Admissions and Assessment

General Information Provisional Admittance: Step One

The GSLIS offers a Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) degree with a specialization in school library media, which leads to eligibility for teacher certification through the Rhode Island Department of Education. Candidates for certification must apply for admission following the GSLIS guidelines.

Candidates who wish to apply for provisional admittance to the MLIS school library media program should indicate school library media program on the Graduate School Application form and submit the following to the GSLIS Admissions office. In addition to the application, candidates should include two official transcripts of all prior academic work and two letters of recommendation. In accordance with the Rhode Island Department of Education, each candidate is required to submit a statement of objectives that demonstrates knowledge and understanding of Rhode Island Beginning Teacher Standards.

Teacher Certification Program:

In addition to the MLIS program, GSLIS also offers a Teacher Certification Program (TCP) for individuals who have already earned the MLIS but apply to return to complete the requirements of the School Library Media Program for certification credentials. Students must follow the same guidelines and application procedures as for the MLIS program above for provisional admittance to the TCP in school library media. Students admitted to the TCP program are governed by the same academic standards as other GSLIS matriculated graduate students. Upon acceptance, the candidate must complete an official Program of Study in consultation with the coordinator of the School Library Media Program. The coordinator will analyze the student's transcripts to determine which courses can be accepted and which courses are needed to complete the student's credentials for the certification program. The number of additional courses needed to complete the TCP program will vary depending upon transcript analysis. However, to meet the standards of our Rhode Island State Approved Program in Library Media (K-12) and accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), a student must have the URI courses listed below or their equivalent as approved by their advisor (42 credit hours):

• LSC 502
• LSC 504
• LSC 505
• LSC 508
• LSC 557
• LSC 520
• either LSC 528 or LSC 529
• LSC 530
• LSC 531
• LSC 596
• 6 elective credits including ED 503 or an education/instruction equivalent
  

Specific Information MLIS or TCP Programs: Step Two

Upon acceptance to the MLIS school library media program or TCP program, each candidate must complete an official Program of Study in consultation with his or her advisor. As a provisional school library media candidate, students are required to take the following URI courses:

Candidate's Course of Studies:

The forty-two (42) hour MLIS program requirements for the school library media program are:

1. Fifteen (15) hours of core courses
   • LSC 502: Management of Library and Information Sources
   • LSC 504: Reference & Information Services
   • LSC 505: Organization of Information
   • LSC 508: Introduction to Information Science & Technology
   • LSC 557: Research and Evaluation in Library and Information Science
2. Six (6) hours of literature courses:
   • LSC 530: Reading Interests of Children, and
   • LSC 531: Reading Interests of Young Adults
3. A three (3) hour media course:
   • LSC 528 Media in the Library, or
   • LSC 529 Theory and Production of Library Media
4. A three (3) hour administration/instruction course:
• LSC 520: School Library Media Services (must be taken in the summer or fall prior to practicum)
5. Nine (9) hour supervised field experience:
• LSC 596 School Library Media Practicum and Seminar (to be taken in the final spring semester) 150 hours/5 weeks in an Elementary School and 150 hours/5 weeks in a Secondary School.
6. Six (6) hours of electives including ED503 or an education/instruction equivalent approved by the advisor*.

*All students who are not certified in elementary or secondary education will be required to take EDC 503 - Education in Contemporary Society, offered by the URI School of Education, or an equivalent education/instruction course approved by the advisor.

