LIBR 265-10
Materials for Young Adults
Spring 2013 Greensheet

Professor Beth Wrenn-Estes, Lecturer
E-mail
Cell Phone – 510-410-1959
Office Hours: By Appointment


Greensheet Links
Textbooks
SLOs
Competencies
Prerequisites
Weekly Outlines
Discussion Threads
Mandatory Collaborate Sessions
Points Allocation Chart
Resources
D2L Login and Tutorials
iSchool eBookstore
 

THE D2L SITE AND COURSE GREENSHEET/SYLLABUS

This course will be available on d2L by JANUARY 18, 2013. You will be automatically enrolled into the site.

The instructor expects each student to check into the d2L course site at least once, if not twice, per day to see course updates, resources, announcements, and other relevant information. Students are responsible to know the content on the d2L course site and Greensheet/Syllabus. It is also the student’s responsibility to ask questions and express concerns quickly so that the instructor can provide an answer/response immediately.

DISCLAIMER
The instructor makes every effort to proofread the Greensheet/Syllabus and the d2L Course Site but errors can occur. Please contact the instructor with any errors you see or any questions or may have.

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 Requirement

The Importance of SOTES
Students evaluate the course and instructor at the end of each term. This evaluation is known as the SOTES. An announcement will go out from the administration letting students/faculty know when the SOTES are available to complete. Those completing the SOTES, and informing me of doing so, will receive 1 point towards their overall grade. 1 point 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 giving feedback on the positives and negatives of the student’s experience in the class. Completing the SOTES is so very important to improving courses and instruction.

Grading
The standard SJSU SLIS Grading Scale is utilized for all SLIS courses:
Grades not rounded up to the next grade level. For example if at semester’s end you have a 90.7%/100 you will get a B (90%) in the class.

Rounding – The instructor does not round points to the next whole number. If you receive an 89.6 you will get the grade equivalent for those points.

Grading Rubric/Individual Assignment Evaluation Forms
The rubric for written assignments and the instructor individual assignment/student evaluation forms are located under Contents on the d2L course site.

BLACKBOARD COLLABORATE SESSIONS – Mandatory

  1. Week 7 – Wednesday, March 6 (8 points)
    Discussion of The Fault In Our Stars (Green)

    6:30 – 9:00 p.m. Pacific
    Session is Mandatory
    Discussion Questions will be sent out to class by February 27th.

  2. Week 13 – Wednesday, April 17 (8 points)
    Boy Meets Boy (Levithan)

    6:30 – 9:00 p.m. Pacific
    Session is Mandatory
    Discussion Questions will be sent out to class by April 3rd.

  3. Week 15 – May 1st (20 points)
    GROUP PRESENTATIONS (Genre-Author Studies)

    6:30 – 9:00 p.m. Pacific
    Session is Mandatory
    Group Presentation Outlines due April 20th.

SLIS Competencies: A,F,I,M
Course Objectives: 1, 4, 5, 6

BLACKBOARD COLLABORATE SESSIONS – Optional
The instructor may schedule additional Blackboard Collaborate sessions but these, if held, will be optional and available through the Blackboard Collaborate archives or as lectures on the SLIS server. The instructor will let you know if and when scheduled and how to access.

POINT ALLOCATION BY ASSIGNMENT

Assignment Points Due Date
Blackboard Collaborate – Introduction Lecture (URL/password to be provided by January 22nd) 0 Listen by February 1st (Week 2)
Digital Resources Paper 16

March 1st (Week 6)

Blackboard Collaborate Book Discussion – The Fault In Our Stars 8 March 6th  (Week 7)
Blackboard Collaborate Book Discussion – Boy Meets Boy 8 April 17th  (Week 13)

Group Presentations – Blackboard Collaborate

Genre/Author Study

Group/Author Study Group Pres. Outlines
Due - APRIL 20, 2013

15 May 1st (Week 15)

Database Project/Blog

Blog Entry Samples (3) Due to Instructor - MARCH 15, 2013

30 May 13th (Week 16)
Discussion Threads (total)
  • (Wk 1) Intro (0 pt)
  • (Wk 4) Discussion Adolescent Brain (3 pts)
  • (Wk 6) Discussion – Weetzie Bat (7 pts)
  • (Wk 11) Discussion Controversial Lit (3 pts)
  • (Wk 12) Book Discussion - Little Brother (6 pts)
  • (Wk 13) Discussion IF/Censorship (3 pts)
22 See Discussion Thread Schedule below
SOTES Completion 1  
TOTAL POINTS 100  

NOTE: The instructor reserves the right to deduct points for any work not done on time for example missing a Blackboard Collaborate session and/or not participating in discussion threads,etc.

