INFO 260A-10
Programming and Services for Children
SPRING 2018 Syllabus

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

Canvas Information: Courses will be available beginning January 24, 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 in the Canvas site automatically.

Course Description

This course examines the importance of programming for children, including parent education programs, story hours, outreach techniques, services with schools, summer reading programs, and program series such as weekly or monthly programs on Manga, knitting, book discussions, or homework help.

Course Requirements

• Students must read the Syllabus carefully and visit the Canvas course website looking through the content and material. Compile questions or clarifications that you need to ask and post those comments or questions to "Ask the Professor" discussion thread.
• These two important information sources (Syllabus and Canvas Course site) work in tandem with each other to give students directions, requirements, and information needed to be successful in Materials for Young Adults.
• Each student is expected to check the CANVAS site at least once per day for course updates, posting of additional resources, announcements, and other new information posted by the instructor.
• The instructor makes every effort to proofread the information in both the syllabus and the Canvas course website. However, errors may occur. If you see something that confuses you or doesn’t look correct please let the instructor know by placing the question or comment on the Question and Answer discussion thread. Please be as specific as you can as to where the information is that you are speaking about and what you don’t understand. 

SOTES 

Students complete SOTES to evaluate the course and the instructor at the end of each term. An announcement will go out from the iSchool administration letting students know when the SOTES open. The importance of SOTES is very easy to describe – it is the student’s voice to the administration and the instructor giving them both feedback on the positives and negatives of the student’s experience in each class they take in the program. Completing the SOTES is so very important to improving courses and instruction. 

Why Group Work? 

I am a believer in the value of working in groups in my classes. Every job in youth services will involve working with groups of people some of whom you will know well and others that you won’t know well at all.

How well you work in a group or a team is determined by your understanding of group dynamics compounded by the fact that you are working in a distance education program where staying connected to one another and to me as your instructor is critical to success.

Just as in life when you work in a group or "being on a team” you will have weak members of the group/team and you will have strong group members (leaders) of the group/team. I expect each group member work to their fullest capacity on all group assignments.

I will ask from time to time throughout the semester how things are going in each group and I will require outlines on group work that show what each person has been assigned for project/assignment. 

I expect that as librarians or “librarians to be” that you have high ethical standards and that you will participate fully in the group work process, including but not limited to, collaborating with your group mates, researching your given part of the assignment and completing evaluations when asked to.

E-mail Subject Lines/Naming of Assignment Files – Mandatory

• Format for subject line for all email correspondence
  INFO 260A_10_YOUR LAST NAME
• Format the file name for all assignments:
  INFO 260A_10_YOUR LAST NAME_KEYWORD OF ASSIGNMENT TITLE

Official iSchool Email 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, TEXT or EMAIL the instructor (in advance) if a situation will prevent you from completing an assignment or another class activity. You will receive a zero for any coursework missed unless you have received permission from the instructor for an extension. Most extensions are granted for extenuating circumstances only and not for being overwhelmed at work (for example).

• 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 any class activities or assignment.

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.

Grading/Grading Rubric:

Grading: – see scale below

Rounding – The instructor does not round up to the next number.

Grading/Grading Rubric

• The instructor uses rubrics for assignments inside the Canvas Speedgrader.
• The instructor grades assignments as quickly as possible but it may take up to three weeks to get an assignment completely graded and returned to the class if class size is large and the instructor has additional classes to teach during the semester.
• The instructor will post grading updates on the announcements page to let students know where in the grading process of a certain assignment the instructor is at that moment.
• The instructor sometimes includes a separate evaluation form along with the comments in the gradebook/rubric.

Assignments/Points/Due Dates
There will be detailed description of assignments, additional resources to read, watch and listen to and other pertinent information that you need to be successful in this class. Each weekly module will include everything you need to do.

WEEKLY OUTLINES – Modules

• Please read through the entire Canvas course site when it opens on January 24th.
• Weekly outlines (appear on Canvas Course Site) will have more descriptive content than indicated on the Syllabus including but not limited to links for discussion threads, assignments and overviews/lectures, articles to read, websites to read, URL to readings or links to PDF’s on the course site, detailed descriptions of assignments and lectures and videos to watch.
  
  

NOTES:

• The instructor reserves the right to determine the number of points to deduct for any assignments not completed on time or turned in past the stated due date. Exception - Instructor grants extensions when extenuating circumstances warrant it and gives student alternate due date for specific assignments but only if the student contacts the instructor in advance of the extension need.
• Zoom sessions are mandatory to attend.

