LIBR 265-03
LIBR 265-10
LIBR 265-11
Materials for Young Adults
Spring 2009 Greensheet

Beth Wrenn-Estes
E-mail
Phone (Cell): (303)349-8488
Office Hours: By Appointment

Course Requirements | E-mail | Assignments | Details of Assignments
Lectures | Course Outline | Course Grading | Textbooks and Readings

NOTE: This Greensheet is a common one for all three sections. The difference in the class curriculum is that LIBR 265-10 has different dates for the Elluminate sessions than LIBR 03 and 11 which will have the same Elluminate session dates. Please review the section on mandatory Elluminate Sessions below.

Access to Angel Course Site
There will be two Angel class sites. One will be for LIBR 265 - 03 and 11 and one for LIBR 265-10. Instructor will enroll all students into the Angel sites for these courses so that no students passwords will be necessary.

Class Blog
Instructor Maintains outside the course site at the URL address below.
The blog will be for all sections of LIBR 265 - 10 and 03, 11
Blog address is: http://web.me.com/bwestes/265-10Fall_08/Podcasts_/Podcasts_.html
(File name says Fall 08 but the blog is for Spring 09)

Course Description

This course will allow students to take an in depth look at materials in a variety of formats for teens ages 15-18, including fiction, popular nonfiction, graphic novels, movies, computer games, websites, other media, and determine how they can meet developmental needs.

Course Objectives

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 non-print 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, multi-cultural concerns, and meeting the informational and recreational needs of this age group
4. Create an appropriate materials collection for older teens, including print and non-print materials and a variety of the digital resources currently available for this age group
5. Exhibit knowledge of published resources about print and non-print 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

This course supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:

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

Top of Page

Course Requirements

Elluminate Sessions

• SECTIONS LIBR 265-03 and LIBR 265-11
  February 5, February 24, March 31, April 28
  7-9 p.m. Pacific Time
  All sessions are mandatory
   
• SECTION LIBR 265-10
  February 3, March 17, April 21, May 5
  7-9 p.m. Pacific Time
  All sessions are mandatory

Please read the following carefully:

• All work must be of graduate standard.
• This means: no assignments submitted after the due date and time; all work will be typed and double-spaced; all pages will be consecutively numbered in each assignment; spelling, grammatical, and syntactical errors will not be allowed and will cause loss of points on the assignment; and all work cited should be in full in accordance with APA format.
• Writing style and content will be of graduate standard as well and include all stated criteria for the assignment.

The Importance of SOTES
Students evaluate the course and instructor at the end of each term. An announcement will go out from the administration letting students/faculty know when they are available to complete. Those completing the SOTES, and informing me of doing so, will receive 2 points towards their overall grade. 2 points can make the difference between a higher and a lower grade overall. The importance of SOTES is very easy to describe – it is the student voice to the administration and the instructor and it is so very important to improving courses and instruction.

The Course Site and Email Communication
Become familiar with the course site. Know the content - this is absolutely critical to student success in the class. Students must keep up with any announcements, discussions, and assignments that are posted.The instructor responds to student’s queries using the course site (internal email system on Angel). 

Questions and/or Concerns
All student questions and/or concerns need to be posted on the General Discussion Thread entitled Questions and Concerns OR if question or concern is considered too private in your opinion then use the the instructor email link to contact privately.

E-mail and Naming of Files
Please include in the subject line of EVERY email you send the following:

• LIBR 280-3_YOUR LAST NAME
• Files Submitted for Assignments must include the following:
• LIBR 280-3_YOUR LAST NAME_KEYWORD OF ASSIGNMENT TITLE (i.e. Research)

E-mail Response Time
Instructor checks email on a regular basis throughout the day and evenings. HOWEVER the general policy is that your email will be answered within 24 hours. It is recommended that you only use the instructor's personal email if the question or concern is something you do not feel comfortable sharing with the class. Holidays and spring break may be an exception to the 24 hour policy but a response will be sent as soon as possible. If the instructor will be away from Internet access an email will be sent out to the class with that information.

Course Calendar
Subject to change with fair notice.

Technology Requirements
You will need a high-speed connection (DSL, cable, etc.) to successfully take this class. Please see the Technology Requirements and Instructions for Success handout.

Assignments
This course requires a variety 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 individually and in groups. All students are expected to participate in the Elluminate sessions and the Discussion Forums. Your grades can be adversely affected by non-participation.

Summary of Assignments/Point Value
Assignments and points are for sections 03,10,11 of LIBR 265

Instructor Lectures
The instructor records and posts to the Class blogs lectures on different topics and aspects of the course. The lectures are intended to be supplemental to your class readings and other assignments and do not replace them.

Lecture Schedule:

Discussion Threads

• Week 1 (1/22-1/25)  
  Introduce yourself to your classmates and instructor. Please let us know where you work, where you are in the program, any other details that you'd like to share. In the past students have shared information about family and pets.    
• Week 5 (2/15 - 2/22)
  Let's discuss Internet Bullying, the value of social-networking.
• Week 14 (4/20 - 4/26) 
  Discuss your observations regarding teens behaviors in the libraries you visited.
• Week 15 (4/27 - 5/3)
  Let's talk genre. Discuss with your classmates your favorite genre, why, reactions from teens (look at YALSA, other reviews done by teens), any statistics on that genre you can find for the age group.