E-mail Subject Lines/Naming of Assignment Files - MANDATORY

  • Format for subject line for all email correspondence:
    LIBR 265_YOUR LAST NAME (Example LIBR 265_WrennEstes)
  • Format the file name for all of your assignments:
    LIBR 265_YOUR LAST NAME_KEYWORD OF ASSIGNMENT TITLE (Ex: LIBR265_WrennEstes_GenreAuthor)

E-mail Response Time
Instructor answers email on a regular basis throughout the day and evenings.
(Policy-Instructor will respond to student emails within 24-hours of receipt). The instructor will inform the class if a longer response time is needed (instructor out of town, illness, etc.)

Students are expected to promptly answer emails from the instructor and fellow students.

Crisis or Emergency
Please call the instructor if a situation will prevent you from doing assignments or other class activities. You will receive a zero for any course work missed unless you have received permission from the instructor for an extension. The instructor reserves the right to deduct points (the number of points is determined by the instructor) for any work not submitted on time or lack of participation in Blackboard Collaborate session, group work or discussion threads. Instructor’s cell phone number is 510-410-1959 (pacific time zone).

Course Calendar
Subject to change with fair notice.

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

 

DISCUSSION THREADS - MANDATORY

NOTE: The instructor will act as a facilitator for the forum. Students are expected to contribute to the forum and to keep the discussion moving throughout the designated time frame. The instructor may comment from time-to-time but the expectation is that the discussion is student driven. See each thread for number of posts and submission dates/times that are required. Additional posts are always welcomed and more posts create a much richer exchange of ideas and insights between classmates.

The instructor will penalize students for not posting by the official closing date, not posting sufficient amount of information in substantial posts or not posting the required number of times during the week.

Discussion 1 - Week 1 (0 pt)
January 22nd to January 27th

Introductions – Introduce yourself – tell us a little about yourself including how far into the program you are. 1 post per student due by 5 p.m. on Sunday, January 27th.

Discussion 2 - Week 4 (2 pts)
February 11th to February 17th

Discuss the brain articles and readings assigned. 2 points (2 posts per student)
The first post addresses the topic of the thread and includes your insights and opinions on the topic and references to your readings and our discussions. You need to create a short bib indicating what resources you are using in your post. The substantial post must be on the thread by midnight Thursday (February 14th). The second post must be a response to one of you classmates and this post must be on the thread by 5 p.m. on Sunday, February 17th.

Discussion 3 - Week 6 (7 pts)
February 25th to March 3rd
Weetzie Bat
will be discussed via the discussion thread. The instructor will provide discussion thread question(s) in advance of the thread start date. (3 posts per student) Class will be divided into discussion groups by the instructor and will only post to the group they are assigned to. First post – by Wednesday, February 27th (midnight), Second post –by Friday, March 1st (midnight), Third post – by Sunday, March 3rd, 5 p.m. PST.

Discussion 4 - Week 11 (3 pts)
April 1st to April 7th

Discuss the value of controversial literature for young adults. The instructor will post a question to get the discussion going in advance of the thread start. (3 posts per student) The first post addresses the topic of the thread and includes your insights and opinions on the topic and references to your readings and our discussions. You need to create a short bib indicating what resources you are using in your post. The first - substantial post must be on the thread by midnight Wednesday, April 3rd. The second post must be a response to one of you classmates and this post must be on the thread by Friday, April 5th (midnight) and the final post to one of your classmates must be posted by 5 p.m. Pacific – Sunday, April 7th.

Discussion 5- Week 12 (7 pts)
April 8th to April 14th
Little Brother (Doctorow)
will be discussed via the discussion thread. The instructor will provide discussion thread question(s) in advance of the thread start date. (3 posts per student)Class will be divided into discussion groups by the instructor and will only post to the group they are assigned to. First post – by Wednesday, April 10th (Midnight), Second post – by Friday, April 12th (Midnight), Third post – by Sunday, April 14th, 5 p.m. PST.

Discussion 6 – Week 13 (3 pts)
April 15th to April 21st

Intellectual Freedom (IF)/Censorship
Base your posts on your feelings and observations from the readings (both print and web based) and the LaRue lecture. Discuss the different Intellectual Freedom/Censorship issues in school libraries versus those found in the public library setting. Focus your comments on adolescent materials you’ve read and experiences with youth this semester. (2 posts per student) The first post addresses the topic of the thread and includes your insights and opinions on the topic and references to your readings and our discussions. You need to create a short bib indicating what resources you are using in your post. The substantial post must be on the thread by midnight Wednesday, April 17th. The second post must be a response to one of you classmates and this post must be on the thread by Sunday, April 23rd, 5 p.m. PST.

