Date of Award
1992
Document Type
Practicum-NSU Access Only
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Child and Youth Studies
Advisor
Georgianna Lowen
Keywords
bilingual education chess, creativity volunteers, Jewish day schools, library skills, media center, media specialist, murals, private school issues
Abstract
This practicum was designed to develop an active media center. The primary goal was to create a dynamic, functional facility with an interdisciplinary library skills program for students in kindergarten to grade eight in a private Jewish day school. Additional goals were to incorporate volunteer service in order to organize the library collection.
Eight months of implementation at the target school integrated library skills with the development of the media center. The previously colorless facility became alive with mobiles and student artwork and projects. Chess games enlivened recess periods. Observation checklists. quizzes, questionnaires, as well as frequent statistic counts were used to determine the increase in utilization and understanding of the use of the determine the increase in utilization and understanding of the use of the resources. Innovative projects such as a 32' mural of a Mount Rushmore of all forty American presidents; a library skills game called "Media Mavens": a personalized library skills workbook; and an "Admire Our Stars" wall all helped to stimulate interest in research and in the media center.
Outcomes were highly successful. More than 2,000 books were added to the collection, including a student-donated paperback collection of more than 500 bucks. Staff and students demonstrated competence in locating and usage of media resources. A group of dedicated volunteers helped organize and maintain the inventory. Parents frequently visited and utilized the center. A three year plan was written to facilitate technologically equipping the center. The media specialist was told that she gave the media center a soul.