Service Project Assignment - EDIT 6380, Summer 2004

EDIT 6380
Service Project
Value: 25 points
Mode: group effort with individual components
updated 5-9-08

Purpose
There is no substitute for hands-on, relevant, mentored, and authentic learning. Furthermore, there is no shortage of work that needs to be done in media centers. The purpose of this assignment is to bring together learning needs of students with manpower needs of selected media centers for mutual benefit - aiming at a 50-50 exchange.

Competencies
Learning needs of students are summarized in the following AASL competencies. At least some of these should be applied during the service project.

Competency	MAF's comments
Candidates facilitate access to information in print, non-print, and electronic formats.	Ideas: hands-on cataloging, other materials organization tasks
Candidates plan and organize library media centers according to their use by the learning community.	Although you may get a chance to assist the MS with this, it's less likely. Instead, make careful note of how this MC is organized and ask questions about how this organization evolved.
Candidates incorporate technology to promote efficient and equitable access to information beyond print resources. --and-- Candidates organize the library media facility and its collections - print, nonprint, and electronic - according to standard accepted practice.	Explore the automation system. I hope that you will have a chance to do some hands-on cataloging or record manipulation, using what you've learned about Dewey, subject headings, and MARC records. Make sure to "do no harm!"
Candidates demonstrate the potential for establishing connections to other libraries and the larger library community for resource sharing, networking, and procedures.	Ask your host questions about this.

Procedure

Choose a service project from the menu provided. You have the option to "roll your own" project if you wish. To qualify as a service project in this course, projects must be a.) authentic (involve real tasks that a real media specialist must do); b.) valuable (help meet a real need); c.) relevant to the course objectives; d.) immersive - involve at least 4 hours of contact at the service site; and e). supervised by a working media specialist.
Reflect as you go.
Work to build the skill set you will need at the service site. (Make sure to talk about this in your reflection.)
Arrange your service site visit, and register this with the Project Manager. Important details include: who, where, when, and deliverable due date. (If you are "rolling your own" project, submit a mini-proposal - see the menu format.) Groups should be formed at this stage. In the past, most people have chosen to approach this assignment as an individual. However, if several people choose the same site, they should consider forming a group to ease the burden on the mentor host.
Perform your service hours. Ask questions as you go, combining efforts with other group members to make the most effective use of the host's time. While on-site, jot notes; have these notes signed by the hosting media specialist.
Gather one artifact that exemplifies something you accomplished. Examples: print-out of a MARC record created or edited by you; picture of you working (perhaps before-and-after shots).
Individual Reflection: on your own, write up your notes. This should include a full account of how you prepared for the visit, what you did, what you learned, how this experience is relevant to your learning goals, and what you now know you still need to learn. Tie the AASL competencies from the syllabus into this reflection. Explain how you made a contribution to your hosting media program.
Complete the rubric. I prefer for one rubric to be submitted for the group. If you as an individual want to provide extra information about group process, feel free to do that (although this project is not as group-dependent as many).
If we have time, we will debrief in class so that you can learn from what other students did for their service projects. Alternatively, we may set up a website/wiki/blog to accomplish this purpose.

Deliverable Components
For this project, a proportion of points are earned by the group, while the remainder may vary from individual to individual. To make sure credit is awarded properly, sign each element (electronically). All elements will be submitted electronically. Specific instructions for submission will be given in class. For example,

Group elements:

Pre-arrangements (registered before the project begins)
One piece of evidence
Option: you may address some of the reflection elements as a group. Overall, the reflection elements should be represented in one place or another. Also, there must be a separate reflection from each person posted electronically, because some elements won't lend themselves to group writing. You have the flexibility to work this out in your group. See instructions under the rubric for further clarification.

Individual elements:

On-site notes signed by host .
Reflection - from each person.

Format
Submit one package that contains all the elements (each group element, plus all the individual reflections). Do each of these:

There are no tags for this assignment. Please use the components as subject headings.
Submit group elements in one group member's dropbox. In addition, each group member should submit their individual elements in their own dropbox. No paper copy is necessary.
Use WebCT filenaming guidelines.
Link to the project from each student's assignment page (except for brand-new students).
Make sure that each group member retains their own electronic copy.

**6380 Service Project Rubric**
Include 1 rubric for group.
If necessary, indicate individual contributions.
Component	Self review Each group member should be represented here	Instructor's review
All components present and complete: 60%, or 15 points (deduct proportionately) []pre-registration of project []evidence that required skills were studied or practiced prior to visit []host-signed notes from visit []artifact []reflection: includes preparation; account; what you learned; relevance of this to your goals; what you still need to know; link to AASL competencies. []rubric with self-assessment	.	.
5 points: Individual progress toward competence: project provides ample evidence of learning. Each group member made an effort to gain the necessary prerequisite skills.	.	.
Service activities made a genuine contribution to the host media program - Reflection should address this explicitly 4 points Choose one: []no []unlikely []probably []definitely	.	.
Mechanics 1 point []should be clean enough for efficient communication (not distracting to the evaluator) []Format specs are followed	.	.
Total		.

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