DISCUSSION PARTICIPATION = Remember that additional posts are welcomed and encouraged and participation is an important part of makinf distance learning environments effective. Posting more than the minimum of times exhibits student behavior that goes beyond just the required participation level and into the “Exceptional” level of effort.

SLIS Competencies: F,I,M
Course Objectives: 2, 3, 4, 5

WEEKLY OUTLINES

SCHEDULE/ASSIGNMENTS/READINGS
NOTE: All URL's and document links will be tested right before semester start and site opening date.
There may be minor changes or deletions.

The Instructor reserves the right to add readings with adequate notice. Please check the d2L site for the latest in assignments. The d2L site may have additional information regarding each week so please refer to both the syllabus/Greensheet and the site in tandem to get all the information you need.

WEEK 1 – JANUARY 22nd to JANUARY 27th

Discussion 1 - Week 1 (0 pt)
Introductions – Introduce yourself – tell us a little about yourself including how far into the program you are. 1 post per student due by 5 p.m. on Sunday, January 27th.

Lecture
Introduction to Class – Instructor Lecture (Listen by Friday, February 1st)

Readings

Weekly Topics:
Young Adult Materials/Literature, Adolescent Characteristics

WEEK 2 – JANUARY 28th to February 3rd

Discussion Thread: None

Readings

Lecture

Weekly Topics:
Teenage brain and emotional development, the young adult reader, trends and issues in young adult literature

WEEK 3 – FEBRUARY 4th to FEBRUARY 10th

Discussion Thread - None

Readings

Lectures

Watch and Listen
YA Authors and Librarians as Trusted Adults for Disconnected Teens - part of the Spring 2011 SLIS Colloquia. Listen by February 10th.

Weekly Topics:
Teenage brain and emotional development, Controversial literature, Genre, Future of YA

WEEK 4 –FEBRUARY 11th to FEBRUARY 17th

Discussion 2 - Week 4 (2 pts)
Discuss the brain articles and readings assigned. 2 points (2 posts per student)
The first post addresses the topic of the thread and includes your insights and opinions on the topic and references to your readings and our discussions. You need to create a short bib indicating what resources you are using in your post. The substantial post must be on the thread by midnight Thursday (February 14th). The second post must be a response to one of you classmates and this post must be on the thread by 5 p.m. on Sunday, February 17th.

Readings

Lectures

Weekly Topics: Serving Older Teens, Internet bullying and social networking, Parental controls and responsibilities, Intro to Selection Tools, Reader’s Advisory

WEEK 5 –FEBRUARY 18th to FEBRUARY 24th

Discussion Thread - None

Readings

  • Hart, Part 2, Chapters 8, 9
  • Young Adult Literature and Multimedia - Section II, Part A

BookTalking - Reading Aloud/Readings

Laurie Halse Anderson on Wintergirls

Instructor - Student BooksTalks - Read/listen to as many as possible.

Misc. Readings

Weekly Topics: BookTalking, Alternative Formats - Reading Interests of Older Teens

WEEK 6 – FEBRUARY 25th to MARCH 3rd

Discussion 3 - Week 6 (7 pts)
Weetzie Bat
will be discussed via the discussion thread. The instructor will provide discussion thread question(s) in advance of the thread start date. (3 posts per student) Class will be divided into discussion groups by the instructor and will only post to the group they are assigned to. First post – by Wednesday, February 27th (midnight), Second post –by Friday, March 1st (midnight), Third post – by Sunday, March 3rd, 5 p.m. PST.

Readings

Lecture
Rationales and First Defense Files - Password is RationalesYA

Assignment Due:
Digital Resource Paper by midnight, Friday, March 1st.
DROPBOX

Critical Writing (Link)

Digital Resources Paper Evaluation Form

Weekly Topics: Genres – Realistic Fiction/Issues and Contemporary Life, Romance – Humor – Sports, Reader's Advisory

WEEK 7 – MARCH 4th to MARCH 10th

Discussion Thread: None

ELLUMINATE Session - Mandatory

  • Wednesday, March 6th (8 points)
    Discussion of The Fault In Our Stars (Green)
    6:30 – 9:00 p.m. Pacific
    Session is Mandatory
    Discussion Questions will be sent out to class by February 27th.

