Understanding School Library Media Certification Requirements

 

School Library Media Program at Southern

Connecticut Endorsement Code: 

062 School Library-Media Specialist (PK-12)  

[048 Librarian, Grades 1 Through 12, is no longer issued and may only be renewed by current Endorsement Holders]

Connecticut State Educator Regulations (bottom of p 67-70 for School Library Media)

 

Regulations Concerning State Educator Certificates, Permits and Authorizations, Effective July 1, 2015

School Library Media Specialist (pp. 99-101)


At Southern, the school library media certification program requires that 1) the student also be in the MLS degree program or 2) already holds an MLS degree.


This means that students who do not already hold an MLS degree must meet the requirements for both the MLS degree (six required courses and six electives plus the portfolios and capstone experience) and for certification (five required courses and one elective) plus the professional education requirements if they are not currently certified in Connecticut.


For students who already hold an MLS degree, the requirements are the same less two courses required in the MLS program: ILS 565 (management) and ILS 580 (research).


For students who are in the MLS/school media program this means 36 credits (for the MLS) are required plus any professional education courses that have not already been met.


For students who are in the post-MLS/school media program this means 30 graduate credits in library science are required plus any professional education courses that have not already been met.


To determine that exact number of credits and specific courses that need to be taken, the student's transcripts will need to be evaluated to see if any of the courses they have already taken meet any of the school media certification requirements at Southern.


Students in the MLS/school media program need to take the following courses in addition to the six required MLS courses:


Students in the post-MLS/school media program need to take/meet 30 graduate credits in library science that include:


In addition, students in both the MLS and post-MLS school media programs who are not currently certified in Connecticut need to take/meet the following requirements:

 

NOTE: We have been informed (3/2012) that the professional educational courses listed above (ILS 581, EDF 520, PSY 370, HIS 110, SED 481) must have been completed within six years of applying for certification through Southern or be re-validated. For information on re-validating EDF 520, please contact Dr. Cynthia McDaniels MCDANIELSC1@southernct.edu in the School of Education.

*The state website lists approved alternative courses available at two- and four-year colleges in Connecticut. Educational psychology and U.S. history may also be met by passing aClep Test.

 

Note: We do not transfer undergraduate/Clep courses to Southern to meet the certification requirements; rather, we indicate on the Planned Program that they were met outside of Southern by giving the course number, title, institution. This alerts degree and certification officers to check official transcripts in your file for these requirements. If you take alternate courses after being admitted to the program, you will need to file a revised planned program of study to remove the course(s) from Southern requirements and indicate where on another transcript it can be found.

 

The MLS with Initial Education Certification in School Library Media planned program is written as a joint-program which requires all requirements for both the MLS degree and the school library media certification be meet and the degree and certification be granted or recommended jointly. A students who finds they need to have the MLS degree award ahead of completing certification requirements will need to file a revised planned program of study moving them from the MLS with Initial Educator Certification program to the MLS degree program.

 

Applying to the School Library Media Certification Program[Click to go to new web page]

Students applying to the school library media certification program need to submit additional materials in order to meet both the ILS Department and the School of Education certification admissions requirements.  

 

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY ENDORSEMENT

[looking ahead to 2015]

(NEW) Sec. 10-145d-836.  Eligibility and course work required for an additional endorsement

(c) For an additional endorsement in instructional technology grades prekindergarten through Grade 12, an applicant shall present evidence of a minimum of 12 semester hours of credit in any of the following areas: 
 
(1) Methods of teaching introduction to computers that may include using basic software applications;
(2) Methods of teaching graphic design or web design;
(3) Integrating technology in elementary and secondary curricula; 
(4) Software evaluation;
(5) Distance learning, including designing and facilitating online or virtual courses; and
(6) Managing learning technologies including updating hardware and software.
 
This endorsement is required for anyone employed in the role of instructional technology teacher for more than 20 percent of a full-time assignment.  A person teaching programming languages or source code shall hold a teaching endorsement and have a combination of two years of experience teaching or six credits in the programming area to be taught.  A certificate shall not be required for a person hired to facilitate technology and who is not teaching instructional technology to students.
 

