INFO 269-10
Early Childhood Literacy
Fall 2020 Syllabus
Professor Beth Wrenn-Estes, Lecturer
E-mail
Cell Phone – 510-410-1959
Office Hours: Email or text to set up an appointment
Canvas Information: Courses will be available beginning August 19, 2020, at 6:00 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
Covers a wide variety of topics important for an understanding of early childhood multi-literacies in library and non-library environments, including current research, best practices, and practical examples that can be implemented in various work environments with children.
Corona Virus
Not knowing what will happen with the pandemic as we enter the fall semester or what libraries may be closed or open will warrant instructor monitoring whether materials are readily available. The class has a lot of reading in articles and books related to Early Childhood Literacy throughout the semester the instructor “may” have to make adjustments to assignments as needed.
Students should review the reading assignments and check out local library collections and borrowing opportunities to secure books necessary to complete assignments as indicated. Any changes in assignments will be announced by the instructor on the Canvas course site.
Course Requirements
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Students should read the Syllabus carefully and review the Canvas course website. Please read through everything and if you have questions contact the instructor through the "Ask the Professor" discussion thread.
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The Syllabus and Canvas Course site work in tandem with each other to give students directions, requirements, and information needed to be successful in Early Childhood Literacy.
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Each student is expected to check the CANVAS site at least once per day for course updates, posting of additional resources, announcements, and other information posted by the instructor.
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The instructor makes every effort to proofread the information in both the syllabus and on the Canvas course website. However, errors do occur. If you see something that doesn’t look correct please let the instructor know by placing where you see the error on the “Ask the Professor” discussion thread. Please be as specific as to where you found the error – makes it easier for the instructor to answer the question quickly.
Mandatory
E-mail Subject Lines/Naming of Assignment Files
Format for subject line for all email correspondence:
LIBR 269_10_YOUR LAST NAME
Format the file name for all assignments:
LIBR 269_10_YOUR LAST NAME_KEYWORD OF ASSIGNMENT TITLE
E-mail Response Time
Instructor answers email on a regular basis throughout the day and evenings.
Official School of Information 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 (Zoom session). You may receive a zero for any course assignment or activity missed unless you have received permission from the instructor for an extension. Most extensions are granted for only extenuating circumstances.
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:– see scale below
Rounding – The instructor does not round up to the next number. If you receive an 89.6 on an assignment or as your final point total this grade will be compared to the grading scale to determine your grade.
Grading/Grading Rubric
Rubrics – The Instructor uses several rubrics for determining participation, oral and written communication that are posted on the Canvas sites under ASSIGNMENTS/RUBRICS/EVALUATION FORMS.
For certain assignments, the instructor will complete an evaluation form that will give you input on your work along with the points allocated for each section. If the format of the assignment is to produce a paper then the instructor usually makes comments within the paper itself. Students should read through the general rubrics then look at the evaluation form if one is provided. If there is an instructor created evaluation form it will appear on the specific assignment description – Assignments link is on the left-hand column.
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 each student. The instructor teaches multiple courses during each semester.
The instructor posts updates on the announcements page to let students know where in the grading process the instructor is at that time.