Readings

  • Goodstein, Chapter 6,7
  • Hart, Part 2, Chapter 11
  • Young Adult Literature and Multimedia - Section II, Part C
  • Disturbing The Universe - Single Pages (PDF) - See files under Week 7
  • Exploding The Myths Chapters 3 and 4 (PDF)

Lecture
Author Visit from Spring 2011 with Cynthia Leitich-Smith, author of Tantalize

Selection Tools (Resources)

Weekly Topics:
Selection Tools and Collection Development, Writing Reviews, Booktalking, Genres

WEEK 8 – MARCH 11th to MARCH 17th

Discussion Thread: None

Readings

WEEK 9 – MARCH 18th to MARCH 24th

Discussion Thread: None

Readings

Lecture
Jack Baur Lecture on Graphic Novels/Comics from spring semester 2011

Weekly Topics: Genres - Graphic Novels/Manga, Short Stories, Poetry, Drama, Non-fiction, Autobiographies, Biographies, and adolescent alienation.

WEEK 10 – MARCH 25th to MARCH 31st

HAPPY SPRING BREAK!

WEEK 11 – APRIL 1st to APRIL 7th

Discussion 4 - Week 11 (3 pts)
Discuss the value of controversial literature for young adults. The instructor will post a question to get the discussion going in advance of the thread start. (3 posts per student) The first post addresses the topic of the thread and includes your insights and opinions on the topic and references to your readings and our discussions. You need to create a short bib indicating what resources you are using in your post. The first - substantial post must be on the thread by midnight Wednesday, Apil 3rd. The second post must be a response to one of you classmates and this post must be on the thread by Friday, April 5th (midnight) and the final post to one of your classmates must be posted by 5 p.m. Pacific – Sunday, April 7th.

Readings

Lecture:
Interview with Jamie LaRue
http://amazon.sjsu.edu/html-bwestes/JamiePart1-1.mp3Part 1 (mp3)
http://amazon.sjsu.edu/html-bwestes/JamiePart2-2.mp3Part 2 (mp3)
http://amazon.sjsu.edu/html-bwestes/CensorshipinSchools.mp3Censorship In Schools (mp3)

Weekly Topics: Intellectual Freedom and Young Adults, Genres - Multicultural, Alternative, Christian Fiction, GLBT

WEEK 12 – APRIL 8th to APRIL 14th

Discussion 5- Week 12 (7 pts)
Little Brother (Doctorow)
will be discussed via the discussion thread. The instructor will provide discussion thread question(s) in advance of the thread start date. (3 posts per student)Class will be divided into discussion groups by the instructor and will only post to the group they are assigned to. First post – by Wednesday, April 10th (Midnight), Second post – by Friday, April 12th (Midnight), Third post – by Sunday, April 14th, 5 p.m. PST.

Weekly Topics: Controversial Fiction, Teens and Technology

WEEK 13 – APRIL 15th to APRIL 21st

Discussion 6 – Week 13 (3 pts)

Intellectual Freedom (IF)/Censorship
Base your posts on your feelings and observations from the readings (both print and web based) and the LaRue lecture. Discuss the different Intellectual Freedom/Censorship issues in school libraries versus those found in the public library setting. Focus your comments on adolescent materials you’ve read and experiences with youth this semester. (2 posts per student) The first post addresses the topic of the thread and includes your insights and opinions on the topic and references to your readings and our discussions. You need to create a short bib indicating what resources you are using in your post. The substantial post must be on the thread by midnight Wednesday, April 17th. The second post must be a response to one of you classmates and this post must be on the thread by Sunday, April 23rd, 5 p.m. PST.

Readings: None

ELLUMINATE Session - Mandatory

  • Wednesday, April 17th (8 points)
    Discussion of Boy Meets Boy (Levithan)
    6:30 – 9:00 p.m. Pacific
    Session is Mandatory
    Discussion Questions will be sent out to class by April 3rd

Weekly Topics: Controversial Fiction, GLBTQ Issues, Intellectual Freedom Issues

WEEK 14 – APRIL 22nd to APRIL 28th

Readings:

Group Task Due: Outline for Author/Genre Presentations due to discussion thread by midnight Friday, Aprl 20th

Weekly Topics: Marketing

WEEK 15 – APRIL 29th to MAY 5th

Discussion Thread – None

ELLUMINATE SESSION

  • Wednesday, May 1st
    GROUP PRESENTATIONS
    Genre-Author Studies 15 pts.
    6:30 – 9:00 p.m. Pacific
    Session is Mandatory

Readings:

TASK: Keep working on blog/database

Weekly Topics: Marketing, Author/Genre Presentations

WEEK 16 – MAY 6th to MAY 13th

Discussion Thread – None

ASSIGNMENT:
Database/Blog Project (30 points)
Due: Monday, December 13th (midnight pacific).
Please send instructor URL address as well as post URL on the proved discussion thread so your classmates may access your blog.