Certification Candidacy and Readiness Assessment: Step Three

The process for school library media certification candidates is a continuous assessment process but officially begins once the candidate has been enrolled in LSC 520, School Library Media Services. During the semester in which a student is enrolled in LSC 520, the instructor/supervisor will assess the candidate's readiness for Rhode Island student teaching certification after completion of the student's observations and pre-practicum field placements at two approved field sites. Upon successful completion of LSC 520 with a grade of B or better including pre-practicum fieldwork, the instructor/supervisor will interview the student and assess the student's readiness according to GSLIS Guidelines and Dispositions. The student will complete a journal for LSC 520 reflecting on his/her readiness to fulfill the four roles of a library media specialist: as teacher, information specialist, instructional partner, and program manager and incorporate understanding of the Rhode Island Beginning Teacher Standards. This essay will be the first draft of a personal statement to be included in the exit e-folio. After an interview, the faculty/supervisor will complete an assessment of the candidate's readiness and eligibility for practicum placement. The student will complete a student teaching certification application and enroll in LSC 596 School Library Media Practicum for the Spring Semester. Each candidate is allowed to select among approved sites for practicum placement locations where the cooperating library media specialist/mentor has been trained in the Rhode Island Beginning Teacher Standards.

Exit Certification Assessment: Step Four

LSC 596 Professional Field Experience: School Library Media Practicum and Seminar is a nine credit graduate course that focuses on directed field experiences in two school library media centers for a total of 300 hours (150 hours in an elementary school program and 150 hours in a secondary school program) and participation in biweekly seminar classes on campus. Students perform the four roles of a school library media specialist: teacher, information specialist, instructional partner, and program manager. This course is the capstone course for the library media/teacher certification track for all students in the school library media program. Students enrolled in the School Library Media Practicum have successfully completed LSC 520 School Library Media Services with a B or better and have been interviewed for readiness by their faculty supervisor for the Practicum.

Each student is required to develop an electronic exit portfolio. This exit portfolio/e-folio will enable the student to showcase evidence of his/her field experiences and how they met or exceeded achievement of the eleven Rhode Island Beginning Teacher Standards (RIBTS). In addition, the exit e-portfolio will document the level to which students are prepared to receive approval for teaching certification in School Library Media grades kindergarten through twelve.

Evidence included in exit e-portfolio documents the students' application of Information Literacy Standards and other subject area standards as used during the field experiences. The practicum supervisor will assess the electronic exit portfolio based on the stated tasks and criteria using the rubric.

The rubric is divided into four sections: Task (artifacts), Unacceptable, Acceptable, and Exemplary. The Unacceptable level is one in which the student has not demonstrated graduate level work and is equivalent to a letter grade range of F to C. Acceptable level is equivalent to a letter grade range of B- (minimal acceptance) to A- (acceptance with careful attention to detail). Exemplary level is intended to assess exemplary work and growth beyond the beginning teacher level with work that exceeds the requirements and is equivalent to a letter grade of A to A +.

The University supervisor works cooperatively and collaboratively in the process of providing the practicum student with positive learning experiences both at the school sites and at biweekly seminars conducted at the University. The supervisor visits the practicum student twice at the field sites and observes and communicates with the cooperating media specialist regarding the student's progress in all four roles and the RIBTS. The cooperating media specialists complete three evaluations of students at 50, 100, and 150 hours. The supervisor completes two site visit reports and one final narrative evaluation. Cooperating media specialists are also extended a special invitation to attend any seminar class to participate in the class discussions. The seminar is a time to discuss current educational issues and books and to further bridge the gap between theory and practice. LSC 596 provides Guidelines for a Good Practicum Experience for both students and cooperating media specialists including the following appendices:

1. Suggestions for a High Quality Practicum
2. Core Beliefs About Teacher Education
3. Rhode Island Beginning Teacher Standards
4. Matrix of Standards
5. RIBTS Appraisal Document
6. Expectations for Cooperating Media Specialists
7. Expectations for Practicum Students
8. Practicum Student Responsibilities.

Students who successfully complete LSC 596 including their practicum placements and demonstrate mastery of the Rhode Island Beginning Teacher Standards as evidenced in their portfolio/e-folio are recommended for certification as library media specialists K-12. Names of candidates who have completed all of the MLIS or TCP requirements for the school library media program are forwarded to the Office of Teacher Education for letters acknowledging their completion of a state approved program in library media K-12 in Rhode Island. Students take the PRAXIS II exam and forward their scores to the Office of Teacher Education and the Rhode Island Department of Education and complete their certification application upon completion.