University Preparation Programs for School Librarians

“Learning and Sharing: A Look at How Collaboration and Leadership/Administration Courses Are Taught in Australia, Canada, and the United States”

Abstract

This three-hour workshop provides an opportunity for school librarianship professors to discuss and share with their peers best practices in creating relevant assignments for school librarians in the 21st century on the topics of collaboration and leadership. For each topic, the professors from Australia, Canada, and the United States will share the following on a large screen and with handouts: (a) national standards that guide course preparation, (b) the course description, (c) course objectives, and (d) one sample assignment. Assignments for both topics will include the instructions and also the rubrics. After each topic presentation, participants are encouraged to share how they teach collaboration and leadership, and they will then be divided into small groups to share additional ideas. A third component of the presentation focuses on a 2013 U.S. grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Studies to deliver four online courses for doctoral candidates from various institutions with an interest in school library doctoral studies. The session will close with the participants brainstorming critical issues and topics for future IASL presentations from school librarianship professors. Before the IASL conference begins, emails will be sent to attendees who are school library professors to encourage them to attend and to bring sample assignments on teaching collaboration and leadership as a way to extend our conversation beyond the Australia, Canada and the United States.