RESOURCES FOR BLOG/DATABASE

Database Blog Evaluation Form

Blog Examples

Example 1:
If for some reason the link won't work please type the address into your browser outside the D2L course site - you should be able to access in this manner http://mairereads.livejournal.com/

Example 2:
Elisa The Librarian (URL)

Example 3:
Queen Ida Reads (URL)

Example of Elements – Papers and Blogs

  • Definitions of Annotations, Plot Summaries and Critical Evaluation (doc)
  • How to determining age appropriateness/Interest Levels (doc)
  • Young Adult – Adult Crossovers – The Debate Continues (Web Link)
  • Reading Instruction Today: Matching Books and Readers (Web Link)
  • Crossovers – Michael Cart (Web Link)
  • Burbank Library Blog – Teen Crossovers (Web Link)
  • Glossary of Literary Terms (Web Link)
  • CA English Language Curriculum (PDF)
  • YALit.Com (Link)
  • Creating a First Defense File (PPT)

Weekly Topics: Intellectual Freedom and YA Materials, Genres - Multicultural, Alternative, Christian Fiction, GLBT

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF ASSIGNMENTS

DIGITAL RESOURCES PAPER with JOURNAL (Appendix)

DUE MARCH 1st (by midnight)
WORTH 16 points
FORMAT: WORD document required – Research Paper

DESCRIPTION

The research paper (BODY) must include:

  • An Introduction
  • An Interview/Observation Overview (include the questions you asked observation conclusions – do not include your journal entries – this is a synopsis of them)
  • A critical analysis and description of the technology you observed and the technology you discovered beyond your observations through additional research into the topic. You should spend a minimum of 2 hours researching and trying out digital resources used by older teens. See definitions of critical analysis under Content – Assignments on the d2L site
  • A Discussion (in detail) about the trends you see in digital resource use by older teens.
  • A Conclusion (synthesis of all parts of your paper - this shouldn't be just a couple of paragraphs but a substantial narrative on your whole process bringing together the complete process from developing venue choice/questions to ask/observation/journal writing.
  • A Reference Page(s) (there are no excuses for not having references for this assignment).

Interview/Observation

  • Observe OLDER teens wherever you can find them (malls, coffee shops, your neighborhood, libraries, friends, etc).
  • Observe/Interview for a minimum of 1 to 2 hours.
  • Students may observe your own children if they are the age we are studying this semester or your children’s friends.
  • Interview at least two teens as part of this assignment. The questions must elicit answers that will be relevant to the subject of the assignment – using digital resources. Teens must be in the age group we are studying (15-18 years of age).
  • You may have to try more than one location to find teens to observe and interview.

Appendices

  • The Journal required as an appendix at the end of your paper AFTER the reference page.

Length of Paper (approximately 20 pages MAXIMUM, including title and reference pages and the appendices)

  1. Body of your paper (see the required elements listed above) – 8-10 pages double-spaced
  2. Write clearly and concisely in academic/research style.
  3. Reference page must be APA style.
  4. Journal – a detailed record of where, when and what you observed in journal format. Journal is single-spaced. Page lengths of journals are normally 3-5 pages. Include as an appendices.

Example: Date and Place of Observation, Length of observation time, what was observed (in full sentences and grammatically correct

WRITING STANDARDS
Students will produce assignments that meet writing and research standards appropriate for students in a Master’s program of study. It is critical to proofread your work before turning it in. Graduate level writing standards do not tolerate spelling or grammatical errors of any kind. Students are encouraged to refer to a writing handbook - Strunk and White’s Elements of Style for example. APA is mandated for citations included within the text of the paper and reference/bib page(s). See class rubric under Content on the d2L class site for description of criteria/expectations for each grade level.

SPELLING AND GRAMMAR ERRORS

Instructor may not read your entire blog for spelling and grammar mistakes; if, in the instructor's opinion, your blog contains too many errors the instruction will reduce your points substantially and stop grading your blog for mechanics and will go on for content and other elements that are required in the assignment.

Digital Resources Research Paper MUST include:

  • Cover/Title page (name, course name and section number, school name, date, instructor’s name. Title should be what the Instructor has named the assignment. The title you have created for the assignment may be used as a secondary title.
  • Page Numbers (except on the Title Page).
  • Name of assignment on each page (other than the cover page) and use the Instructor’s name for the assignment not any you have created.
  • Reference Page/Works Cited in full accordance with APA formatting
  • Citations/Quotes in the body of the paper need to be formatted according to APA rules.
  • Journal must be written in complete sentences and no use of abbreviations or acronyms without clarification of what the letters stand for.
  • Spelling, grammar, and syntactical errors are not tolerated.

