Five-Week Program
An online advocacy course, LSC 6600 School Library Advocacy for Administrators, consisting of four modules will be offered at no expense to school administrators recruited by scholarship students. It is a five-week online program offered in the popular BlackBoard courseware and is offered in the month of July and occasionally offered in the Fall or Spring.
Administrators who are recruited by a scholarship student may take the course free of charge and receive all course materials free. Scholarship students may recruit any building or district-level school administrator for this program, including assistant principals, principals, superintendents, curriculum coordinators, and directors of instructional technology, to name a few. Administrators may take the course for one graduate credit if they pay the tuition and fees (course materials are still free). Building Leaders principals or administrators may choose which semester to enroll in the online program. Technology requirements include an Internet connection (high speed preferred, not required).
The program can be completed from home, work, or while on vacation, with an Internet-connected computer/laptop. It is an awareness program and does not require written papers or tests. Short surveys accompany each module for feedback and to improve the program. The scholarship students do not participate in the course which is taught/facilitated by the Scholarship Director, Debra Kachel, who is also an Instructor in the School Library & Information Technologies graduate school at Mansfield University.
Purpose and Content
The purpose of the program is to increase an administrator’s knowledge base about school libraries and provide practical ideas to build support for school library programs. The program develops informed school library advocates among building and district-level administrators who can partner with trained school library media specialists to develop or revitalize quality school library programs.
Participant principals/administrators will learn:
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the research correlating quality school library programs and reading test scores
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the basics of an information literacy instructional curriculum
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the aspects of providing relevant information resources for a school’s curriculum and students
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techniques and guidelines for evaluating a school library program
Participating principals/administrators will:
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complete a demographic survey of their school
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access and read the Internet-based program of four short modules
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watch four short videos imbedded in each module
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read articles and sections of books that will be provided
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participate in online, threaded discussions with the other administrators in the program
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submit an action plan describing how they would spend the $500 stipend for professional development
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complete short evaluation surveys for feedback to improve the program
It is estimated that principals will spend approx. 2-3 hours per week on the program. For their effort, principals will be awarded a certificate of completion from Mansfield University which they may use to earn 15 continuing education hours or credits from their state.
$500 Professional Development Bonus
The final mod of the course requires that administrators submit an action plan describing how they will spend $500 for professional development activities to improve their school library program. Upon completion of the course, participating administrators will receive $500 as part of the IMLS grant. Funds may be spent on books and materials for educating teachers and librarians on creating quality school library programs, developing more relevant collections, improving collaborative teaching techniques using resources, or writing and implementing an information literacy curriculum, to name a few. Funds may also be used to send educators or librarians to professional library conferences or to visit and observe other quality library programs.
Additional Information
Complete details about LSC 6600 School Library Advocacy for Administrators, including a short video and the syllabus, can be found at:
