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Last revised December 8, 2005

Course Syllabus for School Library Administration

Link to Course Outline

Spring 2006 Instructor: Patricia Montiel Overall



COURSE NAME, NUMBER, AND PREREQUISITES

School Library Administration

481/581-791

None
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COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is designed to prepare 21st century school librarians* (see terminology below). The course will examine the changing role of school librarians over time and their current responsibilities in the administration and organization of a school library. The course prepares students for the responsibilities in managing a school library. Students will examine designs for school libraries; development of school library programs; management and marketing of these programs; supervision of library personnel; selection of educational materials and resources; establishment of policies and proceedures for access and responsible use of information; planning for technology; financial considerations for the school library ; acquisition considerations; funding; and the effect of legislation on school libraries. The course will also examine the librarian's role in teacher and librarian collaboration (TLC) and the school librarian's teaching responsibilites in planning, implementing, and evaluating instructional units with classroom teachers and schoolwide. The librarian's role in developing multiple literacies and integrating library instruction into course content through TLC will be a main focus of this course. (3 units)

TERMINOLOGY
Librarian
Many terms are used to describe school librarians. The current terminology is teacher-librarian, which accurately captures the role of librarians in the 21st century. School library media specialist is another title given to librarians which became popular when libraries began to serve as media centers. Other terms include information specialist, library information specialist, etc. Throughout this course the term librarian is used. Teacher and librarian collaboration (TLC) is used to describe a working relationship between teacher and librarian involving various levels of involvement. Effective TLC involves "thinking together" to fully integrate library instruction and content instruction.

Library
 There are also many terms used for school libraries. These include library, school library media center, media center, instructional centers, library and instructional center, etc. A term that is used by Nancy Kravitch (2002) and others is information commons. This term implies community, knowledge-sharing, and shared learning. An article by Kravitch is on e-reserve for further reading.The term is used in higher education but I hope it eventually filters down to elementary school. Throughout this course the word library is used for school library media center.

So how are we going to do this?

Group and individual activities and discussions will take place during class meetings and online using D2L as the class online management tool. D2L technical support is provided by SIRLS and the University of Arizona. The course is designed to engage students in a social learning environment and to provide students experiences in a real library setting. Online discussions through D2L and service learning provide the social interaction for learning in this course. Formal lectures are not part of this course.

Completion of weekly homework assignments and a final web project are requirements of the course. In addition, students will engage in 30 hours of service learning. Service learning will provide a first hand opportunity to learn about school libraries and to put into practice concepts learned through readings and group discussions. Service learning sites are selected by students and should be identified by the third week of the semester. A school librarian must be available to work with you during the service learning hours. Students will share their experiences during online discussions. Required texts and e-reserve articles are required reading. Students will also be involved in discussions about the assigned readings. E-reserve articles can be accessed from the Univiersity of Arizona library. A password will be provided on the course management tool, Desire to Learn (D2L) at the first weekend meeting.

Quizzes may be given throughout the semester. These quizzes will assist students evaluate their understanding of content. Quizzes are ungraded but provide an informal assessment of your work and progress during the course. Students will also be given an opportunity for self-evaluation at midterm and at the end of the course. All quizzes and self-evaluations must be completed to receive credit for this course.

This course is a "blended" course involving three weekend meetings and online instruction. Students are responsible for individual assignments and also participate in collaborative discussions which take place in D2L in discussion groups and chat rooms. Attendance at all six class meetings in Tucson is required. Students should expect to log into D2L 3-5 times a week for asynchronous discussions. Students are also encouraged to create synchronous chats with cohort members. Students are expected to complete all assigned readings and participate in service learning. Requirements for online chats and discussions will be provided on the course homepage of D2L for those enrolled in the course.

Dates for the weekends are Jan. 28-29, Feb. 11-12, and Mar. 25-26. The first weekend class on Jan. 28th will begin at 9:00 am. The class will be held in Tucson in the multipurpose room of SIRLS at 1515 E. First Street. Weekends will feature guests lecturers, small group work, field trips, and other learning activities.