DISCLAIMER - EXAMPLES OF ASSIGNMENT: There are examples of the assignment under Content on the d2L class site but these are from previous semesters and the requirements or format of the assignment may have changed. The examples are provided as a guideline not necessarily what the present semester assignment requires.

SLIS Competencies: F,I,M
Course Objectives: 1, 3, 5

GROUP PRESENTATION – GENRE/AUTHOR STUDY

BLACKBOARD COLLABORATE SESSION – MAY 1st
6:30 – 9:00 p.m. Pacific

WORTH - 15 pts.
FORMAT: Blackboard Collaborate Presentation

GROUP ASSIGNMENTS (Clarification – once the semester starts and the instructor knows the final student count in the class the length of the presentation will be determined and announced).

The instructor will choose the Genres that groups may choose from. Students will be allowed to sign up for the group they want to first-come/first-served. The instructor will ask each group to designate a “group contact person”. The group contact person will be the point of contact with the instructor for the group. The “group contact liasion” also communicates with the Blackboard Collaborate assistant. Having one person designated as the contact helps eliminate multiple emails and allows a smoother communication process throughout the assignment. This person is not responsible to organize the group – each member of the group has to take the responsibility on to work (communicate) with the group on a regular basis.

PARTICIPATION IN GROUP
Each group member must participate fully in the research for the presentation and the presentation itself. The group leader will provide the instructor with an outline of the presentation content and what member is assigned to each of those content areas. Groups will present their findings to the class during the Blackboard Collaborate session scheduled for the presentations.(see below). The group will be graded as a whole not as individual members. It is critical that the group produce a team effort on the assignment. The instructor may reduce points on an individual who is found not participating on the same level as the other group members. Each group will have a discussion thread created for their group to use on the class d2L site for communication between members of the group. Groups may use other means to communicate, organize other than the d2L discussion thread.

TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF PRESENTATION
Each group must use presentation software compatible with Blackboard Collaborate to create an informative and creative look at the genre. Elements in past presentations have included Powerpoint slides, desktop sharing, video links including videotaping individual group member presentations; music and many past presentations included all of these elements.

All information should be submitted together not separately. In other words if the group creates a PowerPoint everything in the presentation is included in the PowerPoint even if at the end as additional resources or information. The intent is not to have documents for the presentation in multiple formats and places.

INCLUDE:

  • What is the genre’s history in young adult literature
  • YA authors best known in the genre and some bibliographic information about each of those authors – choose only those that are best known due to time limitations for presentations.
  • Examples of titles within the genre – a list of top titles and brief synopsis about each of them – again watch the number due time restrictions. You can include a bibliography as part of your presentation that includes more titles but that you don’t cover during the actual presentation time.
  • Summary – a synthesis of what conclusions the group’s research has brought forward about the genre.

The technical elements for what will be used to create the presentation must be discussed with our Blackboard Collaborate Assistant to insure that what the group is planning will work on Blackboard Collaborate. Each group is encouraged to practice their presentations in advance so that no technical issues arise on presentation night.

OUTLINE
The group will create an outline of the presentation in skeletal format. The outline needs to include the name of the person researching the different topics and/or presenting the topic during the presentation. This outline is intended to allow the instructor to see how research work was allocated and indicate who is responsible to present each area of content during the presentation. Outlines are due to the instructor by Saturday, April 20th (midnight) to Dropbox. One outline per group submitted through the liasion to the instructor.

Getting full-points for the assignment:
Make sure that your presentation includes all of the required content areas. Full points will only be awarded to “exceptional” work. Exceptional work goes above the stated requirements and pays strict attention to all details of the assignment meeting and exceeding the elements of “good” presentations and pushes the group’s effort into the realm of exceptional presentations.

SLIS Competencies: A,F,M
Course Objectives: 2, 3, 4, 5

YOUNG ADULT MATERIALS RESEARCH/BLOG PROJECT

DUE Monday, May 13th (by midnight)
WORTH 30 POINTS

FORMAT: Blog (Academic Style – replaces paper but uses the format to allow more creativity with embedded links, photos, etc. – Writing style is formal academic)

DESCRIPTION
You must create a blog for this assignment. Choose the blog creation software carefully. Start the blog creation early in the semester (first weeks). Poor planning on your part does not necessitate an extension beyond the due date on my part. This assignment is worth 30% of your grade so please make sure you are working on it throughout the semester not just during the final weeks.

Students in past classes have used the following (there may be others):

  • Live Journal (livejournal.com)
  • Blogger (blogger.com
  • Blogspot (blogspot.com)
  • Weebly (weebly.com)
  • Word Press (wordpress.com)

Please review criteria for this assignment described in the list below and make sure you follow the directions and understand the assignment. This research project must include all types of materials for teens aged 15-18.

