy of the course, overview of the course, whatÕs your name (School Library Media Specialist, Teacher-Librarian, Library Media Teacher, Librarian, etc.)?
Week 2: Information Power as the basis for a school library program, 1st half
Week 3: Information Power as a basis for a school library program, 2nd half
Week 4: The State Studies/ The Power of Research
Week 5: Building Influence, 1st Half
Week 6: Building Influence, 2nd Half
Week 7: Conduct school library
visit/ Interview (Instructor at AASL/Treasure Mountain- no formal class)
Week 8: Advocacy and Marketing using the @ your Libraryª campaign
Week 9: Writing for publication
Week 10: Outreach to educational disciplines beyond teacher-librarianship
Week 11: Political Advocacy
Week 12: Political Advocacy
Week 13: Action Research
Week 14: Action Research
Week 15: No Child Left Behind/ Your Principal and Advocacy
Week 16: Presentations
About the Instructor:
Ann Ewbank holds a B.S.Ed. in social science and secondary education from Northern Arizona University and an M.A. in Information Resources and Library Science from the University of Arizona. She is a Ph.D. candidate in Arizona State UniversityÕs College of Education with a focus on language and literacy. Her research interests include teacher/action research and readersÕ advisory in the school library. AnnÕs teaching experience includes five years as a middle school teacher-librarian. She also has experience teaching high school and middle school social studies; high school ESL; middle school reading; adult basic education, ESL, and citizenship; teacher research methodologies and M.Ed. thesis direction; and community college-level education courses. Ann currently serves as the Chair of the Teacher-Librarian Division of the Arizona Library Association and serves as one of two Arizona delegates to the American Association of School LibrariansÕ Affiliate Assembly.
University of Arizona
Policies:
Academic Code of Integrity
Students are expected to abide
by The University of Arizona Code of Academic Integrity. 'The guiding
principle of academic integrity is that a student's submitted work must be the
student's own.' If you have any questions
regarding what is acceptable practice under this Code, please ask an
Instructor.
Accommodating Disabilities
The University has a Disability Resource Center. If you anticipate
the need for reasonable accommodations to meet the requirements of this course,
you must register with the Disability Resource Center and request that the DRC
send me, the Instructor, official notification of your accommodation needs as
soon as possible. Please plan to meet with me by appointment or during office
hours to discuss accommodations and how my course requirements and activities
may impact your ability to fully participate.
Incompletes
The 1997-8 University of Arizona General Academic Manual,
p.23 reads
The grade of I may be
awarded only at the end of a semester, when all but a minor portion of the course
work has been satisfactorily completed. The grade of I is not to be awarded
when the student is expected to repeat the course; in such a case the grade of
E must be assigned. Students should make arrangements with the instructor to
receive an incompete grade before the end of the semester ...
If the incomplete is not removed by the instructor within one year the I grade will revert to a failing grade.