How is this course broken down? (e.g. into lessons, modules, etc.; and how many of these are there?)
Modules will be used for instruction. Students will participate in cohorts to complete the modules. Cohort membership changes three times during the semester to provide students with an opportunity to meet and work with other students enrolled in the class.

What general kinds of course materials will be used?
Texts for the course will be available from the University of Arizona bookstore.

When and how will this course begin?
Students will log onto D2L as soon as the semester begins (Wednesday, January 11, 2006). D2L software can detect when students log on. At that time, students be able to read additional information on the course homepage in D2L. Assignments prior to the first face-to-face meeting will be carried out individually.

The first module involving cohorts will begin on January 30, 2006. Instructions about the Modules and participation by cohort members will be discussed during the first face-to-face meeting on January 28, 2006.

How will you communicate with the instructor?
To communicate with the instructor, students will use D2L mail. This is referred to as d-mail throughout the course. D-mail is checked daily and responses to inquiries can be expected promptly by the instructor or the teaching assistant. Students may also contact the instructor during online office hours via d-mail or D2L pager. Evening online office hours (MST) will include chat room or d-mail discussions. Students may also contact the instructor by d-mail to make an appointment outside of office hours.

How should students communicate with each other?
Students should use D2L mail to communicate with each other. D2L has a pager system. It also have a Chat room facility where students can arrange to meet synchronously to discuss class assignments. Chats can be archived and a copy can be provided to the instructor when necessary.

Do you expect them to interact with fellow students?
You will be expected to participate in online discussions with students in your cohort. Three or four students will be assigned to each cohort.

How do you expect them to conduct themselves in their interactions with you and/or their fellow students? 
Try to express yourself clearly and concisely. Reread what you write in D-mails to make sure that it says what you meant it to say. Be polite. Be considerate. Be patient. Comments should pertain to the work at hand. You can share information about service learning and/or other experiences if they are relevant to the discussio. Share insights. Disagree respectfully and explain why you disagree. Discuss the relationship between the course readings and what you are discovering in your service learning. Share resources with members of your cohort. Explain how concepts developed in the assigned readings apply to your own life or to your service learning experience. Strike a balance between being a giver and a taker. Social information should NOT be included in the course discussions (i.e. Where should be go to lunch when we're in Tucson?). You are welcome to send each other d-mails for social communication.

Do you expect them to stick to a prescribed pace of study or can they work through the course at their own pace?
Students are expected to actively participate in group online discussions. Each student's response is important to develop ideas and concepts presented in the readings. Students are expected to particupate fully in the online discussions and be come prepared to the weekend meetings. The pace is set by leaders of each cohort. Participation is expected from the beginning to the end of the module to provide members of the cohort the benefit of shared experiences from the service learning, discussions about the readings, thoughts, comments, and reflections.

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COURSE OBJECTIVES

Based on class assignments, readings, service learning, and online group discussions students will develop a thorough understanding of:

1. The function of the library media center.
2. The purpose of collaboration and essential elements of effective collaboration.
3. The leadership role of librarian as teacher, collaborator, manager, curriculum specialist, and technology specialist.
4. National, state, and district guidelines and standards and the relationship between standards and teacher and librarian collaboration (TLC).
5. Management of a school library media center.
6. Design of new school library media centers or renovation an existing library media centers.
7. Professional literature for librarians.
8. Professional organizations for librarians.

 

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REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS

1. Title: Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning (1998) Chicago, ALA.

2. Author: Blanche Woolls and David V. Loertscher
Title: The Whole School Library Handbook
ISBN: 0-8389-0883-7
Edition: 1
Publisher: American Library Association
This book is REQUIRED

3. Author: Blanche Woolls
Title: The School Library Media Manager
ISBN: 1-59158-144-3
Edition: 4
Publisher: Libraries Unlimited
This book is REQUIRED
New Edition is REQUIRED

Recommended:

Author: Santa Clara County Office of Education Library Services
Title: Where Do I Start?: A School Library Handbook
ISBN: 1-58683-043-0
Edition: 1
Publisher: Linworth
This book is RECOMMENDED

Author: Hadaway, N. L., Vardell, S. M., & Young, T. A.
Title: Literature-Based Instruction with English Language Learners K-12.
(2002).
ISBN: 0-321-06401-1
Publisher: Allyn & Bacon.
This book is RECOMMENDED

E-reserve articles. Password will be provided by the instructor.

