LIBR 265-01
Materials for Young Adults
Spring 2010 Greensheet

Penny Peck
E-mail

Angel Information: This course has an Angel site.  The enrollment code for our Angel "classroom" will be distributed to all students the first day of the semester via MySJSU messaging.

Course Description

This course will allow students to take an in depth look at materials in a variety of formats for teens, including fiction, popular nonfiction, graphic novels, movies, computer games, websites, other media, and determine how they can meet developmental needs.

Course Prerequisites: LIBR 200 required.

Course Objectives

Student Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the external (societal) and internal (developmental) forces which influence teens' choices of recreational and informational sources and materials,
2. Evaluate selection tools, and use appropriate resources to develop a collection of materials for older teens, including all appropriate formats, print, nonprint, computer software, music, etc.
3. Critically examine representative materials designed for older teens, including print and nonprint formats, books, graphic novels, television, movies, music, and a wide variety of computer software, including social networking software, and apply criteria to evaluate them in relation to developmental needs, multicultural concerns, and meeting the informational and recreational needs of this age group,
4. Create an appropriate materials collection for older teens, including print and nonprint materials and a variety of the digital resources currently available for this age group,
5. Exhibit knowledge of published resources about print and nonprint materials for older teens, such as reference materials, selection tools, and web sites,
6. Assist parents and caregivers with questions about appropriate materials for their older teen children.

LIBR 265 supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:

• A. articulate the ethics, values and foundational principles of library and information professionals and their role in the promotion of intellectual freedom;
• D. apply the fundamental principles of planning, management and marketing/advocacy;
• F. use the basic concepts and principles related to the creation, evaluation, selection, acquisition, preservation and organization of specific items or collections of information;
• I. use service concepts, principles and techniques that facillitate information access, relevance, and accuracy for individuals or groups of users;
• M. demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for group work, collaborations and professional level presentations;

Course Requirements

Course Format
This is a web-based course. All of our interaction will take place on the SLIS Angel site; students must self-enroll for this course on Angel, beginning on January 25, 2010, and must be self-enrolled by February 3, 2010. You will be required to use a password access code that will be provided through the MYSJSU messaging system. Course materials will be available primarily through the Lessons section on Angel,  books from your public library, and journal articles available on the SJSU library database. Assignments for the course should be posted electronically. Our class discussions (worth 20 percent of your grade) will be conducted using an Angel Discussion Forum.

Class Discussion
Our class discussions (worth 20 percent of your grade) will be your responses to a different discussion question posted each week. Always post to the Discussion Question by the dates listed on each forum on Angel. You will be graded on both the content of your posts (not just "I agree"), and meeting the minimum of posting at least once a week. Last day to post to the Angel Discussion Board is Friday, April 30, 2010. Related competencies: A, F, M.  Related course objectives: 1, 5.

Course Assignments
This course requires a number of assignments designed to introduce students to the concepts covered in class and in the text, as well as to practical applications of methods. Students will work indivdually and participate in group discussions on Angel.

• Assignment 1:  Due Tuesday, February 23, 2010 by 11:59pm.
• Assignment 2:  Due Tuesday, March 23, 2010 by 11:59pm.
• Assignment 3:  Due Tuesday, April 13, 2010 by 11:59pm.
• Assignment 4:  Due Tuesday, April 27, 2010 by 11:59pm.
• Assignment 5:  Due Tuesday, May 11, 2010 by 11:59pm.

All assignments should be sent as a Word document attachment to email or posted to Angel.  All assignments must use APA format for sources and all assignments must have sources.

Assignment 1:  Genre Fiction: Read and review five novels (fiction) aimed at 9th-12th graders.  These should be books considered "literature;" not a paperback series knock-off but an award-winner or runner up, or by someone considered a good writer in the field (Printz Award books for example).  The five should be by different authors and represent a wide array of genres (not all fantasy for example). If you are not sure, email me the titles so I can okay them.  Read each book and write an evaluative review at least 250 words in length (not just a plot description, but what you thought of the book).  List all resources you used, including reviews of the books, and lists or websites that recommended these books.  Related competencies: A, D.  Related course objectives: 1, 5, 6.