SAMPLE BLOG ENTRIES DUE – 3 complete blog book entries must be sent to the instructor by March 15, 2013 (can be in word format). The instructor wants to make sure that each student is writing in the correct style and tone. This hopefully will avoid losing points when final blog is turned in May 13th.

COMPOSITION: 50 items/entries are required (mandatory) for your project (the instructor assumes students will read, watch, play, or listen to each of the titles/material selected for inclusion in the project). These materials are directly tied to the library collection and should be considered “acquired” by the library. An example – if you include games that are provided free on the Internet the library is supplying the computer and the Internet access not the game. You would not include games that are free on the library computers. If the library provides games for checkout-loaded to computers in the library-related to a program then the library is providing that material. Ask if you need further clarification on any “materials”.

MAXIMUMS/CLARIFICATIONS

DIVERSITY OF MATERIAL FORMATS IS THE KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL COLLECTION - you may not only include books in your blog/database

These are just a few of the materials that have needed clarification in the past. The list below does not include all material types that you may want to include. If you have other questions please post to the discussion thread provided for questions and/or concerns.

These are the maximums allowed for different types of materials in your blog/database project

MATERIALS – must be appropriately focused on 15-18 (older teens) and materials that you would see in a library setting (public or school).

  • Adult Titles - "cross-overs" for teens aged 15-18 – Up to 5
  • Series - Instructor defines two-three titles from a series as a series entry. You may only have 5 series in your blog. If you only select one title from a series it counts as a single entry NOT in the series maximum number.
  • Individual Author – Maximum of three titles per author - you are to provide a diverse look at materials not just materials by one or two specific authors.
  • Individual Genre – Be careful to include as many genres/sub-genres as you can. The database is to be good representation of what materials are available.
  • Games - Up to 3 games may be included. Games that are found free on the Internet are not supplied by the Library and do not count as games in the definition of this assignment. Games purchased by the library are the types of games you should consider for inclusion in your database.
  • Subscription databases like Proquest or Britannica Online, etc. to teens aged 15-18 (Facebook, MySpace, etc. are not “provided” by the Library. They are available free on the Internet) – Up to 4 databases
  • Magazines that are marketing primarily to teens – Up to 4
  • Music CD’s – Up to 3
  • Movies – Must be primarily focused on teen audience (Clueless, Twilight, etc.) – Up to 5
  • Audiobooks are considered in the book count – Up to 35 books/audiobooks but you cannot do this entire category as audio books. Use common sense.
  • You must include all types of materials available to teens 15-18.
  • The project MUST include the following elements however more elements of the student’s choice may be included: Use the names of the individual parts of the assignment as the headers throughout your blog.
  • All of the same components included on regular paper’s title page must be included at the top of the homepage of the blog.
  • Cover Art
  • Create a list in alphabetical order of the material titles you included. This list must either appear on the side margin of the blog or if you chose a blog software that does not allow alphabetical listings create the list as your last blog entry thus placing it at the top of the blog. The instructor must be able to see what titles you are including easily. You can create a blog entry as your last entry putting it first in the blog chronology and simply type an alpha list of the titles in the blog. Most software will allow you to create an index but the individual blog entry is a work around that has worked for students in the past.
  • Each element must be a separate entry and not combined with another element. For example do not combine Plot Summary and Critical Evaluation. They are two separate required elements. Please do not include fields within an entry on separate blog pages – this makes it a nightmare to read and creates an un-necessarily long blog. Keep the elements with the title in one entry.
  • Bibliographic information (at a minimum Title, Author, ISBN/any other identifying numbers present on DVD's, Publisher, Copyright Date. Bib information will be specific to type of material so check out an entry from your local library catalog to see what is included for non-print materials.
  • Plot Summary (compose in your own words). READ the definition given under Content on the d2L class site.
  • Critical Evaluation (compose in your own words). READ the definition given under Content on the d2L class site.
  • Reader’s Annotation (compose in your own words). READ the definition given under Content on the d2L class site.
  • Information about the author (at least two paragraphs of text)
  • Genre
  • Curriculum Ties, if any – if there aren’t any then put N/A by the header. This is to be kept simple. You can look up the curriculum standards in your state and cut and past into this field or you can put down topics like Political Science/Civics, Diversity of Cultures, etc. You do not need to include examples from materials.
  • Booktalking Ideas (compose in your own words). DO NOT WRITE BOOKTALKS; give ideas for booktalks only. One or two ideas is fine.
  • Reading Level/Interest Age (these may be two different ages – look at respected review sources)
  • Challenge Issues, if any and brief idea of how you would prepare, as the librarian, if the material were to be challenged. How would you prepare and what would you have on hand if approached by a patron/parent concerned about material in your library? See Instructor’s lecture on creating a defense file. Why did you include this book in you’re the titles you selected? Look to instructor's lecture on creating a first defense file. Create an entry that you can cut and paste throughout the blog. Indicate the name of any selection tools (journal, website, etc.) you used or suggest, if appropriate.
  • A reference page is optional with this assignment unless you are directly citing material. You should either include the citation within the appropriate entry or create a blog page that you can include all of the citations on.

