Syllabus
it.coe.uga.edu/~mfitzger/6340/syllabus.html
EDIT 6340: Information Services in School Media Programs
Spring Semester, 2011
UGA Gwinnett, Room 118

  updated 2-21-2011

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Schedule
Selected Saturdays, 9am-3pm:
1/15, 1/29, 2/12, 2/26, 3/12, 3/26, 4/9, 4/30.

Instructor

Dr. Mary Ann Fitzgerald
Associate Professor
604C Aderhold Hall
(706) 542-4110, Athens
maryannfitz at gmail.com
http://it.coe.uga.edu/~mfitzger
For more contact details, check the eLC homepage for this course: EPIT Advisement » 6340.

Liz May, Teaching Assistant
lizmay3 at gmail.com

Objectives:

The learner will be able to:

1. Describe the processes of research, information service, and selection in the context of the overall mission of the school’s instructional program.
2. Assume a philosophical position on the role of the research process, information services, and the selection process in schools.
3. Describe and implement strategies for building effective information services and selection processes in a school media center.

American Association of School Librarians. (2009). Empowering learners: Guidelines for school library media programs. Chicago, IL: American Library Association.

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

Bishop, K. (2007). The collection program in schools: Concepts, practices, and information sources (4th ed.). Westport, CN: Libaries Unlimited.  ISBN-13: 978-1591583608. 

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.

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.   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). 

Alternate organizations of the same topics:
Framework | Standards Alignment | Sequential Outline

Other topics pertaining to collection development and information services are invited. If topics come up that need exploring, this course is flexible enough to accommodate them.

Instructional Strategies

Research
Case studies and scenarios
Assignments (see below)
Class discussions and small group discussions
Readings in texts and of current scholarly and practical articles
Individual presentations
Idea sharing
Field experiences
Setting up personal consideration files
Preparation of budgets and orders according to a selection plan
Interviews of practicing media specialists or librarians
Instructional materials exhibition
Book reviews
Guest speakers

Assignments
I will provide detailed instructions for completing each of these, which will be available early in the semester. A complete listing of assignments, descriptions, forms, and other course deliverables can be found here.

Due dates, typically Sunday nights just before midnight, are negotiable for the first two weeks of the semester. After that, individuals or groups may request deadline adjustments in advance to accommodate specific circumstances.  Early submissions are fine, although early evaluations are not necessarily guaranteed!

Grading Policy

1. Projects are designed to be as authentic as possible.  They are often large and challenging, but they are also realistic.  Detailed rubrics are provided to guide students to a high standard of performance.
   
2. A lot of thought goes into pacing assignments and arranging deadlines to be reasonable both for you to complete the assignments and for me to properly evaluate them.  As professionals, we mutually expect deadlines to be met. Please contact me if you have a problem with meeting a particular deadline. If an assignment is late, its score may be reduced. Also, please check with me if you feel that a deadline needs to be rescheduled, either for you personally or for the class as a whole.
3. Communication and writing skills are essential for media specialists, Master’s candidates, and Specialist candidates. Therefore, all writing must comply with grammatical and spelling rules and should look professional in a visual sense. Please use a word processor and avail yourself of the spelling and grammar-checking tools provided by your software. Web sites and projected materials should receive the same level of proofreading and care that printed papers do.  If errors or appearance detract from the quality of an assignment, the score will reflect this problem. I reserve the right to return severely flawed assignments to you without a grade so that you may repair them prior to my reading.  Most assignments have a "mechanics" criterion. Items that are written for public consumption in real life -- such as web pages -- should be as close to perfect as possible, in keeping with the professionalism expected of you in the field.  Items that are more reflective or just for me to evaluate will not be held to such a high standard. 
4. Format.  Most assignment descriptions specify the form in which each assignment should be turned in. Please pay careful attention to this detail. Most are submitted online in some form or other. You should also post your assignment on your assignment page - unless privacy will be compromised (as in the case of Field Experiences).  This provides a sharing opportunity for all class members and provides backup. 
5. As scholars, it is essential for you to give credit to any other sources consulted in the course of completing any assignment. Use in-line citations as appropriate.  List these in a reference list near the end of the project, and please follow APA style  (6th edition).
6. Resubmit option. I believe in mastery learning, a learning model in which students have the opportunity to keep working at a skill until they have accomplished it. It is my philosophy that every student can achieve an A with sufficient effort; this class is not a competitive event, nor are student performances rated in relation to others.  If you receive less than a 90% score on any assignment, you may correct the problem(s) and resubmit up until the final due date.  If you choose to use this option, please include a summary of feedback points and actions taken. Super Eight Assessments (in this class, the Selection Policy and the Order) must achieve the 90% level upon completion of the Certification Portfolio.
   
