University of Georgia |
Sandra M. Wise
Master of EducationInstructional Technology in School Library MediaSpring 2005This page last updated on April 22, 2005 |
Portfolio Artifacts Reflections to AASL Standards The following assignments that have been selected effectively demonstrate the competencies acquired through my graduate coursework at the University of Georgia Department of Education. |
Access Enabler Assignment
The vocational high school needed an inventory system for its A/V equipment that provided equitable access and accountability. Since I was transferring to a another school in the fall, I wanted to establish a reliable system that would organize and inventory the physical equipment along with creating procedures for check-out, scheduling, and maintenance. Staff development training would be provided once the system was implemented. In this assignment, we assessed and developed the components necessary to create a MARC records template, develop equipment circulation procedures, and design an inventory database. We investigated several existing equipment catalogue systems to determine what MARC fields were significant and/or required for our database. From these findings, we designed a MARC equipment record template to gather the record information. The MARC records are imported into a database and accessed for scheduling and checkout of the A/V equipment. This would provide access that is more equitable, more effective use of technology, and statistical accountability of each piece of equipment. Such statistical data can be very useful in the determination of new and additional technology needs in the school. Assignment developed by: Cindy Brooks and Sandy Wise |
Community Profile
The Maxwell High School Community Profile assessed the diversity of the student population by race/culture, educational assistance needs, and employment outlook trends in the learning community. This profile could assist the media specialist in the determination of educational resources and classroom technology needs for each subject taught at the vocational center. It also addresses the significance of potential access barriers to the availability of current, reliable, and appropriate curricula resources available for a culturally and academically diverse population. I researched various reports and charts available through the Georgia DOE and Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce websites to develop this profile. The information I compiled was also used for Maxwell’s initial SACS accreditation report. Assignment developed by: Sandy Wise |
Group Unit Project
DeKalb County Schools requires a research-based project in grades 4-12 to meet the county literacy standards. This requirement is satisfied through the participation of the Social Science Fair at the elementary school. Our group developed a comprehensive group lesson plan to facilitate project based learning. Through this plan, the students create an authentic product on one of six disciplines for the Social Science Fair. This project exposes the student to various social science disciplines to develop an increased interest and relationship to their personal lives. The project includes the following project based learning components: learner-centered environments, collaboration, curricular content, authentic tasks, multiple expression modes, time management, and innovative assessment. The project involves participant planning, creating, and processing over 15 weeks. Several learning theories and teaching strategies are utilized in this lesson plan. In this project, the media specialist will assist the students through the research process to locate, evaluate, and use a variety of information resources. The media specialist will collaborate with the teacherto develop lessons encourage that literacy and reading with the students’ diversity and abilities in mind. Ample time will be scheduled for student research. The media specialist will assess student progress thoughout the project to ensure that integrated curricular literacy is provided. Assignment developed by: Cindy Brooks, Jane Rabey, and Sandy Wise |
I-Search Collaborative Project
The vocational high school holds a college and career fair each year. To prepare for the fair, the computer technology teacher wanted the students to conduct research on the colleges and companies that were attending the event. The teacher and I collaborated to develop an I-Search Career Exploration Unit Project to assist the students with the research process. The student’s final product was a PowerPoint presentation detailing the colleges searched, program of study, admission requirements, entry-level positions, economic outlook, and related occupations. The students used a note-taking table that they created in Word, research the college, and company via the Internet, and created a PowerPoint presentation on their research findings. The I-Search Project includes a Collaborative Planning Worksheet that outlines the description of the unit, goals and objectives, materials and resources needed, planning calendar, instructors’ responsibilities, equipment needed, and skills assessment tools. The lesson’s design provides media information skills and research strategies. The media specialist team-teaches and assesses these skills with the teacher. The project prepares the student to communicate with the company and college representatives. Assignment developed by: Sandy Wise |
Instructional Design Project
The elementary school needs to rebalance its media program to offer more reading and learning opportunities for information literacy skills. The media specialist has developed a story lesson plan that connects historical fiction with the curriculum. The learners are teachers who receive staff development hand-on instruction from the media specialist on how to develop instructional story lessons for the class instruction. This lesson provides instructional strategies and encourages whole class visits and scheduling of the media center for class instruction. The Instructional Design Project teaches instructional methodologies, increase student interests and assess learners needs. The media specialist shares instructional activities that will promote increase use of the media center. Media program will improve scheduling and accessibility or materials and resources for its community of learners. Assignment developed by: Cindy Brooks, Elizabeth Fowler, Jane Rabey, and Sandy Wise |
Internship Log
My internship has been both rewarding and beneficial in gaining a greater understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the media specialist. I have had an integral part in the opening of the media center at middle school. My prior experience has given me the primary responsibilities of the equipment inventory, daily circulation duties, and coordination of the volunteer activities in the center. I have summarized various activities and duties that I have performed throughout the year. My greatest benefit in the internship has been to develop the insight of what jobs actually fall upon the media specialist. Many times, the media specialists are called on to take care of things that are not really in their realm of responsibility. Now when I receive a request, I determine if this is really my job, if it is something that I want permanent ownership of, and if it can be duplicated effectively. This lesson will be one that I will carry forward to my next position. A reading program has been developed to encourage independent reading for every student. This provides a direct connection to the student community. The “Love a Book” campaign, book fair, and B&N customer weekend also promoted the idea of “community readers” while raising funds for the media center collection. The various duties I performed in the media center had direct impact in the managing of resources and personnel. I handled all equipment issues, circulation, book repairs, lost fines, and coordination of volunteer duties. I was a member of the reading council that developed the “Take Flight, Read Every Night, from conception to implementation. |
Selection Policy
The Selection Policy is an assessment tool for choosing instructional and supplemental materials for the media center. It provides guidance to the school media committee in the evaluation, recommendation, selection, and purchase of media resources. The Selection Policy also outlines the weeding and challenge procedures of the media collection as outlined by local school criteria. Authorized Use Policy (AUP), Intellectual Freedom, and Liberty Bill of Rights issues are also addressed in this policy. This assignment was developed for vocational high school in conjunction with system and national standards. Special consideration is placed in selecting supplemental materials for students at the vocational center. The Acceptable Use Policy addresses appropriate and equitable student and staff accessibility of electronic resources, computer networks, and Internet access while upholding the ALA Library Bill of Rights. Assignment developed by: Heather Abner and Sandy Wise |