Course Outline

COURSE GRADING

• No extra credit 
• Late assignments will not be accepted. If you get sick and either can't do the assignment by the published due date you must supply the instructor with a written note from your doctor.
• If you have a family emergency or a death in your family and you are going to miss a published deadline inform the instructor immediately.
  
• Missed Work will result in 0 points for that particular assignment. Please contact the instructor immediately if you are not turning in an assignment. Don't go beyond the published deadline for the assignment without discussing your reasons with the instructor. Students contacting the instructor after the due date will receive a 0 for that assignment - no exceptions.
• Instructor returns a written evaluation form to each student. The student's paper is returned if the instructor has made substantial comments or corrections beyond the explanation on the evaluation form. Assignments are usually returned with one week of the receipt date. If the instructor will be returning in longer than a week the class will be informed.
• Students "earn" grades. The instructor does not "give" grades. It is the responsibility of the student to work on a graduate level to achieve an exceptional grade in the class.  

Assignments - Detailed View

Group Presentations

Elluminate Presentation Dates

• LIBR 265 - 10
  April 21, May 5
• LIBR 265 - 03, 11
  March 31, April 28

Working in group’s students will research a topic of interest to teens or about teens and present the groups findings to the class during an Elluminate session. Groups may use PPT, Video, Whiteboard, Photo images, etc. to enhance the presentation visually. Students should seek out help from the graduate assistant  to help prepare the presentation and instruct group members as to the various abilities of Elluminate. 

The instructor will assign the groups and then the group will choose a team leader and then a topic to suggest to the instructor for approval. The instructor must approve the topic. There will not be any duplication in topics. Think of your presentation as informative and instructional in nature. The research and topic must be centered around teen’s aged 15-18. All members of the group must be a part of the presentation and share equal responsibilities in the research and development of it.

Examples of topics:

• Genre fiction – pick one attractive to teens - including crossover adult titles appropriate for teens
• Nonfiction materials for teens
• Books into movies
• Teens then and now
• Teens as consumers
• Magazines for teens
• Teens TV programs
• Teen’s websites
• Music for teens
• Gaming for teens

Annotated Bibliography
DUE March 8
10 points

There are two parts to the assignment:

1. Create a written annotated bibliography (see definitions posted under Course Documents on the course Angel site). You may compile a fiction, nonfiction, or mixture of both in multiple formats but books should be your primary focus. The bibliography must be on a theme or topic of interest to 15-18 year old teens. 
   
   Previous themes have been:
   • Banned Books
   • Historical Fiction
   • Chick Lit
   • Vampires
   • Fantasy
   • GLBT
   • (and many many more)
   College Preparation
   Think how you would use this to promote a program, part of your collection, or simply an additional handout to the bibs you have on hand.
2. Format the titles chosen into a bookmark that would be attractive to older    
   teens. See examples under Course Documents.

The number of titles/materials you include from your written bib on your bookmark. Usual number is 10-15 with graphics; both sides.

Digital Resources
DUE MARCH 20
18 points

Spend a minimum of three hours examining and researching digital resources used by older teens and a minimum of three hours watching and interacting with teens using them.

You must keep a journal documenting each observation, include where you did the observation, length of time, and thoughts you have about the observation. It is suggested you do the observation in multiple sessions so you can see as many teens working with technology as you can. (See example of journal under Course Documents) You may use a school or public library environment including where you work as an observation environment.

Bring together your research on the different digital resources and your observations into a summary of your thoughts on what you think about teens and digital resources. Please include your journal as an appendix to the paper. Include the name of the resource and a brief description of each resource as part of your paper.

I expect to see 15-20 page paper including your journal, title page and references.

Database Project
DUE DECEMBER 7th
30 points

The assignment is to create a searchable database of materials appropriate to young adults aged 15-18.  No matter what make sure that you put a list of the titles in a predominant place so that the instructor and your classmate readers may know what it included. The selections you make should be evaluated for how they meet the informational, recreational, and developmental needs of the teen 15-18 age group.

Formats:

• Blog
• Wiki
• Excel
• Word (hardest to search since the search/find feature searches the document like spell check)
• Others are acceptable but please make sure the instructor can access the format you have chosen.

Areas you must include in your database:
Check the glossary of terms for the different criteria

• Title 
• Author or Creator (Games for instance)
• ISBN or other identifying numbers
• Recommended School Grade or Age of Users
• Publisher 
• Copyright
• Media Type (book, cd, dvd, etc.)
• Evaluation in your words
• Reader's Annotation
• Plot Summary

Material Types

Books must comprise 60% (30/50) of your database. You should read all of the books you select. You may include fiction, non-fiction (Manga, Graphic Novels, Adult Cross Overs -no more than 5 titles). You may use the titles from your  annotated bibliography and the book that was selected for our discussion. 

40% (20/50) of your database can be games, books on cd, teen books into movies

NOTE: The course documents contain many bibliographies, a suggested title list for 15-18 and other valuable resources to help you with your database project. Please review the site to help facilitate your research.

Textbooks and Readings

Required Textbooks:

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

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

• Herald, D. T. (2003). Teen genreflecting: a guide to reading interests (2nd ed.). Libraries Unlimited. Available through Amazon: 1563089963.

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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