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COURSE REQUIREMENTS

This course requires students to be engaged learners (virtually and face-to-face), thoughtful in their discussions, thorough in the completion of assignments, timely in presenting information, and actively involved during weekend sessions and on fieldtrips.

All students are expected to set up a "U-System Account"
The final project for this class is a Web-page on school librarianship. The web-page will be your personal web page developed for this course.

INSTRUCTIONS :Be sure that you have a U-System Account. (U-System accounts are not automatically established when you create an email account.) If you have not established a U-System Account, go to https://account.arizona.edu/ click on Create CCIT computer accounts, and add the U-System account. It can take up to 24 hours for this account to be added.

If you have any questions about this, the best way to get help is from the reference desk. They can either come in (the reference desk is staffed all hours the library is open), or call the reference desk at 520-621-6442, or use chat/online reference at http://www.library.arizona.edu/askalibrarian.

Service Learning:

This course is designed to engage students in a social learning environment and to provide students with experience in a school library K-12. Virtual discussions through D2L and face-to-face discussions with a librarian through service learning provide social interaction for learning in this course. Students will engage in 30 hours of service learning. Each student will make arrangements to work with a school librarian throughout the course. Service learning sites must be identified by the third week of the semester. Online discussions will draw on service learning experiences. Service learning hours may begin as soon as the service learning agreement has been submitted to the instructor. Each participating librarian should be given an information sheet on service learning prepared by the student. Students will maintain a log of their service learning experience. The log should be as detailed as possible. An example is provide by the instructor. Further information about service learning will be provided on the course schedule and during the first weekend meeting.

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COURSE POLICIES

Academic Code of Integrity

Students are expected to abide by The University of Arizona Code of Academic Integrity, see . '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.

Assignment Policies

How do you want students to submit assignments?
Students should post assignments to their discussion group as an attachment. The instructor does not have to receive a copy of the assignment. Grades for assignments will be posted on D2L. A D-mail may be sent by the instructor to provide guidance to the student regarding assignments.

When are assignments due?
Assignment due dates are indicated on the schedule. Please do not submit late assignments.

What is writing style should be used for papers?
APA should be used for all papers. Online resources are available at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_apa.html
The fifth edition of the APA Manual is much more complete and is available at all university libraries.

Points will be deducted from papers that are turned in late and that do not follow APA style for citations and references.

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.

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GRADING

Homework: 40%
Participation: 10%
Major Project: 50%
Total: 100%

METHOD OF EVALUATION
Students begin the semester with 100 points. Students lose points for late assignments, incomplete assignments, poorly written assignments, lack of participation with cohort members, inaccurate information, etc. At the end of the semester the points will be converted to a letter grade as follows:

A=90-100 (Superior Work)
B=80-89 (Very Good)
C=70-79 (Marginally Satisfactory)
F=0-69 (Failed to meet requirements)

Grading criteria will be posted with assignments. Below is an example of criteria for written work.

Superior Work= Work submitted is of the highest quality. Ideas discussed are thoughtfully formulated and demonstrate a thorough understanding of content and an openness to diverse perspectives. All assignments are submitted on time. Written work is grammatically correct and punctuation is excellent.

Very Good=Work submitted is well written. Discussions indicate a good or very good understanding of content. Most assignments on time. Few grammatical-punctuation errors are noted.

Marginally Satisfactory=Work submitted meets the minimum requirement. Discussions reflect limited understanding of course content or do not indicate course readings were completed. Written work is marginally satisfactory. Errors are found in work submitted indicating the need for editing. Work is not submitted in a timely manner.

Failure=Work submitted failed to meet the requirements.

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CONTACTING ME

Patricia Montiel Overall, Ph.D.
Office 520-626-8984
E-mail overall@u.arizona.edu
D-Mail is preferred way to contact me for this course.

There will be online office hours in the evening at 7:00pm one evening per week (MST). Students may contact the instructor for chatroom or d-mail discussion.

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