CONTENT ACCESSIBILITY: 

All assignments, overviews, and lectures, will appear in written, audio or audio/visual form. Written transcripts will be provided where appropriate. 

DISCUSSION THREADS - MANDATORY

NOTE: The instructor will act as a moderator/facilitator for all discussion threads The instructor may comment from time-to-time on the posts but the discussions are to be student driven. DO NOT POST BEFORE THE THREAD OPENS - Thanks

•Check the Assignment Chart (above) to see the dates for each discussion thread. All threads begin on Monday at 12:01 a.m. Pacific and end on Sundays at 5 p.m. Pacific except for the first thread which is during a short week. Please note the dates of each thread carefully.

•You must post one substantial post on Tuesday and one substantial post on Thursday of each week and two posts to classmates before Sunday at 5 pm Pacific.

•Full points will be awarded to students who write in-depth insights and opinions about the weekly topic.

• If students do not post the required number of posts or do not include the level of detail in the substantial posts required points will be deducted.
• For the threads worth 4 points – substantial posts are 1.75 points each and the responses to classmates are worth .25 each.

•The instructor will include questions or prompts with each book discussion thread to get the conversation going but students are charged with keeping the discussion going throughout the week.

•Doing more than the minimum number of posts is greatly encouraged.

General Writing Standards - ALL ASSIGNMENTS

• It is critical to proofread your work and then proofread it again before turning it in.
• You will lose points for errors spelling and grammar. All assignments are to be written in a middle ground academic style using a clear voice and tone. Informal writing except in reflection papers is not encouraged.
• Please refer to a style handbook - suggestion is Strunk and White’s Elements of Style.

Spelling and Grammar Guidelines Instructor may not read your entire assignment for spelling and grammar mistakes; if, in the instructor’s opinion, assignment contains too many errors the instructor will reduce the points in that section of the rubric and stop grading the assignment for grammar and spelling and will go on to content and research, etc. 

BLOG FORMATTING GUIDELINES

Blogs must have a banner on the homepage. The following information must appear on the homepage of the blog:

• Name of Student 
• Title of assignment
• Class number and title
• Name of Instructor
• University Name 
• Date of Assignment
  
  
• If you want to make up a name for your blog you can do so but the Assignment Name instructor has given must appear first and then your title next.
• You may use an existing blog that you have for assignments from other classes but instructor must have a clear path to the blog for this class and not have to do any un-necessary searching.
• Blogs must look professional and have color themes, font choice, and navigation (live links to all sections of blog for instance from the homepage) picked to enhance the assignment. Use the many features that the blog has and thoroughly review the blog you have chosen so that you know it will accommodate the requirements of the assignment. Remember pictures create visual breaks for the reader and helps clarify points. Books covers are especially important to include when appropriate. Use of illustrations, pictures or embedded video is encouraged.
• Pictures should enhance text/narrative but images do not replace written content narratives.
• Blogs do not have a specific page length but must be of sufficient length to adequately cover the assignment.
• Blogs are written in the same style as written work. Remember this is not a daily journal type of blog but blog style is the vehicle with which you present academic work. Think moderate but friendly academic level writing and focus on creating a blog that peers, colleagues, teens, and caregivers would find useful.
• References and citations within narratives must be in APA format. References can be done as one blog posting at the end of the blog or you can put the references at the bottom of each section of your blog.
• All images must have a credit for where you obtained it and that credit can be located under the specific image or at the end of the blog.
• Any other questions not answered in the points above please contact the instructor for further information or clarification.

PAPER FORMATTING GUIDELINES

• Prepare all assignments in MS Word.
• Do not exceed the number of pages specified by the instructor.

Title Page MUST have:

• Name of Student
• Title of Assignment
• Class number and title
• Name of Instructor
• Name of University
• Date of Assignment

Other points for papers

• Papers must be doubled spaced and the font to use is 12 point Arial or Cambria
• Page numbers and the name of the assignment must appear on all pages except the title page
• Reference page(s) must be included and meet APA guidelines - Single Spaced
• Citations within the text must be in accordance with APA guidelines
• All papers are to be written with a clear voice and moderate academic style.
• Remember pictures within the document add visual breaks for the reader and helps many different learning styles. The blog is not to be all narrative. Be creative!!!
• Any other questions not answered in the information above please contact the instructor.
   

