Syllabus: LM 4160/6160 - Library Computer & Reference Skills

Course Description

LM 4160/6160: Library Computer and Reference Skills is designed to help students develop the skills and techniques to foster creative uses of media resources. Emphasis is on searching online databases, using printed reference sources, developing PowerPoint slides for instruction, and creating a Web page for Internet access to reference materials.

This is a 3 credit online course. This course will introduce you to the techniques and tools you need to be an effective reference librarian, including print and electronic resources, search logic, and the reference interview. I hope you enjoy this course and find it useful.

Instructor Information

	Randy Christensen
Office phone:	(435) 586-7946
Fax number:	(435) 865-8152
Mailing address:	Gerald R. Sherratt Library, Southern Utah University, 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City UT 84720
Office number:	LI 306A
Email:	WebCT Mail or christensen@suu.edu

Textbook

Please purchase the following required textbook, which is an integral part of this class:

Lanning, Scott and John Bryner. Essential Reference Services for Today's School Media Specialists. Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited, 2004. ISBN: 1591581370 Order through the SUU Bookstore by calling 435-586-7995 or through e-mail at bookstore@suu.edu. It is also available through online vendors.

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Course Objectives/Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students should know the different types of print reference materials and be able to answer questions using any of them. Students will learn Boolean logic and be able to search a variety of databases, both free and proprietary, successfully. Students will be able to evaluate print and electronic reference sources and determine the quality of the information contained in the sources. Students will learn how to conduct a successful reference interview. Students will learn the elements of the Big6 and Information Power and how to apply these elements to student learning in the media center. Finally, students will learn the value of collaborating with teachers and how to share their knowledge.

The following curriculum standards are emphasized in this class: Standards for Utah School Library Media Programs from the Utah State Office of Education, Program Standards School Library Media Specialist Preparation from the American Association of School Librarians, and the INTASC Standards from the Council of Chief State School Officers. See Table 1 below for details of the curriculum standards.

Course Schedule and Requirements

Due Dates: All parts of this course should be completed by the dates below. Points may be deducted for late submissions.

Week	Dates	Activity	Preparation
1	Aug 25-31	Discussion 1: Class Member Introductions
2	Sep 1-7	Discussion 2: Print vs. Electronic Encyclopedias	Read Chapters 1 and 3
3	Sep 8-14	Assignment 1: Print Reference Sources	Read Chapter 4, review chapter 3
4	Sep 15-21	Discussion 3: Big6 and the Curriculum 6160 First E-Mail: Trend or Technology	Read Chapter 2
5	Sep 22-28	Assignment 2: Big6 Skills and PowerPoint	Review Chapter 2
6	Sep 29-Oct 5	Discussion 4: Class Members' PowerPoints	View and comment on class members' PowerPoint presentations supplied by the instructor
7	Oct 6-12	Exam 1: Covers first half of class 6160 Second E-Mail: Game or Activity	Review Chapters 1-4
8	Oct 13-19	Discussion 5: Core Curriculum and Collaboration	Read Chapter 10
9	Oct 20-26	Assignment 3: Search Mechanics/Electronic Reference Sources	Read Chapters 6, 7 and 9, review Chapter 3
10	Oct 27-Nov 2	Discussion 6: Reference Interview/Service 6160 Topic	Read Chapters 5, and 11-13
11	Nov 3-9	Assignment 4: Internet Information and Web Page	Read Chapter 8
12	Nov 10-16	Discussion 7: Class Members' Web Pages	View and comment on class members' Web pages supplied by the instructor
13-14	Nov 17-30	Exam 2: Covers second half of class Discussion 8: Class Evaluation	Review Chapters 5-13
15	Dec 1-7	6160 Research Paper

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E-mail for this course

I will send course announcements and comments on your discussions and assignments thru the class Mail. You will find the Mail icon in the left menu on the course homepage. When a message is waiting for you, there will be a large green asterisk beside Mail. If the left menu is collapsed, click on the double-arrows to expand the menu.

How to use Mail:

1. In the left menu on the course homepage, click Mail.
2. To read a message, click Inbox. Click on the link.
3. To send a message, click Create Message. Click Browse for Recipients . At To, place a check for the instructor (or someone else). Click Save. Enter the Subject and Message then click Send.

How to Complete the Course

Click on the Class Information link on the course Home Page.

This will give links to the Syllabus, Weekly Activities, and Course Schedule and Requirements. Under Weekly Activities, all of the weeks in the semester are listed. Each week contains detailed instructions.

Step 1: Read the Syllabus Carefully!

Before you begin the course, read the syllabus carefully. The syllabus outlines what you need to know about how to take the course, scheduled deadlines, and how to access discussions, assignments, and exams.

Step 2: Read the Book! - Do the Discussions! - Do the Assignments!

Read the Chapters

We won't be reading the chapters in order, but be sure to read the chapters that correspond to the discussions and assignments. The readings are listed each week and are also found through the "Course Schedule and Requirements" link.

Participate in the Discussions

There are eight discussions, and you should participate in all of them. The first discussion does not require the reading of any material, but most of the others do. Two of the discussions ask you to view and comment on PowerPoint presentations and Web Pages developed by class members. The last discussion asks you to give feedback on the class so it can be made better.

