Dominican University

Graduate School of Library and Information Science

 

LIS 725: Curriculum and School Libraries

Summer 2008

 

June 16, 18, 23, 25, 30 (M, W) 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

July 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30 (M, W) 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

 

Mary Marks

MMarks@dom.edu              Ph. (847)304-8809              Office Hours by appointment           

 

Bulletin Description: Introduction to the history, current trends, and integration of curriculum as it relates to the school library media program. There is an emphasis on collaborative planning and teaching between the library media specialist and teachers.

 

Learning Objectives: Based on the “Principles of Administration” outlined in Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning (p. 100), and MLIS program, school library media candidates will:

  • Explore how the Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning (Information Power, 1998; 21st Century Standards for Learning, 2007) relate to learning how to learn, the cross-disciplinary abilities identified in the Illinois Learning Standards, and the information search process.
  • Examine the design of inquiry-based curriculum and the role of the library information specialist in fostering curriculum integration and development.
  • Explore curriculum issues associated with implementing standards-based education. Concepts which will be discussed throughout the course include information literacy, educator collaboration, learning standards, instructional technology, best practices, and integrated curriculum. Topics covered include learning and instructional theories; thinking dispositions; curriculum mapping; assessment; special education; grant writing; and social responsibility.

 

Required Texts:

Bush, G. (2005). Every students reads: Collaboration and reading to learn. Chicago: American   

      Library Association. (ESR)

           

Quindlen, A. (1998). How reading changed my life. NY: Ballantine. (HRCML)

 

Stripling, B. K. & Hughes-Hassell, S. Ed. (1991). Curriculum connections through 

    the library. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited. (CCL)

 

Supplemental Readings:

American Association of School Libraries/Association for Educational Communications and

     Technology. (1998). Information power: Building partnerships for learning. Chicago: ALA.

 

Daniels, H. & Bizar, M. (2005). Teaching the best practice way. Portland, ME:

      Stenhouse Publishers.

 

Donham, J. (1998).  Enhancing teaching and learning: A leadership guide for school  

    library  media specialists. New York: Neal-Schuman.

 

ISLMA. (2005). Linking for learning: The Illinois school library media program guidelines.

     Canton, IL: ISLMA.

 

See www.minduniversity.com and visit ‘mmarks’/Dominican University/LIS 725 for additional resources.

 

Assignments and Course Requirements:

Assignment rubrics will be distributed and discussed in class. All assignments will use APA format (style and bibliographic citation). All assignments must include a title page with running head (assignment title), header/page number, footer (course number and student name – LIS_725_Smith). Additional readings will be available online and/or distributed in class.

 

Learning Community Partnership:  6/16 – 7/30/2008

Active participation in the learning process during class time is required of all students.

 

Readers Response: 7/9/2008

Students will read Anna Quindlen’s How Reading Changed My Life and interpret the text in a reader response essay. Students will construct their own meaning by connecting How Reading Changed My Life to issues in their personal and professional lives and describing what they experience. The Reader Response will include a summary of the text a personal reflection, an action plan (how does this text relate to their future role as a school library information specialist), and an APA citation of the work. Action plans detail the steps needed to achieve your SLMS mission (what needs to be done, what resources are needed) and defines how you will evaluate your progress (who needs to do what and a timeline). Students should consider how Quindlen’s essay will impact their roles as a SLMS.

 

Learning Journal: 6/23, 6/30, 7/7, 7/30

A learning journal is a collection of reflective comments concerning educational readings and best practice activities or events. A learning journal is a way of recording your thoughts, impressions, concerns, questions and reflections. It provides an informal yet focused opportunity to express whatever comes to mind as you read course materials, participate in class discussions, attend to faculty presentations, and engage in conversations with colleagues. Students will select 2 topics or chapters from each of the required texts (CCL and ESR), reflect on the subject, and respond to it in a journal entry format (2 pages double-spaced). The fourth learning journal will be a response to “Into the Electronic Millennium,” an excerpt from Sven Birkett’s The Gutenberg Elegies. Each of the four learning journal entries will be submitted on the listed due dates in paper or electronic format.

 

Professional Development Workshop: 7/9, 7/11, 7/16, 7/18, 7/23

Each student will prepare a 45-60 minute professional development workshop that might be presented for a faculty in-service. Topics include differentiation in instruction; reading strategies (fiction/nonfiction); writing strategies; authentic assessment; intellectual property; brain-based research, and reader’s advisory. The workshop will be prepared with a focus on educator collaboration with the school library media specialist. Emphasis will be placed on instructional strategies and interactive activities used to engage learners.

 

Interdisciplinary Unit: 7/23/2008

Information and technology skills are most meaningful when learned within a subject area, within an interdisciplinary unit, or within a unit that addresses a real-life need or problem. Each student will design an interdisciplinary unit involving two or more disciplines. In addition to appropriate content objectives, the unit must include an information literacy lesson plan detailing information seeking behaviors required by students, and these are to be included in the unit design. Authentic learning activities and authentic assessment are also to be included, as well, as ways to accommo-date academically challenged and talented students. The units will include collaborative planning sheets, lesson plans, instructional strategies, product descriptors/rubrics, and recommended educational resources. Each student will present the essence of the unit to the class as well as submitting fully developed units to the instructor.

 

Grant Proposal: 7/16/2008

The major goal of the GCS-NGS Education Fund is to expand geography education opportunities in the Chicago metropolitan area Students will complete a GSC-NGS Education Fund Grant application with a focus on the national standards in geography, an evaluation component, a project description, press release, and budget. This grant proposal could fund a project or activity included in the student’s interdisciplinary unit plan.

