CSULB

Credential Connection Newsletter

May, 2001

NCATE Approves Library Program

In April 33 reviewers from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing analyzed the College of Education and its affiliate programs. They recommended approval of the programs, and the LMT credential program shined.

Karen McVey, library media teacher at 29 Palms High School, was the chief examiner. She visited a number of sites and talked with current and past students as well as faculty members and employers. Her report follows, noting all standards are met:

Candidates received the skills and knowledge base to be well-trained library media teachers who can serve California’s multicultural, multilingual student population. No concerned were discerned. Recommendations included:

• The coordinator’s goals to expand the program to Northridge and San Diego to create a master’s degree program requiring new faculty, posting an online application for the program, and studying the advisability of having an online class are a testimony to her vision and growth of the program.
• The faculty delivers a practice up-to-date, technology rich curriculum what well prepares students for field experience and for the profession.
• The library medial teacher credential program coordinator is a caring, accessible, knowledgeable advisor, professor, and leader.)
• Saturday classes allow students to continue to work and to have time to travel to CSULB.
• Candidates and graduates interviewed praised the quality and knowledge of outside speakers and felt the mix of full-time and adjunct faculty adds strength to the program.

CSULB Goes Off-Site

Starting this coming fall, CSULB will offer courses at the San Diego County Office of Education and the Northridge area to complement the Long Beach class. Betty Vandivier will teach LI 540 Organization and Cataloging of Materials in San Diego. Betty, a leading cataloguer and CSLA Treasurer, brings a career of expertise to the program. Judy Cohn will teacher LI 520 Basic Reference in Northridge. Judy is presently supervising field experience, and will share her strong leadership experiences with the program candidates. The LMT program will allow students in these geographic areas to pursue their credentials largely off campus.

In addition, this summer Dr. Farmer is piloting an online course in young adult literature. A few students who had scheduling programs and are near finishing their programs will try out on line version of that course. Dr. Farmer will be mounting the class on BlackBoard, a Web-based course packaging program.

The overall course schedule alternates courses between Long Beach and outlying areas. The upcoming schedule follows:

Fall 2001:

LI 520 Reference Long Beach and Northridge

LI 540 Cataloging San Diego

Spring 2002:

LI 570 Technologies Long Beach and San Diego

LI 550 Management Northridge

Summer 2002:

LI 530A Children’s Literature Long Beach and online

Fall 2002:

LI 540 Cataloging Long Beach and Northridge

LI 510 Selection San Diego

Spring 2003:

LI 550 Management Long Beach and San Diego

LI 570 Technologies Northridge

Important Dates

May 17-19

CUE conference in Anaheim; LME SIG breakfast May 19(Dr. Farmer is presenter)

June 15-18:

American Library Association conference in San Francisco (Dr. Farmer is presenter)

Summer:

LI 530B Materials and Information for Secondary Grades; Joyce Roth lecturer

June 30; July 7, 21, 18; Aug. 4, 18

Fall:

LI 520 Reference Long Beach and Northridge;

LI 540 Cataloging San Diego

Oct. 1:

Deadline for program and field experience application

Oct. 30-Nov. 2:

CSLA conference in Long Beach

Nov. 14-18:

American Association of School Librarians conference in Indianapolis

Master’s Degree Program Developed

Coordinator Dr. Lesley S. J. Farmer has developed an advanced degree program to enable library media teachers to expand their opportunities in educational settings. The Master of Arts in Education with an Option in School Library Media builds on the present credential program. It adds a research class, a Foundations of Information course, and a culminating course of a thesis, project or comprehensive examination. The proposal is being reviewed by the department and college on its way to university and system approval. Those students presently enrolled in the program are encouraged to apply to the existing interdisciplinary master’s program with the intent to transfer to the library master’s degree when it becomes approved. Letters of support are welcomed, and should be addressed to department chair Dr. Claudia Wright at: Dept. of EdPAC, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach CA 90840-2201.

Adjunct Faculty Provide Reality Check

Because Dr. Farmer has been administering two technology-infused faculty training grants, one for the CSU system and one funded by the federal government, she has redesigned the library media teacher programs to incorporate leading school librarians’ expertise. This spring LI 510 Selection included the insights of Los Angeles Unified School District Library Services Coordinator Bonnie O’Brian Nissman, Colin Powell Academy LMT and recent program graduate Susan Lawson, consultant Shirley Weisman, and Esperanza High School LMT and CSLA board member Linda Birtler. Shirley Weisman and Joyce Roth have been supervising field experience candidates too.

KOCE Produces Info Lit Videos

Hall Davidson and his staff at KOCE are developing a seven-part series on information literacy and incorporation of technology towards that end. The series is aligned with the Big Six research process, and includes an episode on teacher-LMT collaboration. Dr. Farmer has helped plan the series and will be featured in the series, which will be introduced at the November CSLA conference.

Movers and Shakers

Welcome to the newest LMT credential candidates: Walter Bambrick, Diane Bennett, Chris Cockcraft, Juliet Dempsey, Darlene Dunn, Linda Griffiths, Karen Hammond, Karen Harmon, Shaun Lloyd, Richard Ma, Jan Oonchitgti, Suzanne Osman, Millicent Preston, Leslie Beaton-Snyder, and Sandra Wren.. All bring valuable educational experience to the program.

The following candidates completed their credential program last semester, or are finishing their work this semester: Ruth Ahlrich, Susan Ball, Diane Bennett, Phyllis Bennett, Mark Bobrosky, Ken Completo, Lucinda Egner, Jeff Garcia, Rochelle Gregory, Janis Kidd, Kathryn Kroger, and Melvina Raschke.

Current candidate Linda Griffiths was selected for a Golden Apple Award. Linda Guthrie was awarded a CSLA southern section scholarship. Muriel Bourke was awarded a scholarship from the Friends of the Seal Beach Leisure World Library.Ken Completo¸who is completing his credential work, was awarded a Governors Book Fund Award for his library.

Coordinator Researches LMT Principles

How different are perceptions about program principles among teachers, administrators, library staff, and library media teachers? Not that much., according to Dr. Farmer’s research. Generally, teachers see LMTs as experts on resources, but think they have less impact on instruction and administration. What’s most important to schools? Supporting the curriculum. Less important are connections to the larger community and intellectual freedom. For other details about the findings, or interest in participating in related research, contact her at: lfarmer@csulb.edu