LIBR 250-11
Design and Implementation of Instructional Strategies for Information Professionals
Spring 2012 Greensheet

Diane K. Kovacs
E-mail
Office hours: Via e-mail; Chat/Instant Messaging appointments can be arranged.  I really prefer not to work by telephone. We need to both be able to see and work on the computer together. E-mail and chat are best. In an urgent situation you may call me at 216-392-8254 but I am actually more accessible via e-mail than by phone.  Remember this is Eastern Time zone for me. diane@kovacs.com is the best e-mail address to use.

This course will be available on D2L - http://ischool.sjsu.edu/d2l - on Sunday January 22. You will be enrolled into the site automatically. I will send more information about course access as we approach this date through MySJSU.

Course Description

The goal of this course is for information professionals to learn how to design and develop learner-centered instruction within a library or other information organization context.  We will use a project-based approach to integrate learning about learning theories, formal instructional design processes, instructional materials/learning object development, learner motivation, learner assessment, and formative evaluation, and other related concepts.  We will begin with learner needs assessment as the foundation of good instructional design.  We will learn how to evaluate and choose instructional tools appropriate to a given group of learners. The value of collaboration and cooperation with learners, other teachers/designers, and management in the development of learner-centered instruction will be emphasized.

Prerequisites: none

LIBR 250 is designed for information professionals who will be designing, creating, and delivering instruction in the context of a library or other information organization.  The scope is all library types and instructional types from one-on-one tutoring to large group presentation and everything in between and online and in-person.

Course Objectives

Student Learning Objectives
You will:

• be able to use a formal clear instructional design process to design distance education/online teaching and learning units.
• be able to conduct a learner needs assessment and instructional design planning.
• be able to evaluate instructional tools, etc. for in-person, distance education/Web-based tutorials, courses, or workshops in terms of their design and learner relevance.
• be able to evaluate units of instruction in terms of their design and learner relevance.
• practice integrating information literacy skills into instructional sequences.
• understand the importance of communication and collaboration with key constituents in the instructional design and delivery processes.
• end the course with a completed formal instructional design plan for a simple tutorial, short course, or workshop of  your choice (with teacher guidance and approval).

LIBR 250 supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:

• design training programs based on appropriate learning principles and theories; and
• demonstrate oral and written communications skills necessary for group work, collaborations and professional level presentations.

In addition, this section supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:

• compare the environments and organizational settings in which library and information professionals practice;
• apply the fundamental principles of planning, management and marketing/advocacy;
• demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for group work, collaborations and professional level presentations.

Top of Page

Course Requirements

Class participation in asynchronous forums and optional Elluminate discussion/lecture sessions are an important part of this course. Forum participation is graded.  Discussions are guided by relevant questions that require you to self-reflect on the readings, lectures, learning activities, and your other relevant experience participating in instruction as a learner and as a teacher/designer.

It is important to express your own opinions while also being respectful; suggest constructive ideas for improvement while evaluating other students’ work; pose relevant questions; compare and contrast ideas; share and critique resources; communicate and collaborate.

Course Format
This course will be taught entirely online using Desire2Learn - http://ischool.sjsu.edu/d2l. Once monthly Elluminate sessions for discussion, questions, and some lecture as well as some guest speakers, will be scheduled for optional attendance and later listening.

Primary Requirements
The primary course requirements are that students will:

• have access to the computing environment as described at http://ischool.sjsu.edu/ecommunication/homecomputing.htm
• use Desire2Learn - http://ischool.sjsu.edu/d2l and refer to Tutorials as needed
• submit assignments via Desire2Learn - http://ischool.sjsu.edu/d2l

Assignment Due Dates
(Dates are subject to change with fair notice. See below.)

Blackboard Contribute (was Elluminate)
Optional Once a Month Contribute Discussion/Lecture sessions scheduled as follows
(This will be subject to some possible changes depending on availability of guest speakers etc.)

1. Wednesday, January 25 - 7 p.m. PT-8 p.m PT - Attendance strongly encouraged for first class information.
2. Wednesday, February 8 - 7 p.m. PT-8 p.m PT -
3. Monday, March 12 - 7 p.m. PT-8 p.m PT -
4. Tuesday, April 10 - 7 p.m. PT-8 p.m PT
5. Thursday, May 3 - 7 p.m. PT-8 p.m PT -

• Topic 1.
  Entry Behavior and Learner Characteristics Survey. 5 points
  Due Friday, February 3
• Topic 2.
  Learning Activity 1. Instructional Design: Step 1. Needs Assessment/Instructional Goals. 10 points
  Due Friday, February 17
• Topic 3.
  Learning Activity 2 . Instructional Design: Step 2. Instructional Analysis (aka Task Analysis), Step 3. Entry Behavior and Learner Characteristics, and Step 4. Performance Objectives (aka Learning Objectives). 10 points
  Due Friday, March 2
• Topic 4.
  Learning Activity 3. Instructional Design: Step 5. Instructional Strategy. 10 points
  Due Friday, March 16
• Topic 5.
  Learning Activity 4. Instructional Design: Steps 6-7.
  Developing instructional materials and Formative Evaluation. 10 points
  Due Friday, March 30
• Topic 6.
  Learning Activity 5. Evaluating Training/Instruction from both the Student and Teacher Viewpoints. 10 points
  Due Friday, April 13
• Topic 7.
  Learning Activity 6. Evaluating and Choosing Instructional Tools and Materials. 10 points
  Due Friday, April 27
• Topic 8.
  Learning Activity 7. Final Instructional Design Draft Plan. 10 points
  Due Friday May 11 may be rewritten for additional points if needed and turned in by Tuesday, May 15 2012

Assignment Basic Format Guidelines
Requirements for all assignments where this is practical:

• Please use the following class header on the top left-hand side of each page AND as the file name you use to save the assignment in before uploading to Desire2Learn:
  • LIBR 250-11_Firstname_Lastname_ Assignment name_Fall 2011
    Example: LIBR 250-11_Diane_Kovacs_Introduction_Fall2011.
  • Also include in each assignment:
    • Name of the assignment
    • Your first and last name
    • Your email address
    • Date
    • Number pages in the upper right-hand corner.

Textbooks and Readings

Required Textbooks:

• Grassian, E. S. & Kaplowitz, J. R. (2009). Information Literacy Instruction: Theory and Practice (2nd ed.). Neal-Schuman. Available through Amazon: 1555706665.

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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