School Media Certification

SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION

Mary Brown, Interim Program Coordinator

Tel. (203) 392-5781
E-mail: brownm6@SouthernCT.edu

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 certification as a school media specialist. 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 examination, and student teaching. A minimum of 36 credits in library science and instructional technology is required. Additional course work may be needed to meet state certification requirements.

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 outside of Connecticut wishing to complete Southern's MLS with Connecticut certification program should contact the ILS School Media Certification Program Coordinator prior to submitting a planned program.

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

The Department of Information and Library Science does not offer School Media Certification or Cross-Endorsement in its Sixth Year Certificate Programs. Students seeking School Media Certification should apply to the MLS w/School Media 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 School of Education do not assign or supervise student teaching practicums or internships outside 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 certification in School Library Media.

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


Initial Certification Phase


ILS 501 - Introduction to Information Science and Technology

ILS 503 - Foundations of Librarianship

ILS 504 - Reference and Information Resources and Services

ILS 506 - Information Analysis and Organization

ILS 511 or 512* - Materials and Services for Children/Adolescents

ILS 562 - Management of School Library Media Centers

EDU 566 - Media Utilization and Curriculum

Two electives (Six credits) in technology selected from the following approved courses:

ILS 570 - Utilizing Instructional Media

ILS 575 - Instructional Design Principles

ILS 534 - Technology and Libraries
ILS 539 - Multimedia Interface Design

ILS 655 - Digital Libraries

(other courses may also be approved)

Plus one elective (3 credits)
*As Connecticut School Media is a K12 certification, it is strongly recommended students take both ILS 511 and ILS 512

Program of Study 
Before an accepted student can be matriculated into the School Media program, a Planned Program of Study must be completed and approved (signed) by the advisor, department chairperson, School of Education, and Graduate School. Once the Planned Program is approved, any changed must be approved through the Change in Planned Program form.


Field Projects, Independent Studies, and Internships 
Electives in the MLS program include Field Projects, Independent Studies, and Internships. Each of these require advance planning with formal documentation and approval of the plan.

Field Project and Independent Study applications must be submitted in advance of registration. Check with the department office for latest deadlines.  

Student Teaching
 
Student teaching (6 credits) in the School Media Center is undertaken in the last semester of study. No more than 3 credits of coursework should remain for certification during the semester of student teaching.

The application process for ILS 581 School Library Media Student Teaching/Practicum includes

1. Completing and submitting as a packet to the Library Media Coordinator*:

2. The library media coordinator reviews and approves the student teaching application then forwards it to the School of Education.

3 Teacher Placement Officer, School of Education, receives applications and processes school assignment/placement.

*Mail the ILS 581 SLM Student Teaching application packet to:
Library Media Program Coordinator
Department of Information and Library Science, BU 401
Southern Connecticut State University
501 Crescent Street
New Haven CT 06515

Questions? Contact the Library Media Coordinator
Failure to complete and submit the application to the appropriate person/office could result in failure to be placed in a practicum the requested semester.

"The application to Student Teaching can be downloaded and completed. One copy goes to the Student Teaching office along with 3 copies of the Personal data sheets. A copy of the application to student teach goes to the department coordinator. The deadline to submit material to the Student Teaching office and the department coordinator is March 1st for those students planning to student teach in a fall semester and October 1st for those planning to student teach in a spring semester. You must meet with the department coordinator, who will determine if you are eligible to student teach and who will then submit a list of possible placements to the Director of Student Teaching." (School of Education)

Applications for Student Teaching (ILS 581) are due before October 1 for student teaching the following Spring and March 1 for student teaching the following Fall. [2010-201 Student Teaching Handbook] [2010-2011 Field Experience Handbook]

[NOTE: School Media is not longer under DSAP in Connecticut.]  

TK20 Requirement

   
Tk20 was adopted by the School of Education as a tool for documenting evidence for NCATE accreditation. ILS adopted Tk20 for the MLS program following the spring 2010 ALA accreditation visit and the realization that a different kind of documentation system than we were then using was needed for the new ALA accountabilities that would take effect that following fall for programs being reviewed by ALA's Committee on Accreditation (COA). ILS elected to be reviewed under the new accountabilities in spring 2010, ahead of their mandated implementation.