Assignment 2:  Websites and Databases: Write reviews of approximately 250 words in length, of the following:  three paid library databases that are aimed at the Teen audience, three free websites that are aimed at the Teen audience to use for homework or research, and three free entertainment websites aimed at the Teen audience that they use for games, listening to music, social networking, or other entertainment.  Talk about the site's content, if it can be used successfully by Teens and what homework/research topic you used as an example to test the site, and comments from Teens about the sites (often found on blogs or other site review sources).  Remember, these nine sites are all things designed specifically for and used by Teens.  List all the sources you used.  Related competencies:  I. Related course objectives: 1, 5, 6.

Assignment 3:  Media - DVDs, Recordings, Videogames: Choose three DVDs, three videogames, and three recordings that are made for Teens - these can be feature films, documentaries, instructional DVDs, music CDs, books on CD, Wii, Nintendo, PS2, and so forth, but the primary audience for the media items must be Teens.  Write reviews of these nine media items, talking about the plot, whether they are well-made, if they could be used in a library program, and Teens' reactions to the media items (check customer reviews on Amazon, Commonsensemedia.org, teen blogs, etc.). Each review should be approx. 250 words (you can make it longer, but I wouldn't make it shorter) and review a wide range of materials (not three DVDs in the same series, or items by the same performer).  Media for the Teen market is a billion dollar industry so we need to know not just what is popular but why, and if it is well-made.  Be sure to list all your sources!  Related competencies:  A, D. Related course objectives: 1, 3.

Assignment 4:  Informational/Nonfiction Books and Media:  Choose a nonfiction/Dewey numbered subject area to do a "collection development" project.  This area should be somewhat limited; i.e. "Knitting and Crocheting," not crafts, or "Jazz," not music.  Other topics could include poetry from a specific culture, history from a certain time period (the Holocaust, the U.S. Civil War), biographies of a specific focus (Notable American women), etc.  Select ten items to suggest for purchase in that subject, for a high school library or a public library that serves high school students.  All of the items should be "in print," (not out of print), and at least one of the ten items should be a DVD, CDRom, CD, or other nonbook media item you would purchase, and one other should be a website or electronic database.  Compile these into a list, with each item having a one paragraph annotation that includes both what the book is about and why you chose it, as well as book design, photos, illustrations, and backmatter.  Write up a 2 or 3 page description of the selection tools, review journals, and other sources you used to select the items; which were most helpful? What tools did you use to determine if an item was still in print (Books in Print)? How did you decide what to choose?  What did the local library have or lack in this area? Which items did you actually see and read?  How did you choose the media item?  How did you choose the website?  Be sure to give a list of all the sources you used.  Related competencies:  F, M. Related course objectives: 2, 3, 4.

Assignment 5:  Readers' Advisory Notebook/Database:  Create an entry for 50 items (books and media but not websites) appropriate for teens ages 15-18.  Each entry should include the bibliographic information, a brief plot description, your personal thoughts on the book (yes, you need to read each book), and mention of any books that are similar in style, content, theme or characters.  Also include any of the following items that you think might help you with readers' advisory activities in the future, such as subjects/themes, awards, series information, character names/descriptions, programming/lesson ideas, anything else you would like to add.  Complete project should include entries for all the different book genres discussed in class, and media.  Complete project should include several recent (1990 ) award winning titles (Printz, National Book Award, etc.) You must include at least (but are not limited to) 20 novels (young adult fiction, urban fiction, or adult novels teens have embraced).  The other 30 items can be a mix of nonfiction, poetry, biography, graphic novels, magazines, DVDs, and audio recordings for our age group (but not websites). Entries must be formatted using Microsoft Word.  You may not use any of the books or media used in your other assignments.  These are 50 other books or media besides those.  List all your sources.  Related competencies:  F, M. Related course objectives: 2, 3, 4.

Course Grading
Class discussions are worth 20 percent of your grade.  Assignments 1, 2, 3 are worth 10 percent each, Assignments 4 and 5 are worth 25 percent each.  Assignments submitted late are not accepted.

Extra Credit
No extra credit options are available.

