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Library Media Specialist Endorsement

Purpose

The Library Media Specialist Endorsement program is designed to prepare students for service as certified school library media specialists for grades K-12 institutions.

Students desiring to add an endorsement to their Oregon Teaching License can do so within the doctor or master of education program, or as a stand-alone program. Students desiring to add an authorization level only would complete the requirements below.

Program Objectives

Educational Objectives

To enable students to:

• Develop and provide intellectual access to information
• Develop and provide physical access to information
• Develop and provide learning experiences that encourage users to become discriminating consumers and skilled creators of information
• Develop and provide leadership, instruction, and collaboration in the use of instructional and informational technology
• Develop and provide resources and activities that contribute to lifelong learning, while accommodating a wide range of differences in teaching and learning activities, instructional methods, interests, and capabilities
• Develop and provide resources and learning activities that represent a diversity of experiences, opinions, social and cultural perspectives, supporting the concept that intellectual freedom and access to information are prerequisite to effectiveness and responsibility in a democracy
• Think critically, transform practice, and promote justice in all material used or created
• Develop lessons that meet the needs of different learning styles as well culturally diverse and multicultural audiences

Professional Objectives

To enable students to:

• Develop and present information literacy objectives: the ability to access, evaluate, and use information from a variety of sources and in a variety of formats
• Meet the requirements for the Oregon TSPC OARS
• Develop lessons that meet the national information literacy standards, national technology standards, and the Oregon curriculum standards
• Serve as teachers, reading advocates, information specialists, library program administrators, and collaborators with teachers, parents, and communities
• Serve as leaders who implement quality teaching and learning in their respective school communities
• Ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information

Admission Requirements

Applicants seeking admission to the Library Media Specialist Endorsement program must hold an approved bachelor's degree program from an accredited college or university, with a minimum GPA of 3.0. In addition, applicants must complete the following to be considered for admission to the program:

• Educational Foundations and Leadership application form and application fee

Applicants seeking to meet TSPC licensure requirements upon completion of the program must also complete the following:

• Verification of valid Oregon teaching license or the equivalent, such as an expired or out-of-state license, education degree, or documented and appropriate teacher experience (applicants to the program that do not have a teaching license should submit a letter of explanation as to how the program would meet their professional goals.)
• Completed Teachers Standards and Practices Character Questionnaire

Transfer Credit

Upon approval by the department, transfer of up to 10 hours credit is allowed toward the Library Media Specialist Endorsement program from accredited graduate schools. Students must have earned a grade of B or better for a course to be considered for transfer. Transferability of credits earned at this institution and transferred to another is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Consult the registrar's office for information on eligibility of transfer credit.

Residence Requirements

Of the 18 hours required for the Library Media Specialist Endorsement program, a minimum of 8 hours must be taken in resident study at George Fox University. All work leading to the endorsement must be completed within seven years from the time of matriculation. Extension of this limit requires approval of the Educational Foundations and Leadership (EDFL) Faculty. However, only one such extension may be considered due to special circumstances, such as ill health. Reinstatement to the program after withdrawal requires Admissions Committee action and may subject the student to additional requirements for the degree.

Course Requirements

The Library Media Specialist Endorsement program is generally 1 1/2 years in length with 18 semester hours of course work required as a minimum for graduation. Of the total hours required for the program, 14 are in library media courses and 4 hours of practica.

Other Program Requirements

In addition to the core requirements, students must complete Praxis content area exams required by Oregon Teachers Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC).

Graduation Requirements

In order to graduate with the Library Media Specialist Endorsement students must:

• Satisfactorily complete a minimum of 18 semester hours with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.
• Achieve no grade lower than a B in all core courses. If a grade of a B- or lower is received in a designated course, that course must be retaken (for more specific information, please refer to the student handbook).

Curriculum Plan

Library Media Courses (14 hours)
EDFL 533 Advanced Studies in Children's and Adolescent Literature	2
EDFL 550 Dynamic School Library Media Program	3
EDFL 552 Information Literacy in the K-12 Curriculum	3
EDFL 554 Core Collection Development	3
EDFL 556 Resource Management	3
Library Media Practica (4 hours)
Students must complete both of the following practica:†
EDFL 567 Library Media Practicum I - Early Childhood/Elementary	2
EDFL 569 Library Media Practicum II - Middle School/High School	2
†Oregon TSPC standards require two practica for the library media endorsement, one at the elementary level and one at either a middle school or high school. Enrollment in either practicum requires successful completion of EDFL 533, EDFL 550, EDFL 552, EDFL 554, and EDFL 556 and an application to the Library Media Coordinator the semester prior to the practicum.

EDFL Course Descriptions