DETAILED ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTIONS

ISSUES IN CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING AND SERVICES SHORT ESSAY
Due Date Friday, March 9th (Week 7)
7 points

Choose and research one of the topics below. Use past and current articles to see trends and use class resources and if possible speak with librarians in the field who are involved with the topics and issues listed.

Make sure you visit the syllabus and look at the paper format and organization guidelines and section on spelling, grammar, and mechanics. You must have references!

Be creative – assignment is a research assignment and not an opinion piece. Feel free to have your own opinions but support them with expert opinions from the field.

Write in a friendly academic tone but don’t go all the way to “informal” with your style.

Suggested Length: 5-6 pages excluding title page and references

TOPICS/ISSUES 

1. Toys That Teach – what ones should be in your children’s area (hint see July 2017 SLJ for a good article to get you started).
2. Diversity and Inclusion in Children’s Programming and Services – what’s being done – what’s not being done?
3. Common Core -  What affect does supporting Common Core have on school or public library programming and services?
4. Connected Learning (for example makerspaces) – still valuable?
5. The Technology Divide and how children’s programming and services can help.
6. Technology - pros and cons of having technology available to very young children
7. The children’s area as a place of school readiness.
8. Advocacy – spreading the word about value of children’s programming and services
9. Social Work in the Children’s Space – find out what libraries are providing to children and caregivers in their communities by engaging/employing a social worker.
10. Homelessness and children’s programming and services – how can we provide programming and services to them?
11. Suggest something else to the instructor…….

Competencies: D,I,M /  CLOs: 1,2,4,5

CHILDREN’S AREA DESIGN
Group Assignment
Due Friday, April 6th (Week 11) by 11:59 p.m. PST - Worth 15 points

The instructor will place students into working groups for this project.

SUGGESTION

Visit children’s departments - take notes. Talk with librarians about how they like the space and what they would do differently or what they like.

Format and Content– one document including all parts above is to be submitted. The assignment has multiple parts (A) design drawing, (B) design summary/justification and (C) equipment/fixtures description and pricing.

1. Design Drawing – please see the examples included of past designs. Students may not copy or reproduce any design – groups must produce original work even if similar in appearance.
   • Create an index that shows what each item on the drawing is. Instructor suggests using letters or numbers and then on a separate page create a listing. #1 on the drawing = #1 on the legend and we’ll pretend it is a Storytime Rug. That storytime rug gets listed on the spreadsheet the group created for equipment/furnishing, etc. indicating description and cost.
2. Design Summary/Justification – there needs to be a narrative that will summarize your group discussions about why you decided to design the area in the way you did. This is not just a list of things included because that is what #3 below is about. The narrative is more of a philosophy, reasons why you chose concepts and theme for the area that you did taking into consideration community, programming, etc.
   • The narrative needs to have an introduction, philosophy of design, conclusion, and a reference page indicating books or articles group used in your research.
3. Spreadsheet of equipment fixtures, description, and pricing.
   • All members of the group need to contribute items to this spreadsheet.
   • Headers on the spreadsheet need to include at a minimum:
     • Group Member Name, Description of Item, Cost, URL or Catalog
     • (Date and page number) and Why Chosen?
   • Include any other information on the spreadsheet that you’d care to, but what has been described above is mandatory to include on the spreadsheet.
   • Groups can include a link to the spreadsheet in the narrative or can create a Word table with the required information as part of the paper itself.
   • Everyone in the group must contribute to the spreadsheet.

Each group will:

Research and design a children’s area. Do not include Tweens or Teens.

Each group will create a drawing showing what, in your group's opinion and research, needs to be included in a children’s area of the library. YOU ONLY TURN IN ONE DRAWING but all group members work on the drawing.

Include in your design any work or office areas within the children’s space as well as storage and bathrooms if included in the design. YOU ARE ASSUMING THAT THE LIBRARY GENERAL FUND IS PAYING FOR ALL CONSTRUCTION COSTS.

Include furniture, shelving, equipment such as computer stations, audio stations, play walls, etc. You can include walled spaces for office, storage, bathrooms and a closed in storytime area, etc. but you are not including the construction costs in the budget. The library would design and include construction in the “big” library or district budget.

Groups are not buying books but are indicating on the drawing and legend shelving for all types of materials that are needed in a children’s area. This could be revolving paperback book displays, picture book bins, low shelving, high shelving, etc. Groups need to label shelving according to what would be housed there. 