POINTS ALLOCATIONS/DUE DATES
| Assignment | Pts | Date Dues |
| Theorists Research Project (Paper Format) | 15 |
Due Weds, September 30th (Week 7) 11:59 p.m. Pacific Pick one theorist who has done major research into Early-Childhood Development, or Literacy and Learning, or both. The individual can be someone dead or living; past or present. Some of the researchers/theorists in ECL you might consider are Piaget, Montessori, Vygotsky, Gesell, Erickson, Ghoting (not an exhaustive list). Short description of assignment: Make sure you include a substantial Introduction and Summary/Conclusion. Give a short introduction as to why you chose the theorist you did and include a biographical sketch of their lives (in your own words). Write a narrative section describing the theories in detail and describe what contributions and affect they have had on the field of early childhood development or literacy and learning. How can these theories help you understand children that you will come into contact within a library environment? Suggested paper length 10-12 pages excluding title and reference pages. Make sure you research beyond what is given to you in class. Remember to cite sources and provide reference page, if needed. More details will be provided when the course site opens under the Assignment tab on the Canvas Course Site. CLO 1,2,6 /Comp K, N |
| ZOOM Session |
6 points 2 points
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MANDATORY ZOOM SESSION Thursday, September 24th (Week 6) Guest Speakers – TBD Reflection Paper Due– Sunday, September 27th(Week 6) 11:59 p.m. Pacific CLO 1,2 /Comp K |
| Article Review (Paper Format) | 6 |
Due Friday, October 16th (Week 9) 11:59 p.m. Pacific
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Early Childhood Literacy Program Evaluations |
26 pts Blog 4 pts Evaluations 2 evals at 2 pts each
Total 30 points |
URL Due Weds, November 25th (Week 15) – 11:59 p.m. Pacific (URL’s must be posted to a discussion thread provided by the instructor. Each student will create a Childhood Literacy/Program (12-months of programming and activities- all multi-literacy focused) for a public library. If you want to focus on school libraries please contact me to discuss. So much programming for kids in libraries is connected to literacy but this assignment goes a step further in creating the programming and activities for these literacy specific programs and activities. You must include how each program or activity connects to literacy and learning. There must be a detailed introduction and conclusion summary for the project not just by section. There needs to be an assessment section of how you will evaluate your programs. You will need to describe the tool(s) and why you chose to use it/them. Evaluations are due on Monday, November 30th (Week 16). Instructor will assign each student two blogs to evaluate. More details will be provided when the course site opens under the Assignment tab on the Canvas Course Site. |
| ZOOM Session |
6 points 2 points |
MANDATORY ZOOM SESSION Thursday, December 3rd (Week 16th) Guest Speakers – TBD Reflections Due– Saturday, December 5th (Week 16th) 11:59 p.m. Pacific |
| Discussion Threads (DT) (6) | 33 |
Week 1 – DT. #1 – Short Video Introduction August 19th to August 23rd - 1 point Week 3 – DT #2 – Early Childhood Development August 31st – September 6th - 6 points Week 5 – DT #3 – Early Childhood Literacy September 14th – September 20th - 7 points Week 6 – DT #4 – A Firm Foundation for Literacy - Storytime September 21st – September 27th - 6 points Week 8 – DT#5 – New Technologies and Forms of Communication October 5th – October 11th - 6 points Week 10 – DT #6 – Program Assessment Discussion October 19th – October 25th - 7 points CLO 1,2,3,6 /Comp K, M, and N |
| TOTAL | 100 |
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. Exceptions/Emergencies - 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. In most cases, extensions are only given for medical or family emergencies.
CONTENT ACCESSIBILITY:
All assignments, overviews, and lectures, will appear in written, audio or audio/visual forms.
MODULES/WEEKLY OUTLINES
Modules/Weekly outlines (appear on Canvas Course Site) will have more descriptive content than indicated on the Syllabus including but not limited to links to discussion threads, assignment overviews, lectures, readings, video recordings and websites to visit. The instructor intends that the weekly outline is where you should look for everything you need to do (read, write, listen) for that week.
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.
The instructor will give prompts and ideas on how to proceed with each discussion thread’s topic but students are responsible for engaging in the discussion of that topic and to engage fully in the activity.
DISCUSSION POSTS
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. DO NOT POST BEFORE A THREAD OPENS OR AFTER IT CLOSES.
Stay on Track– These discussion threads carry a lot of weight for your overall grade in the class. You need to make sure you have posted at least 2 substantial posts during the week and 2 responses to classmates. Instructor suggests substantial posts on Tuesday and Thursday.
The definition of “substantial” means writing in-depth narratives on the topic of the thread each week and writing at least 150 words for each substantial post each week. The post should not just be from the class texts but research beyond provided sources as well as others you find on your own.