Penalty for Late or missed work
Missed work is an "F;" late work is ONLY allowed by agreement of the instructor BEFORE the due date; late work must be turned in no more than two days late and that is ONLY if the instructor has agreed ahead of the due date and you will be penalized one letter grade for being late.

Textbooks and Readings

Required Textbook:

• Cole, P.B. (2009). Young Adult Literature in the 21st Century. McGraw Hill/Higher Education. Available through Amazon: 0073525936.

• Goodstein, A. (2007). totally wired: What teens and tweens are really doing online. New. York: St. Martin's Press. Available through Amazon: 0312360126.

Recommended Textbook:

• Anderson, S. (2004). Serving Older Teens. Libraries Unlimited. Available through Amazon: 0313317623.

Grading Scale

The standard SJSU School of Information Grading Scale is utilized for all iSchool courses:

In order to provide consistent guidelines for assessment for graduate level work in the School, these terms are applied to letter grades:

• C represents Adequate work; a grade of "C" counts for credit for the course;
• B represents Good work; a grade of "B" clearly meets the standards for graduate level work;
  For core courses in the MLIS program (not MARA) — INFO 200, INFO 202, INFO 204 — the iSchool requires that students earn a B in the course. If the grade is less than B (B- or lower) after the first attempt you will be placed on administrative probation.  You must repeat the class the following semester. If -on the second attempt- you do not pass the class with a grade of B or better (not B- but B) you will be disqualified.
  
• A represents Exceptional work; a grade of "A" will be assigned for outstanding work only.

Students are advised that it is their responsibility to maintain a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA).

University Policies

General Expectations, Rights and Responsibilities of the Student

As members of the academic community, students accept both the rights and responsibilities incumbent upon all members of the institution. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with SJSU's policies and practices pertaining to the procedures to follow if and when questions or concerns about a class arises. See University Policy S90-5 at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/docs/S90-5.pdf. More detailed information on a variety of related topics is available in the SJSU catalog at http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/catalog/departments/LIS.html. In general, it is recommended that students begin by seeking clarification or discussing concerns with their instructor. If such conversation is not possible, or if it does not serve to address the issue, it is recommended that the student contact the Department Chair as a next step.

Dropping and Adding

Students are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drop, grade forgiveness, etc. Refer to the current semester's Catalog Policies section at http://info.sjsu.edu/static/catalog/policies.html. Add/drop deadlines can be found on the current academic year calendars document on the Academic Calendars webpage at http://www.sjsu.edu/provost/services/academic_calendars/. The Late Drop Policy is available at http://www.sjsu.edu/aars/policies/latedrops/policy/. Students should be aware of the current deadlines and penalties for dropping classes.

Information about the latest changes and news is available at the Advising Hub at http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/.

Consent for Recording of Class and Public Sharing of Instructor Material

University Policy S12-7, http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/docs/S12-7.pdf, requires students to obtain instructor's permission to record the course and the following items to be included in the syllabus:

• "Common courtesy and professional behavior dictate that you notify someone when you are recording him/her. You must obtain the instructor's permission to make audio or video recordings in this class. Such permission allows the recordings to be used for your private, study purposes only. The recordings are the intellectual property of the instructor; you have not been given any rights to reproduce or distribute the material."
  • It is suggested that the syllabus include the instructor's process for granting permission, whether in writing or orally and whether for the whole semester or on a class by class basis.
  • In classes where active participation of students or guests may be on the recording, permission of those students or guests should be obtained as well.
• "Course material developed by the instructor is the intellectual property of the instructor and cannot be shared publicly without his/her approval. You may not publicly share or upload instructor generated material for this course such as exam questions, lecture notes, or homework solutions without instructor consent."

Academic integrity

Your commitment, as a student, to learning is evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State University. The University Academic Integrity Policy F15-7 at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/docs/F15-7.pdf requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. The Student Conduct and Ethical Development website is available at http://www.sjsu.edu/studentconduct/.

Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need to make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03 at http://www.sjsu.edu/president/docs/directives/PD_1997-03.pdf requires that students with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with the Accessible Education Center (AEC) at http://www.sjsu.edu/aec to establish a record of their disability.

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