Due dates are listed with the week. An overview for the entire semester is available under the "Course Schedule and Requirements" link.

How to post discussions:

1. Prepare your discussion using Microsoft Word or WordPerfect. Save and Copy your document for later access.
2. In the left menu on the course homepage, click on Discussions. (If the left menu doesn't show, click on the double arrows.)
3. Click on the desired discussion.
4. Click on Create Message.
5. Enter a subject and Paste in your message.
6. Click on Post.
7. To reply to someone else's post, open it by clicking on the link. Click on Reply. Enter a subject. Type your message then click on Post.
8. To add an attachment, click Add Attachments. Click My Computer. Navigate to your file and Open it. You should then see the file name under the Add Attachments button. Click on Post.

Do the Assignments

There are four assignments. Be sure to read the instructions that correspond to each assignment on the link for that week. Due dates are listed with the week. An overview for the entire semester is available under the "Course Schedule and Requirements" link.

The graduate course option (LM 6160) requires four additional assignments: 1) send an e-mail message to other class members about a trend or technology affecting media centers, 2) send an e-mail message to other class members about using games or activities, 3) choose a research topic, and 4) write a research paper. Read about these assignments in the weekly instructions under Weekly Activities. The headings begin with 6160. Due dates are listed under the "Course Schedule and Requirements" link. Since the research paper involves some work, starting early is advised.

How to submit assignments:

1. Prepare your assignment using Microsoft Word or WordPerfect. Save and Copy your document for later access.
2. In the left menu on the course homepage, click on Assignments. (If the left menu doesn't show, click on the double arrows.)
3. Click on the desired assignment.
4. Read the Instructions.
5. At the bottom of the page under the Submission box, click on Add Attachments.
6. Click on My Computer.
7. Navigate to the location where you saved your assignment file.
8. Click on the file, then click on the Open button.
9. Your file should appear just above the Add Attachments button.
10. Add a comment if you wish. It is optional.
11. At the bottom of the page, click on the Submit button.
12. You should see a page that says, "You have submitted your assignment."

Assignments are graded by the instructor, not by WebCT. Allow several days for me to grade your assignment. I will send comments and a score through the class Mail.

Step 3: Take the Exams

What to expect on the exams:

There are two exams. Each exam covers half the course material. There is no comprehensive final exam. Each exam consists of a number of essay questions. There is a three hour time limit, but you don't have to take that much time. Exams are open book. Be sure to have your textbook with you.

How to take the exams:

1. In the left menu on the course homepage, click on Assessments.
2. Click on the desired exam.
3. Click on Begin Assessment.
4. Click on the Save and View Next button after you have answered each question.
5. Click on the Finish button after you have answered all questions.
6. Click on OK.
7. After grading the exam, the instructor will e-mail you concerning the results.

Step 4: Complete the Class Evaluation

The Class Evaluation is your opportunity to improve this class and let me know what you learned. Your name and responses will remain anonymous. Your comments about the course or the instructor are appreciated. Near the end of the semester, click on Course Evaluations when you login, then choose this class.

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Course Grading

Grading is based on (1) completion of four assignments, (2) participation in eight discussions, and (3) two exams. For LM 6160, there are four additional assignments: reporting on trends, reporting on a game or activity, choosing a topic, and writing a paper.

Each assignment, discussion, and exam will be graded as if 100 points were possible. At the end of the semester, the final grade will be calculated by finding the average score for each of the categories. The average score for each category will be multiplied by the appropriate percentage below. The resulting total will give the points earned, based on 100 possible.

LM 4160				LM 6160
Assignments	=	40%		Assignments	=	30%
Discussions	=	40%		Discussions	=	30%
Exams	=	20%		Exams	=	15%
				6160 Total Research Points	=	25%

For the 6160 total research points, the report on trends is 10%, the report on games or activities is 10%, choosing a topic is 10%, and the research paper is 70%.

Letter grades will be based on the following percentages. (Notice that the point spread between grades is narrow, but don't panic. Most students will tend to do well.)

A	=	97 - 100%		C	=	79 - 81%
A-	=	94 - 96%		C-	=	76 - 78%
B+	=	91 - 93%		D+	=	73 - 75%
B	=	88 - 90%		D	=	70 - 72%
B-	=	85 - 87%		D-	=	67 - 69%
C+	=	82 - 84%		F	=	66 and below

Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism

Academic honesty and integrity lie at the heart of any educational activity. One form of academic dishonesty is plagiarism. Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty in which a student takes credit for someone else's words, ideas, style of expression, research, etc. It does not matter whether this "someone else" is dead or alive, published or unpublished, a famous author or a fellow student, or whether he or she gave permission for the material to be used. Plagiarism is intellectual larceny: the theft of ideas or their manner of expression.

NOTE: In this class you are expected to do your own work on discussions, assignments, and exams. If the instructor finds that you have submitted work clearly copied (plagiarized) from another person, the work will be returned with a failing grade and you will fail the course.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations or auxiliary aids should contact the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities, Carmen Alldredge, in Room 206 F of the Sharwan Smith Center or call (435) 865-8022. The Disability Office determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

Course Fees

There are no additional course fees for this class.

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Table 1: Curriculum Standards Details

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