Citations should be put at the bottom of the post in APA format. It is important to include your own thoughts and opinions in the thread as well as from experts in the field.
Do not post all comments on the same day! This will result in a reduction of points. Think of discussion threads as conversations taking place as if you were in a f2f class.
Full points will be awarded to students who write in-depth insights and opinions about the weekly topic in each of their substantial posts.
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.
POINTS FOR DISCUSSION POSTS
- Video Introduction is worth 1 point
- Threads - worth 6 points – each of the 2 substantial posts is worth 2.75 points and the responses to classmates are each worth .25each.
- Threads – worth 7 points. Each of the 2 substantial posts is worth 3.25 points and the responses to classmates are each worth .25
- The instructor will include questions or prompts with each discussion thread to get the conversation going but students are charged with keeping the discussion going throughout the week.
- Posting more than the minimum number of posts, especially responses to classmates, is greatly encouraged and shows work commitment on excellent level.
General Writing Standards - ALL ASSIGNMENTS
- Students must produce assignments that meet writing and research standards appropriate for students in a Master’s program of study. Write clearly!
- It is critical to proofread your work and then proofread it again before turning it in.
- You will lose points for errors in 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 allowed.
- Please refer to a style handbook - a 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. The instructor prefers this information to be on the banner or homepage NOT buried in About or where a search needs to be done to find it.
- Name of Student
- Title of Assignment (one instructor gave 1st)
- Secondary Title if student(s) have one
- Class number and title
- Name of Instructor
- Name of University
- Date of Assignment
MUSTS
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If you want to make up a name for your blog you can do so but the Assignment Name the instructor has given must appear first and then your title below it.
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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.
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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 videos is encouraged.
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Pictures should enhance text/narrative but images do not replace written content narratives.
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Blogs do not have a specific page length but must be of sufficient length to adequately cover the assignment.
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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 are presenting academic work. Think moderate but friendly academic level writing style and focus on creating a blog that peers, colleagues, teens, and caregivers would find useful.
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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.
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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.
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Any questions not answered above please contact the instructor for further information or clarification.
PAPER FORMATTING GUIDELINES
- Prepare all assignments in MS Word. DO NOT SEND PDF’s
- Do not exceed the number of pages specified by the instructor.
Title Page MUST have:
- Name of Student
- Title of Assignment (one instructor gave 1st)
- Secondary Title if student(s) have one
- Class number and title
- Name of Instructor
- Name of University
- Date of Assignment
Other points for papers
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Papers must be doubled spaced and the font to use is 12 point Arial or Cambria
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Page numbers and the name of the assignment must appear on all pages except the title page
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Reference page(s) must be included and meet APA guidelines - Single Spaced
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Citations within the text must be in accordance with APA guidelines
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All papers are to be written with a clear voice and moderate academic style.
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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!!!
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Any other questions not answered in the information above please contact the instructor.
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:
- Identify early literacy skills and activities.
- Define characteristics of early childhood development.
- Discuss major early literacy theorists and key research findings, their differences and similarities, and determine which are most useful in library and non-library environments.
- Develop assessment tools for evaluating early childhood literacy programs and services.
- Design an early childhood literacy program for a library or non-library environment.
- Discuss new technologies and new forms of communication and their impact on young children.
Core Competencies (Program Learning Outcomes)
INFO 269 supports the following core competencies:
- K Design collaborative or individual learning experiences based on learning principles and theories.
- M Demonstrate professional leadership and communication skills.
- N Evaluate programs and services using measurable criteria.
Textbooks
Required Textbooks:
- Ghoting, S.N., & Martin-Diaz, P. (2013). Storytimes for everyone!. ALA Editions. Available through Amazon: 0838911692
- Valongo, M. (2015). Literacy for all young learners. Gryphon House. Available through Amazon: 0876595689
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 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.
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