Tk20 is linked to courses you are enrolled in. Currently ILS 501, 503, 504, 506, 565, 580, 581, and 655 participate in Tk20. Tk20 pulls the rosters for these courses from Banner and alerts enrolled students through their Tk20 accounts that a given assignment is due for the course. (In the case of 581 there are also forms to be completed by the cooperating teacher-librarian and the university supervisor, each receive a Tk20 login for this.) The student completes and uploads the assignment. The instructor calls up submitted assignments, the approved, corresponding assessment rubric pops up, and the instructor assesses the assignment against the rubric and submits the rubric scores to Tk20. Tk20 generates needed statistical reports from all the submissions. Administration and accrediting visiting teams are given access accounts and can go in and view the various submissions.

The department also receives statistical reports from Tk20. We then use this along with other data, such as course evaluations, to identify potential changes that may be needed, to monitor effectiveness of implemented changes, and to monitor general progress of students through their programs.

All students in the MLS program are to have Tk20 accounts. Information on obtaining a Tk20 account is available at: http://www.southernct.edu/education/tk20/  

Continuous Enrollment, Satisfactory Progression, and Performance Assessment

Continuous Enrollment requires that every graduate student maintain at least six credits toward his or her degree program every calendar year (a minimum of three credits in the fall and spring terms respectively) from the time of acceptance by the School of Graduate Studies until completion of all requirements for the graduate degree. Students must register for a course each semester or pay a continuous enrollment fee. Payment of the continuous enrollment fee permits use of the library, computer facilities, and access to faculty advisors during the period covered by the continuous enrollment fee. Students who fail to maintain continuous enrollment status may lose their status as a matriculated student and may need to reapply to the program.

Continuation in any of the department's graduate programs is contingent upon ongoing positive faculty evaluation of a graduate student's grades, professional or scholarly attributes, performance in real or simulated professional situations, and subjective appraisal of the student's progress and potential. A student may be suspended or dismissed from a graduate program for deficiencies in any of these areas. If, in the professional judgment of the faculty, a student demonstrates practices that are harmful to patrons, unethical, or behaves unprofessionally, he or she will be placed on probation or requested to withdraw from the program.

School Media students must maintain good standing in the program in order to qualify for student teaching and a recommendation from Southern Connecticut State University for State of Connecticut teacher certification. They also must demonstrate the following:

Graduate Student Affairs Committee (GSAC)

The Graduate Student Affairs Committee (GSAC) "is a student organization that is committed to "advancing our agenda for excellence" set by Southern Connecticut State University's School of Graduate Studies. It supports activities that enhance the academic, social and cultural experience of Southern's students through the distribution of the activity fees collected from full-time graduate students. The funds support a variety of graduate student activities including student research and conference attendance as well as university and departmental efforts such as guest lecturers, club events, and special events. GSAC also functions as an advocacy group, representing the needs of Southern's graduate student body."

"The Graduate Student Affairs Committee meets on the first Monday of every month of the academic year with the exceptions of January and September. Meetings are held from 3:00 to 4:30 PM in the Adanti Student Center. All graduate students and faculty are welcome to attend. For more information please contact the GSAC Coordinator, Arlene Lucibello at (203) 392-6165." 

Updated from the 2011-2012 Graduate Catalog

Links:
ILS 2012-2013 Student Handbook [pdf] 

General information for all ILS programs

ILS Policies

 Understanding the School Library Media Certification Requirements [Click to go to new webpage]

Applying to the School Media Certification Program [Click to go to new webpage]  

The School of Education at Southern Connecticut State University is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), 2010 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036; phone (202) 466-7496.  This accreditation covers initial certification preparation program in school media in the State of Connecticut (Connecticut School Media is a K12 certification). NCATE is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to accredit programs for the preparation of teachers and other professional school personnel.