Drawing Programs

Please do not purchase a drawing program for this assignment. In the past students have created drawings using Word and other free programs.

Competencies: D, M/ CLOs: 1, 2, 6

STORY HOUR PERFORMANCE

Individual Assignment

Performances worth 8 points
Paper worth 4 points
Evaluations worth 5 points

There are separate submission links for each of the parts of the assignment.

INTENTIONAL
This assignment allows you to get a taste for performing a short story time. Some of you may already be doing story times in your current jobs and there are those of you who will never have done one. This assignment is challenging but fun and allows you to be creative and at the same time develop necessary skills that carry into your professional and in personal lives.

RESOURCES

Make sure you listen to the instructor's overview for this assignment. Tips are important to take seriously.  

PERFORMANCE

URL’s must be posted to the discussion thread provided by Friday, November 17th 11:59 p.m. Pacific (Week 13).

Students create a 15-minute video performance (snippet) (NO LONGER THAN THIS) that includes the elements below. YOU ARE NOT RECORDING AN ENTIRE STORYTIME.

VIDEO INTRODUCTION 
Introduction to the storytime for the instructor and class – include age group and environment (daycare, public library, school, etc.) This is not the welcome you’ll include for your video to your audience. Students must include what the audience will see in the video (song, followed by book X, then finger play, then another song for example – you would be way more specific but still brief) and what is the audience (see three categories above) you are performing for? 

Students may include this introduction in written format in the video description or in the video itself.

TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF RECORDING
Make sure that the camera used is one that will give you clear picture and audio. The video production is important. Check lighting and angle of camera. Make sure that head, hands and body can be seen based on the activities you are including. Watch the videos provided by the instructor and ask questions before recording.

Make sure you watch video(s) before submitting them. Students lose points for poor quality of visual or audio.

PRODUCTION
Students can produce the video in two segments but the total of both videos must be 15 minutes – no longer. 

Students are not performing entire storytimes but snippets of what could be included in a storytime of their design. There does, however, need to be a logical sequence to the performance so as an example the order could be for the snippet depending on the age  - Welcome, First Song, First Book, Fingerplay, etc. ECL Tip and always a Closing and Closing Song. You'd do this schedule for both age groups you've selected for your storytimes (each 7.5 mins long).

Each Performance may be done in front of live audiences in libraries, in-home with children of the right age (or close) or in front of no audience at all.

Age Groups are:

Babies
Toddlers
Family (all ages)

You must include 2 of the 3 group types in your snippet. 

EXAMPLES

Instructor has posted several videos from previous semesters. Students can also go to YouTube and put in INFO260A and several will come up there as well (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=INFO260A)

PAPER - Due to the Dropbox provided on Monday, April 23rd by 11:59 p.m. PDT

Students write a short paper of 2-4 pages explaining why the activities within their storytime(s) are developmentally appropriate for the preschool child and how they fit into library services for this age group.

EVALUATIONS

The instructor will give each student 3 story time videos to evaluate. Evaluations are due to the student performer and the instructor by Tuesday, November 21st at 11:59 p.m. Pacific. (Week 14). The total value for the 3 evaluations is 5 points.

Watch the student videos assigned on our own and evaluate using the form the instructor will provide. The instructor will provide which students to evaluate.

Evaluation Form is found on the course website under Assignments – Story Hour Performances

Competencies: D, M / CLOs:  1,2,3

 
12- Month Programming Plan
Group Assignment - 3 students per group
Due, Friday, May 11th at 11:59 p.m. pacific to the discussion thread provided â€¨ Worth 30 points

Blog Format (this allows pictures, graphics, video clips, etc.)

Students will have an opportunity to choose two partners or have the instructor assign them up until January 15th. Any student who hasn't signed up by January 15th will be assigned partners by the Instructor. 

The group will develop a 12-month programming plan for a children’s area (department), including activities for all ages, and early literacy training/programming for parents. Look at this assignment through the lens of the person who designs and implements (manages) the program. 

The plan goes way beyond story times (**although you will include plans for a month's worth of story times as part of the assignment). This plan includes in addition to your story time programs like summer reading, any unique programming opportunities like Chinese New Year celebration, petting zoo, etc. For example, in a previous job instructor included the Raptor Foundation and they brought raptors to the library for a program and invited all of the local elementary schools to participate in both programs. CLARIFICATION: You won't be actually developing the summer reading program from start to finish but giving a broad description of what you see the program being - theme, cost, etc.