Example: There are examples of past student’s blog(s) on the class D2L site. You may not copy or reproduce these blogs in any way. These examples are provided as just that - EXAMPLES and the assignment is from a previous semester so not all assignment criteria will be the same. The requirements may have changed for the assignment this semester so please follow the requirements listed for the summer, 2012 assignment.

Writing-Research Standards
Creation of this assignment in blog format does not change the writing and research standards for this assignment.

Students will produce writing and research that meet the standards for graduate level work. It is critical to proofread before turning the assignment in. Graduate level writing standards do not tolerate spelling or grammatical errors of any kind. Students are encouraged to refer to a writing handbook - Strunk and White’s Elements of Style for example. APA is mandated for citations included within the text of the paper and reference/bib page(s) only. See class rubric under Content on the D2L class site for description of criteria/expectations for each grade level.

SPELLING AND GRAMMAR ERRORS
Instructor may not read your entire blog for spelling and grammar mistakes; if, in the instructor's opinion, your blog contains too many errors the instruction will reduce your points substantially and stop grading your blog for mechanics and will go on for content and other elements that are required in the assignment.

SUGGESTED LENGTH: Should be of sufficient length to cover the assignment.

SLIS Competencies: A,F,M
Course Objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Course Workload Expectations

Success in this course is based on the expectation that students will spend, for each unit of credit, a minimum of forty-five hours over the length of the course (normally 3 hours per unit per week with 1 of the hours used for lecture) for instruction or preparation/studying or course related activities including but not limited to internships, labs, clinical practica. Other course structures will have equivalent workload expectations as described in the syllabus.

Instructional time may include but is not limited to:
Working on posted modules or lessons prepared by the instructor; discussion forum interactions with the instructor and/or other students; making presentations and getting feedback from the instructor; attending office hours or other synchronous sessions with the instructor.

Student time outside of class:
In any seven-day period, a student is expected to be academically engaged through submitting an academic assignment; taking an exam or an interactive tutorial, or computer-assisted instruction; building websites, blogs, databases, social media presentations; attending a study group;contributing to an academic online discussion; writing papers; reading articles; conducting research; engaging in small group work.

Course Prerequisites

LIBR 200, LIBR 260A or LIBR 261A

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the external (societal) and internal (developmental) forces that 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; apply criteria to evaluate materials 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.

Core Competencies (Program Learning Outcomes)

LIBR 265 supports the following core competencies:

  1. A Articulate the ethics, values, and foundational principles of library and information professionals and their role in the promotion of intellectual freedom.
  2. F Use the basic concepts and principles related to the selection, evaluation, organization, and preservation of physical and digital items and collections.
  3. I Use service concepts, principles, and techniques to connect individuals or groups with accurate, relevant, and appropriate information.
  4. M Demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for professional collaboration and presentations.

Textbooks

Required Textbooks:

  • Cart, M. (2010). Young adult literature: From romance to realism. ALA. Available through Amazon: 0838910459 arrow gif indicating link outside sjsu domain
  • Goodstein, A. (2007). totally wired: What teens and tweens are really doing online. New. York: St. Martin's Press. Available through Amazon: 0312360126. arrow gif indicating link outside sjsu domain
  • Green, J. (2012). The Fault In Our Stars. Dutton Juvenile. Available through Amazon: 0525478817arrow gif indicating link outside sjsu domain
  • McElmeel, Sharron L., David V. Loertscher, & Beth Wrenn-Estes (2013). Young adult literature and multimedia: A quick guide, 2013. 8th ed. Learning Commons Press/Hi Willow Research and Publishing. Available through Amazon: arrow gif indicating link outside sjsu domain

Recommended Textbooks:

  • Anderson, S. (2004). Serving Older Teens. Libraries Unlimited. Available through Amazon: 0313317623. arrow gif indicating link outside sjsu domain

Grading Scale

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

97 to 100 A
94 to 96 A minus
91 to 93 B plus
88 to 90 B
85 to 87 B minus
82 to 84 C plus
79 to 81 C
76 to 78 C minus
73 to 75 D plus
70 to 72 D
67 to 69 D minus
Below 67 F

 

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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