Final Exam: This is an individual assignment, not collaborative work.

Link to Student Answer Sheet

Fill out the answer sheet (link above) and submit it to the D2L Drop Box by Sunday, 10 December at 9:00 p.m.

This is a 25-point exam. Each question is worth 5 points. I will use a checklist format for the assessment.

1. Opinion Question (Maximum Points 5)
With the publication of Information Power: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs (1988), the American Association of School Librarians began using the term "school library media specialist." This is the term sanctioned by the national organization. Some of the questions about this term revolve around what the term "media" means to most people (TV, radio, newspaper, and Internet) and the use of the word "specialist" for educators whose role can be described as "generalist" (knowledge of every area of the school's curriculum, responsible for all academic standards, including information literacy standards, and experts in reading and in information technologies).

For these reasons - and more - the term "school library media specialist" is not universally accepted or used across the country or around the world. Other terms include "library information specialists" and "information specialists." In California, school librarians are called "library media teachers." Canadian school librarians use the term "teacher-librarians."

In Arizona, the school librarians who are active in our state association voted to change the name of our division from the "School Library Media Division" to the "Teacher-Librarian Division." This was the result of many conversations related to Shakespeare's provocative question: What's in a name?

What do you think is the best name for school librarians? You can choose from among these or invent your own. Use notemaking format to give five different reasons for your answer.

2. Analysis Question (Problem-Solution) (Maximum Points 5)
Open the Two Heads Are Better than One PowerPoint presentation in one browser window and open the accompanying Web page with links to the testimonials in another. Hit the pause button and view the slide show manually by clicking on the slide numbers at the right and analyze this information. Note: The only sound is on the testimonials.

Consider these student teachers' testimonials. List five problems that you identified from theses testimonials and make notes about five solutions (actions) you would take so that student teachers and new teachers will have positive first experiences with classroom-library collaboration during student teaching and their first year of classroom teaching. (1 point for each problem-solution)

3. Compare and Contrast Question (Maximum Points 5)

As you know the American Association of School Librarians is about to write new guidelines and standards to replace IP2.

Here is a link to a draft of the new AASL Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning: http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslproftools/learningstandards/AASL_Learning_Standards_Draft.pdf

Compare the new standards to those found in IP2. Then, list 2 or 3 strengths and 2 or 3 weaknesses of the new standards. Please note in parentheses to which of the four standards you are referring. (1 point for each response)

4. Analysis Question (Maximum Points 5)
Ann Ewbank and I are coediting the 36 (1) issue of Knowledge Quest, which will be published by AASL in the fall of 2007. To introduce this issue, we have written an article titled "Is There a Teacher-Librarian Worldview? This We Believe…" Read the article found in the "Additional Learning Resources" section of the D2L Content page.

List five components of our teacher-librarian worldview. Phrases or short sentences will do fine.

5. Metaphorical Thinking (Problem Solving) Question (Maximum Points 5)
Some students in our course have felt that the content was too idealistic. My first response to that is this: If you don't know the ideal, for what will you reach? (My second response is in my twelve-year career as a teacher librarian, I had eight "ideal" years!) Surely any endeavor that involves working with people is fraught with convergence and divergence of philosophies and opinions, with opportunities for both successful and failed communication, with ups and downs, in short - with life!

Still, if we were in a physical classroom together, I would tell you a parting story, one about overcoming obstacles. After three podcast recordings that I was unable to upload (Perhaps they were too long at 7 minutes.), I was about to give up on this exam question. Then like a superhero, Google saved me when I searched and found a short version of the story for you on the Web. (Warning: You may want to turn off your sound!)

Read the story "Li Chi Slays the Serpent" found at: http://www.lair2000.net/Chinese_Poetry/stories/Li_Chi_Slays_The_Serpent.html

Choose one of these obstacles to creating an effective school library program (or make up one of your own): fixed library schedule, unsupportive principal or one who is uneducated with regard to the role of T-Ls and school library programs in student achievement, CRTs that do not want to collaborate, no joint planning time with CRTs, lack of funds to purchase engaging print or electronic resources, insufficient or no support staff to help manage the library so you can function as an instructional partner, and on and on.

Use notemaking to fill in the obstacle (of your choice) and then use metaphorical thinking to complete the matrix. In order to overcome this challenge, what would be your rice balls moistened with malt sugar? Your snake-hunting dog? Your sharp sword? Thes confidence from which your strength will come? Is there a song that has been written that captures your heroism?

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