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EDIT 6300: Administration of Media Programs
Fall Semester, 2009
Location: UGA at Gwinnett

9-3-09

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Schedule 2009

Saturdays 9a-3p: 8/22; 9/12; 9/26; 10/3; 10/17; 10/31; 11/21; 12/5

Dr. Mary Ann Fitzgerald
Associate Professor
604C Aderhold Hall
(706) 542-4110, Athens
mfitzger at uga.edu
http://it.coe.uga.edu/~mfitzger
For more contact details, check the eLC homepage for this course.

Students will study the organizational management of resources, services, functions, and administration of the school media program. Students will develop a vision and plan for improving collections, technical services, and promotion activities.

Goal: Give learners a broad view of the management and administrative functions of a school media center and program.
 

Objectives:

The learner will be able to:

1. Discuss the purpose and value of effective administration of a media program.
2. Develop an understanding of media center operation from both day-to-day and long-range perspectives.
3. Develop a vision and plan for improvement, networking, and promotion of the media program.
4. Identify the strengths, weaknesses, and possible improvements of various components of the program.
5. Develop a program that recognizes diversity, cultural differences, and special learner needs.
6. Discuss the critical functions of reading for information and leisure as part of curriculum at any grade level.
   
7. This course is designed to meet in whole or in part AASL Competencies 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.2, and 4.3 (see texts).
   

Required:
American Association of School Librarians, & Association for Educational Communications and Technology. (1998). Information power: Building partnerships for learning. Chicago: American Library Association.

Repman, J., & Dickinson, G.K., eds. (2007). School library management (6th ed.). Columbus, OH: Linworth. ISBN 1-58683-296-4.

We depend heavily upon the Internet in this class for communication, resources, and information inquiry.  It is essential that you have access to a reliable computer and Internet connection.  I prefer that you use Microsoft Word 2003 or Google Documents for word processed assignments to prevent file format problems.  In addition to a word processor, you may find the  Microsoft Office programs useful, or open source equivalents. It's a good idea to carry a thumb drive to class. Laptops are welcome in class but not required (wireless access is usually available). For home use, a microphone headset is highly desirable.

Download (free):

Supplemental but highly recommended:

Bishop, K. (2007). The collection program in schools: Concepts, practices, and information sources (4th ed.). Westport, CN: Libaries Unlimited.  ISBN-13: 978-1591583608.  (This book will be required for spring EDIT 6340. It covers several topics for this course, and I will refer to it. I recommend that you go ahead and purchase it as soon as you can.)

Toor, R. & Weisburg, H.K. (2007). New on the job: A school library media specialist's guide to success. Chicago: ALA. ISBN 978-0-8389-0924-9.

Wasman, A. M. (1998). New steps to service: Common-sense advice for the school library media specialist. Chicago: American Library Association.  (This is my favorite practical guide - it is succinct and realistic. Unfortunately, it is becoming too old for a primary textbook.)

• Perceived unreliability among your professional network.  Once this impression is formed, it is very difficult to overcome.  Do everything in your power to uphold your group responsibilities.  This includes meeting your own group-established deadlines.
• Loss of information. Although I strive to provide complete notes and references, it's very difficult to capture class discussion in notes.   Projects require you to draw upon everything that happens in class, in addition to readings and individual investigation.
  
• Loss of contribution.  The most important parts of class are the contributions of cohort members - if you're not there, everyone else misses your contribution. Do not assume that you will not be missed.
  
• Honesty on job recommendations.  Most formal job recommendation forms require a comment or rating on factors such as dependability, attendance, health, punctuality, etc.  These are critical professional attributes.  When the day comes for me to fill out recommendations, I must reflect back on these factors and be honest about my observations.
  

One of my pet peeves is to be asked: "Sorry I was absent - what did I miss?" You are responsible for material missed, and it's up to you to ask your teammates and classmates about what happened.  The agenda will usually help you to figure out what happened. 

Finally, in contrast, there have been remarkable instances in the past in which absences were overcome.  For example, I have had students who faced chemotherapy, critically ill family members, and total bedrest during pregnancy. While not ideal, these drastic sorts of circumstances can be worked around given lots of planning, independent work, and support from teammates. Let's discuss if such unusual circumstances arise.

• Wear a name tag.
  
• I prefer to operate on a first name basis.
• There are NO stupid questions.  As media specialists, one of your jobs is to empower students to find their own answers.  First, explore on your own, using the research skills and resources available to you.  Second, ask your professional peers.  Finally, if you're still not satisfied, ask me.
• Conversely, as a student in the class, it is your responsibility to help other students as much as you can.  We need an atmosphere of mutual learning and inquiry.  Also, troubleshooting and teaching another person to do something are very effective ways of bolstering your own understanding.  Media specialists usually enjoy helping other people solve problems and questions.
• Please avoid monopolizing discussions, and avoid side conversations during presentations.  These two little things make many class members uncomfortable and frustrated. Lots of time for talking will be provided!
  