Include information on how the various activities enhance developmental activities at various ages for children.

Include best guesses for costs of what an activity or professional program might cost. I strongly suggest spending time consulting with an actual public or school librarian to get ideas and make plans as realistic as possible.

You will need to develop a budget for your programming plan and include a line-by-line budget as part of the assignment. Do not include building costs or PT/FT staffing costs. The budget should only include costs for personnel that are outside of the regular library budget. You must include a volunteer plan for your programs and indicate if regular staff will be involved (but no cost would be indicated due to staff being part of the library salaries/or hourly employees) and what other aspects of using volunteers to consider.

** Story Time Plan Details 

As part of the 12-Month Programming please include a Story Time Plan.

Design (write) 4 story times. This assignment allows you to understand what story time planning involves and allows you to use your creative side and have fun with what you've read and learned this semester into story hours you can actually use.

Students must include story time plans for one baby lapsit, two toddler story times, and one family - all ages (0-8 focus) story time. You will pick out all materials for the plans and include any props used.

Use the template provided and modify it for your use or design a template of your own along the same lines. A total of 4 individual story hours need to be turned in as part of the plan.

Students will research the necessary elements of each type of Story Hour and will review all course materials posted on the CANVAS site.

In addition to the Story Time templates you must include the following in the narrative part of your blog:

• Introduction - short but gives the reader an idea of what the blog is all about.
• Describe the demographics for the library community as far as families and ethnicity (can be imaginary or real library)
• Schedule for Story Hours including time-frame for each program – think marketing blurb about Story Hours that you have seen for your website discussion thread assignment.
• Include information on how the various activities enhance developmental activities for the intended age group.
• Assessment - briefly describe how you will evaluate your programs and give examples of the assessment (tools) you'll use.
• Conclusion – this should be a descriptive section that ties your whole program together and shows a narration that brings synthesis for the research and the coming together of a year's worth of programming start to finish.
• References - include on blog - I would suggest including them in the specific parts of the blog where you need to cite/reference something.
• Examples of coloring pages or other craft plans, etc. Provide links not the actual documents.

Competencies: A, M/ CLOs:  2, 3, 6

top

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. Describe the current reading, viewing, and listening habits of children, and use this knowledge in program planning.
2. Apply information on children's developmental and psychological needs and tasks to plan age-appropriate programming and services.
3. Demonstrate storytelling, reading aloud, finger plays, songs, and rhymes; explain why these activities are developmentally appropriate for the preschool child and how they fit into library services for this age group.
4. Design and run a summer reading program or game; explain the importance of encouraging parents to read aloud to their children to prepare them for learning to read, and the importance of maintaining reading skills of school-age children by encouraging them to read over the summer.
5. Demonstrate familiarity with a wide variety of computer software for use in children's library programming.
6. Design a children's area based on the developmental, recreational, and informational needs of this age group, and create and implement an annual programming and display plan.

Core Competencies (Program Learning Outcomes)

INFO 260A supports the following core competencies:

top

Textbooks

Required Textbooks:

• Fasick, A.M., & Holt, L.E. (2013). Managing children's services in libraries (4th ed.). Libraries Unlimited. Available through Amazon: 1610691008

• Peck, P. (2014). Crash course in children's services (2nd ed.). Libraries Unlimited. Available through Amazon: 1610697812

Recommended Textbooks:

• Fasick, A.M. (2011). From boardbook to Facebook: Children's services in an interactive age . Libraries Unlimited. Available through Amazon: 1598844687

top

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 or undergraduate (for BS-ISDA);
  For core courses in the MLIS program (not MARA, Informatics, BS-ISDA) — 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 if you wish to stay in the program. 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.

Graduate Students are advised that it is their responsibility to maintain a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA). Undergraduates must maintain a 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA).

University Policies

Per University Policy S16-9, university-wide policy information relevant to all courses, such as academic integrity, accommodations, etc. will be available on Office of Graduate and Undergraduate Programs' Syllabus Information web page at: https://www.sjsu.edu/curriculum/courses/syllabus-info.php. Make sure to visit this page, review and be familiar with these university policies and resources.

In order to request an accommodation in a class please contact the Accessible Education Center and register via the MyAEC portal.

Download Adobe Acrobat Reader to access PDF files.

More accessibility resources.