 

LIS Standards Self-Reflective Essay: 7/28/2008

The Illinois State Board of Education Library Information Specialist standards will be explored. Each standard has knowledge and performance indicators. Students will review these standards and write a self-evaluation identifying perceived strengths and weaknesses and develop goals for self-improvement. Students should define their future role as a library information specialist and their place within the field.

 

Portfolio:

The Illinois State Board of Education has a portfolio requirement for all teaching certification programs. The 725 Portfolio continues the process of compiling a professional portfolio for SLMP students:

Interdisciplinary Unit

Professional Development Presentation

GCS-NGS Grant Proposal

LIS Standards Self-Evaluation

 

Learning Community Participation: June 16 – July 30, 2008

This course is taught with the understanding that for adult learners “learning is an active process that occurs over time; learning is driven by the learner around meaningful issues; learning is experimental by nature; and learning is fueled by rich, diverse, accessible sources of information.” (Educators as Learners, ASCD, 2000). Active participation in the learning process during class time is required of all students. Enrich your colleagues with additional materials, relevant prior knowledge, and professional experiences. Share questions and concerns that you identify in small group and class discussions. We all learn and we all teach in this class.

 

What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing.

                                                                                                       Aristotle

Assessment:

Since this is a graduate class, candidates are expected to attend each class, be punctual, and produce work of professional quality (including citations whenever appropriate). It is also understood that graduate students have commitments outside of course work. Students who plan on missing a class should make the instructor aware of that ahead of time. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain any material covered or assignments missed. Missing a significant amount of class time – more than a single class – will result in a grade reduction unless an additional instructor-assigned activity is submitted. According to university policy, students are expected to “conduct themselves in accordance with the highest standards of academic honesty and integrity. Failure to maintain academic integrity will not be tolerated.” (Dominican University 2007-2008 Student Handbook and Planner, p. 20). Definitions of plagiarism, cheating, and academic dishonesty can also be found in the Handbook.

 

Attend every class and participate in discussions. The course grade, particularly the class participation component, will be affected by absences and tardies. You are expected to have read the assigned material and come to class prepared to discuss and critique these readings. There will be some ungraded, in-class assignments.  These activities will contribute to the class participation grade. All assignments are due at the beginning of the class period. Late assignments will not be accepted. Graded assignments will be handed out at the end of class. For questions concerning these assignments, make an appointment to see the instructor outside of class. All written work should be submitted clear and error free.

 

Assigned readings are to support and supplement class topics. They may or may not be discussed in class in depth. Discussion depends on the class schedule. Classes may vary from the course calendar.

 

Understanding Performances

Final Grades will be based on the following scale:

            A         =          100 to 94                                               B-        =          81 to 78

            A-        =          93 to 90                                                C+        =          77 to 74

            B+        =          89 to 86                                                C          =          73 to 70

            B          =          85 to 82                                                C-        =          65 and below

 

Assigned readings are to support and supplement class topics. They may or may not be discussed in class is depth. Discussion depends on the class schedule. Classes may vary from the course calendar.

 

Course Calendar:

 

1.   June 16, 2008       Curriculum and School Libraries Overview

                        Introduction to the course content and expectations; the learning community; and              the Illinois State Board of Education Library Information Specialist standards.

                                       LIS Standards Self-Evaluation

 

2.   June 18, 2008       Learning Theories, Teaching for Understanding, and Thinking Dispositions

                         Readings: CCL – Chapter 1 & 2; ESR – pp. 11-18

           

3.   June 23, 2008       Learning Theories, Teaching for Understanding, and Thinking Dispositions

                                       Learning Journal #1 Due

 

4.   June 25, 2008       Curriculum Design, Development, and Mapping

                         Readings: CCL  Chapter  5 & 6; ESR – pp. 19-30

                                   

5.   June 30, 2008       Curriculum Design, Development, and Mapping

                         Readings: CCL – Chapter 3 & 4;  ESR – pp. 31-35

                                       Learning Journal #2 Due

                                   

6.   July 2, 2008                      No Child Left Behind and Curriculum Development

                         Readings: CCL – Chapter 7 & 8; ESR – pp. 36-51

                                   

7.   July 7, 2008                      Grant Writing for School Libraries

                         Readings: CCL – Chapter 9 & 11

                                       Learning Journal #3 Due

                                   

8.   July 9, 2008                      Instructional Strategies/Instructional Structures

                         Readings: How Reading Changed My Life

                                       Readers Response Due

 

9.  July 14, 2008         Professional Development Workshop Planning   

 

10.   July 16, 2008      Curriculum in Action/Action Research

                         Professional Development Workshop: Reading/Writing Strategies

                                       GSC-NGS Grant Proposal Due

 

11.   July 21, 2008      Special Education

                         Professional Development Workshop: Authentic Assessment/Differentiation

                        

12.   July 23, 2008      Collaboration with Curriculum Educators

                                    Impact Software

                                       Interdisciplinary Units Due

                        

13.   July 28, 2008      Social Responsibility and Professional Ethics

                         Professional Development Workshop: Intellectual Property

                                       Guest Presenter: Dorothy Mikuska, PaperTools Pro

                                       LIS Standards Self-Reflective Essay Due

 

14.   July 30, 2008      Role of the SLMS in Curriculum/Evaluation

                         Presentation: Interdisciplinary Units

   Learning Journal #4 Due Gutenberg Elegies excerpt

 

                        

Understanding Performances

Readers Response                                                                                15 pts

Learning Journal/ Learning Community Participation                  25 pts

Interdisciplinary Unit                                                                             20 pts  

Professional Development Wksp                                                           20 pts

Grant Proposal                                                                         20 pts

LIS Standards Essay                                                                  Portfolio Requirement