INFO 268-10
History of Youth Literature
Summer 2016 Syllabus

M. Tomeo
E-mail
Cell: 724-421-5423
Virtual Office Hours: By appointment, at your convenience


Syllabus Links
Textbooks
CLOs
Competencies
Prerequisites
Resources
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Canvas Information: Courses will be available beginning June 6th, 6 am PT unless you are taking an intensive or a one unit or two unit class that starts on a different day. In that case the class will open on the first day that the class meets.

You will be enrolled into the Canvas site automatically.

Course Description

The history of literature for children and teens from its earliest examples to today's current trends, including how childhood has changed over the years, the influence of culture on those changes, and on the materials created for children and teens.

Course Requirements

Assignments
Each unit will begin with a detailed task list, providing specific instructions, expectations, and due dates.

  • Readings:  There is no way to avoid a lot of reading in a youth literature course.  In each unit, you may be responsible for textbook readings, a lecture reading, selected article readings, and at least one children's book representative of unit topic and themes.
  • Expeditions and Experiments:  Within five units, you will conduct a field experiment of sorts and share the results in a discussion forum or "quick write".  Quick Writes are informal observations and reflections based on assigned activities, 1-2 pages in length.
  • Discussion Boards:  Discussion boards are an essential part of an online class.  You will be participating in at least one major discussion for each unit of study and responding to your classmates' posts.  Recently Read discussion boards will provide an opportunity to share your historical selections.
  • Final Project:  The "Neglected" Classic.  You will select and read a youth literature classic (that you have not previously read) and prepare a visual presentation of your analysis to share with your classmates.  A rubric and exemplars will be provided within the course. 

Course Calendar

Date Unit Topic
Week 1
June 6-12

I.  Once Upon a Time: An Introduction

Discussion:  Pleased to Meet You! (12 pts.)
Literature:  Select a Neglected Classic from the Top 100 for your final project
Assignments support CLO #4

II. The Timeline: A History of Youth Literature
Expedition and Literature:  Attic Adventures, pre-1900 (25 pts.)
Discussion:  Connect the Dots (15 pts.)
Assignments support CLO #1, CLO #4
Week 2


June 13-19

III. Mother's Little Darling: A History of Childhood


Literature:  2 Family Life Examples, post-1900 (25 pts.)

Discussion:  Illustrators with Impact (15 pts.)

Assignments support CLO #1, CLO #2, CLO #3, CLO #5

Week 3

June 20-26


IV. Keeping It Real: A History of Teen Lit


Text:  Cart, Chapters 1-5

Expedition and Quick Write: Teenagers in the Mist (25 pts.) 

Literature:  Milestone Young Adult Novel (10 pts.) 

Discussion: “Too Dark to See” (15 pts.) 

Assignments support CLO #2, CLO #3, CLO #4, CLO #5

Week 4
June 27-July 3

V. Series-ly, To Be Continued: A History of Series Literature

Literature: Series Book (10 pts.)

Discussion: The Prize in Your Serial (15 pts.)

Assignments support CLO #1, CLO #4, CLO #5


July 4 Holiday, no classes
Week 5
July 5-10

VI. The Dog Ate My Basal: A History of Youth Literature in the Classroom


Literature:  NonFiction, Poetry, Biography (10 pts.)

Discussion:  Curriculum Connections (15 pts.)

Assignments support CLO #7


Week 6
July 11-17

VII. Mirrors and Windows: A Multicultural History of Youth Literature


Text:  Cart, Chapters 9, 11

Literature:  Multicultural Example (10 pts.)

Expedition and Quick Write: Bookstore Inventory Letter (25 pts.)

Discussion: Eyes on the Prize (15 pts.) 

Assignments support CLO #6, CLO #8


Week 7
July 18-24

VIII. They Called Me Snow White But I Drifted: A Critical Analysis of Youth Literature


Literature:  Sourcing Two Versions of the Same Story (15 pts.) 

Expedition and Discussion Post:  Virtual International Visit (25 pts.)

Assignments support CLO #2, CLO #5, CLO #6 


Week 8
July 25-31

IX. Against the Grain: A History of the Subversive, the Radical, and the Nonsensical in Youth Literature


Literature: Subversive, Radical, or Nonsense Book (10 pts.)

Discussion: I is for Ideology (15 pts.)

Assignments support CLO #2, CLO #3, CLO #4, CLO #5


Week 9
August 1-7

X. Back to the Future: An Exploration of Today's Youth Literature


Literature:  Graphic Novel, App, or Ebook (10 pts.) 

Assignments support CLO #8


Week 10
August 8-12

And They All Lived Happily Ever After: Final Projects (50 pts.)

Assignments support CLO #1, CLO #4, CLO #8

Grading

  • Grades are calculated on a point and percentage basis, following the standard SJSU iSchool grading scale utilized for all courses. 
  • Point deductions will be assessed on late work.

Other Relevant Information
Our textbook is available as an e-book through the SJSU Library.  Older editions are also acceptable.

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

INFO 200

Course Learning Outcomes

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

  1. Identify literature written for children during major historical time periods;
  2. Explain the purpose of children's literature in the social pattern;
  3. Describe the images of childhood as revealed in children's literature;
  4. Identify authors, illustrators and publishers who have contributed to milestones in children's and young adult literature;
  5. Describe various genres and literary movements in children's literature;
  6. Identify historical children's and young adult literature from different ethnic and cultural perspectives;
  7. Explore the historical use of children's literature in educational settings;
  8. Research and explain trends, technology and controversies affecting contemporary children's and young adult literature.

Core Competencies (Program Learning Outcomes)

INFO 268 supports the following core competencies:

  1. C Recognize the diversity (such as cultural and economic) in the clientele and employees of an information organization and be familiar with actions the organization should take to address this diversity.
  2. F Use the basic concepts and principles related to the selection, evaluation, organization, and preservation of physical and digital information items.
  3. M Demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for professional work including 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

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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