• During class, feel free to interrupt with points and questions.  I will also feel free to redirect when we seem to be wasting time.
• We will not criticize people we know who are working in the field.  Instead, we may criticize ineffective practices and strive to discover more effective ones.
• Cell phones: please turn the ringer off during class and leave the room if you must take a call.
• Please take comfort breaks as needed. Several breaks will be provided.
• The Honker Horn will call us to order after each break.
• Please help me leave our classroom arranged and clean like we found it, including any food-related messiness.
• As for food, we are allowed to bring drinks, bag lunches, and  finger-foods but not slow cookers or other heat-generating devices. We are expected to remove our own food trash (due to no custodians on duty on weekends) and to leave table tops clean.
  
• Participants must comply with all computer policies established by UGA.

Communication

• Methods for "pushing" messages to you:
• Urgent, must-see items will come over SLM-L with this class named in the message header.
• We will establish a phone tree to ensure that late-breaking emergency arrangements are communicated.
• I will blog about many topics that are less urgent but still important enough for the entire class to hear. The blog for this class is cohort9.wordpress.com.  I highly recommend that you subscribe to it via RSS or email; instructions are here.
• I use my website for posting public information that changes only periodically. It is roughly indexed here.
  
• I use eLC/Resources for items that need to be protected behind a password. In addition, I try to centralize most course materials on the eLC HomePage for this course (most are links out to my website).
  
• eLC is not ideal for email, but you should check for notifications every day or two. (Even better, have them forwarded to your primary email account.)
  
• I will email you directly about individual matters - please respond promptly (within one to two days).  Make sure that I have your primary email address.  Check your UGA email account periodically; remember that you can usually have UGAMail imported into another preferred email service. Remember to check Junk Mail folders periodically as well.
• Make sure that I have your most current phone numbers and mailing address.
  
• Ways you may contact me:
• My communication policy is to have the "door" open as much as possible.  I get up very early and don't mind early phone calls.  You can also call me at night, but I may be asleep after 9pm. 
  
• Most things, however, can be done through email (mfitzger@uga.edu). I strive to clear my Inbox each day, with the exception of weekends, holidays, and travel days.
  
• You are welcome to call me at my home telephone number.  While this number is not private, I will protect it to a certain degree; you can find it on the eLC homepage for this class.  I have an answering machine and I check it regularly.
• Skype is an excellent way to talk for free.   You can also IM me through Skype.  My ID is listed on the eLC homepage.
  
• If all else fails, try my cell number (also on the eLC homepage) or  the office (706-542-4110).
• I've pretty much abandoned fax technology in favor of scanned images sent through email.  If the need for this comes up, let's talk.
• US Mail: my home mailing address is also on the eLC homepage.  I visit Athens irregularly, and so mail sent there may be forgotten for days or weeks.  If I know something has been mailed, I will remember to have staff check on it for me.

• Most course materials may be found through three different avenues: this website, eLC, and Netvibes. 
• A day or so before class, I will post an agenda for the next class's events. Please read the agenda on the evening before class. Some students find it helpful to print out a copy and bring it to class.  You are responsible for details on this agenda even if you don't attend class.
• We will use little or no paper in this class, either for handouts or for student work.  Most assignments go a). in the eLC dropbox, and b). on your online assignment page.
• Assignment pages: create an Assignment Page on the web somewhere and post your assignments on this page. Feel free to visit other students' pages. Remember that anything posted on Assignment Pages is public, and certain assignments are exempt from this expectation due to privacy concerns. Your online assignment page - kept up to date each semester - can form the beginning of your final certification portfolio.  Make sure to keep electronic copies of all your projects, even if you don't house them in your own web space. Here is a basic template for Assignment Pages. 
  
• We will use eLC as needed, for the Gradebook, and as inspiration strikes.  We will not use it heavily for bulletin board purposes, although you are welcome to use this feature on your own. Chat and interactive audio (Wimba) are also available to you within eLC.  We can set up discussion boards that are private within groups, at your request. 
  
• When you see errors or inconsistencies (large or small) in course materials, please point them out to me.

Research

As a college professor interested in the scholarship of teaching and learning, I may collect, analyze, interpret, and report data as it concerns my courses, the cohort model, and the SLM Program. This allows continual improvement over time, and the opportunity to add to the body of knowledge regarding library education. My teaching journal, any electronic exchanges or online sessions, and especially samples of student work and reflections are all of interest for research purposes.  No extra work whatsoever is assigned for research purposes. No videotaping or audiotaping will be used for this purpose. Analysis will occur after semester grading is complete. If you prefer that your work in this class not be considered for purposes of research, please email your preference to me; I will cheerfully remove your material from analysis.  You may opt out at any point now or in the future.  We plan for this research to be an ongoing examination of teaching and learning within the SLM Program.  If we learn anything of value, we will publish our findings as time permits.  However, your name will never appear in any publication or presentation.   You will be asked to formally provide consent (or deny it) via a dropbox form.

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