Master of Library Science with School Media Certification

This program is designed for students who wish to qualify for a Master of Library Science degree and Connecticut Initial Educator certification as a School Library Media Specialist (PK-12). Refer to the section entitled "Admission to Teacher Certification Programs" in the beginning of this catalog under "Application and Admission" for additional information regarding acceptance to a certification program, PRAXIS examinations, and student teaching. A minimum of 36 credits in library science is required. Additional course work may be needed to meet state certification requirements. The student teaching experience (6 credits) is completed in approved Connecticut schools and should include elementary and secondary experiences, urban and suburban experiences. Students should plan to complete all coursework prior to student teaching and to spend a full semester engaged in the student teaching experience. Additional information is available on the School of Education website at www.southernct.edu/education/studentteaching/

Students who hold certification in Connecticut and seek a Cross-Endorsement as a School Library Media Specialist (PK-12) matriculate into the MLS program with a specialization in school media.

Students seeking School Media Certification outside of the state of Connecticut are responsible for contacting the State Department of Education in their home state for verification of that state's school media certification requirements. Students matriculate into the MLS program with a specialization in school media.

All students seeking certification or endorsement in school media should also have completed a course in educational psychology and characteristics of learners (child and adolescent) and coursework in curriculum and methods of teaching including methods of teaching reading and language arts.

The school library media specialist certification program is accredited, through the School of Education, by NCATE.

Students seeking Connecticut School Library Media Specialist Initial Educator Certification should apply to the MLS w/School Media Certification program. Applicants already holding a Master of Library Science degree may apply to the "Certification Only" program for School Library Media Certification.

(NOTE: Southern Connecticut State University's Department of Information and Library Science and the School of Education do not assign or supervise student teaching practicums or internships outside of Connecticut.)


School Media Certification Only

This program is designed to provide school media certification to those who already hold an MLS degree and wish to add Connecticut Initial Educator certification in School Library Media Specialist (PK-12).

Applicants for certification only must meet admission criteria for the MLS with School Media Certification.


School Library Media Specialist (PK-12) specialization

Coursework in library media that includes the following:

(A)  Design, implementation and evaluation of media programs. Media programs here are defined as all the instructional and other services furnished to students and teachers by a media center and its staff;

(B)  Evaluation, selection, acquisition, organization, production and retrieval of media. Media here are defined as printed and audiovisual forms of communications and their accompanying technology;

(C)  Teaching students, staff and faculty to utilize media and its accompanying technology by applying valid instructional methods and techniques;

(D)  Assisting students in the interpretation of print and non-print materials;]

(E)  Application of principles of administration and supervision for effective leadership and operation of the school library media center program;

(F)  Formulation of the educational specifications and contribution to the design of school library media facilities.

 

Coursework in school media is met through:

ILS 511 - Materials for Children

ILS 512 - Materials for Young Adults

ILS 562 - Management of School Library Media Centers

EDU 566 - Media Utilization and Curriculum

 

Coursework in professional education that includes the following

(A) Full-time supervised student teaching in a school library media center (at least six semester hours of credit)

(B)  Foundations of education

(C)  Educational psychology and characteristics of learners (child and adolescent)

(D)  Curriculum and methods of teaching including methods of teaching reading and language arts

(E) A course of study in special education comprised of not fewer than 36 clock hours, which shall include study in understanding the growth and development of exceptional children, including handicapped and gifted and talented children and children who may require special education, and methods for identifying, planning for and working effectively with special-needs children in the regular classroom

Coursework in professional education is met through:

ILS 581 - School Media Practice (6 credits)

Educational Foundations (3 credits)

Educational Psychology (3 credits)

United States History (3 credits)

SHE 203 - School Health (3 credits)

Teaching Exceptional Children in the Classroom (3 credits)

 

Consider also:

RDG 520 Fundamentals of Language and Literacy

EDU 506 Language Arts and Children's Literature

EDU 534 Curriculum Design and Methods for the Elementary Classroom

EDU 540 Secondary Education Curriculum

EDU 544 Classroom Management

 

Coursework in instructional technology (6 credits) is met through:

ILS 532 - User-Centered Database Design and Development

ILS 539 - Multimedia Interface Design

ILS 575 - Instructional Design Principles

ILS 655 - Digital Libraries

ILS 656 - Information Architecture

(other courses may also be approved)

 

 

 

Updated from the2012-2013 Graduate Catalog