7. I follow the Graduate School's policy of using the Incomplete grade only in the case of documented illness or other unavoidable emergency.  If you feel you have the need and justification for an Incomplete, you must communicate with me as soon as possible and document your difficulty.
8. Plus/minus grading: the Graduate School strongly encourages faculty to use plus-minus grading.  However, note that the A+ grade is not possible.  The plain "A" is the highest possible grade. A-, B+, B, B-, etc., are all possible. Scale: 94 and up = A. 90-93 = A-. 88-89 = B+. 83-87 = B. 80-82 = B-. 78-79 = C+. 73-77=C. 70-72=C-. Below that: retake class.We won't use the eLC gradebook, but keeping up with your progress is very simple: add. Of course, I will keep a gradebook spreadsheet; if at any time you need to see your row, let me know.
   
9. Academic honesty. All academic work must meet the standards contained in "A Culture of Honesty." Students are responsible for informing themselves about those standards before performing any academic work. More information about academic honesty can be found at http://www.uga.edu/honesty/.
10. Collaborative option.  I have specified the preferred mode for each assignment - individual or group. Collaboration has many benefits and is a professional competency SLMSs must have. However, it is possible to use another mode, especially for individuals to complete group assignments.  Please let me know if you want to exercise this option for any assignment.  All members of a group receive the same grade for their group's product.  If you have a problem in finding a group, please let me know; I will help match-make. Groups should be no larger than three people. We will conduct some sort of inter-group process reflection to help keep group members accountable.
    

• 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. 

Special Needs
If you need special assistance due to a physical or learning disability, please let me know. I will be happy to accommodate you in any way that I can.
 

Assignments and Homework
I carefully set due dates for assignments that I predict will be reasonable in terms of pacing and the preparation time required.  Through negotiation and ensuing discussion, we may adjust these deadlines as we go along. Please let me know if you see that major work logjams are ahead. Course content is grouped around assignments, so advance planning is best.   All assignment-related descriptions, forms, and resources can be found here.

The goal of readings and "homework" assignments is to prepare all of us for class interaction.  Secondarily, these readings and activities help fill in the gaps of your knowledge that we can't cover in class.  Expect to study topics on your own until you understand them, using the many resources listed.  I often priorize readings to help you manage your tasks. The assignments call upon you to apply everything you've learned.

The Planner will list all expectations, and will develop along with the course.  You may certainly work ahead if you like.

• Wear a name tag to every class meeting.
  
• I prefer to operate on a first name basis.
• There are NO stupid questions.  I welcome questions during class. When on your own, I suggest this: 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, certainly not by name.  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.
• You should be able to find all course-related items on the course website. It's a part of my website where I post public information that changes only periodically. It is roughly indexed here.
  
• I use eLC for items that need to be protected behind a password. Note that I use the course "EPIT - Advisement" for everything; I will not use the automatically generated online version of this course. I prefer not to use the email and discussion board functions of eLC.
  
• 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.
  
• I will post important but non-urgent brief updates on the UGA-SLM 6340 Announcements page. You will be able to subscribe to these updates.
  
• Ways for contacting 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 (maryannfitz at gmail.com). 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 or Gmail.  My ID is listed on the eLC homepage.
  
• If all else fails, try my cell number (on the eLC homepage) or  the office (706-542-4110). On the first day of class, feel free to add your phone number to my cell phone.
  
• I've pretty much abandoned fax and print 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.

• Headquarters for all course materials is the EDIT 6340 homepage.
• 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 are submitted as GoogleDocs, and go on your online assignment page.
• Assignment pages:  post your major assignments on this page. Feel free to visit other students' pages. Remember to consider the viewing rights (private? shared? public?) of each item posted there. Your online assignment page - kept up to date each semester - can form the beginning of your final certification portfolio.  Make sure to keep local electronic copies of all your projects, even if you don't house them in your own web space. 
• We will use eLC only as needed.  We will not use it for the gradebook, or heavily for discussion 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. 
  
• 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.

Permissions