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Home  Education & Careers Professional Development ALSC Online Learning
Online course information
Summer 2009 online course offerings
The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), is pleased to offer a variety of quality online education courses. All courses will run between four and six weeks and will be taught in an online learning community using Moodle.
Registration will close at 4:30 CST on Monday, July 6. Registrations forms must be received by this date (not postmarked).
by credit card.
Register by PO or credit card with the print registration form.
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Download and complete the PO registration form.
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Submit the form along with your actual PO to ALA registration (fax or mail; see form for details).
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You will not be considered registered for the course until both your PO and the registration form have been received and processed by ALA registration.
Click on the course titles below for more detailed course information and pricing.
The Newbery Medal: Past, Present and Future - (6 weeks, July 20 - August 28, 2009)
What does it mean when we recommend Newbery Award winners to the children in our communities? Should the ALA seal of approval stand for 100 years? Why is that gold medal often considered the “kiss of death” by kids? How can we help parents and teachers understand what the Newbery Medal is – and isn’t? This 6-week online course will give participants a solid grounding in the history of the Medal and how it’s changed over time; an opportunity to read, discuss and consider past and present Newbery winners with their colleagues from across the nation; a chance to talk to former Newbery Committee members and a Newbery author, and suggestions for programming using Newbery-winning books.
Instructor: Kathleen T. Horning, Director, Cooperative Children's Book Center, University of Wisconsin- Madison
Reading Instruction and Children’s Books - (Section #1-4 weeks, July 20- August 14, 2009; Section #2- 4 weeks, August 3 - 28, 2009) Both sections have filled. Please contact ALA Registration at registration@ala.org or 1-800-545-2433 ext. 5 for more information.
Although children’s librarians think learning to read is about books, teachers use buzz-words such as lexile, phonics and word walls. Parents and students are often seeking grade appropriate reading materials. Several methods are used to determine grade level. In order for children’s librarians to effectively assist patrons, they need to understand how to interpret grade levels assigned to books by publishers and educators.
This course will provide children’s librarians with an understanding of different methodologies for reading instruction, including sight words, phonics, literate environment and pre- and post-reading activities. The course will then explore some of the ways that the grade-level of reading materials are determined, including Lexile Levels, Flesch-Kincaid Index and SMOG Readability Formula. These procedures will be applied to evaluate books, periodicals, websites and other material that children need to read. Finally, librarians will be encouraged to develop strategies for explaining these grading formulae to parents and to communicate more effectively with teachers as a result of their understanding.
Instructor: Katherine (Kate) Todd, Adjunct Instructor, Manhattanville (NY) College
Sharing Poetry with Children - (4 weeks, July 20 - August 14, 2009)
So many of us feel inadequate when it comes to choosing and sharing poetry with young people. We were turned off or intimidated in years gone by. We're uncertain about what kinds of poems work best with kids.
No more! Take a look at the major poets, poetry books, and anthologies of poetry for children (ages 5-12) being published today. In this class, participants will focus on reading and reviewing the latest poetry for kids, learning about poetry awards, exploring poetry on the Web, and trying interactive and participatory approaches for sharing poetry with children. One previous student commented, "Now, I shall just read poems and wonder, but not wonder if I am right or wrong."
Instructor: Sylvia M. Vardell, Professor, Texas Woman’s University
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these self-directed courses or real time? What is the time commitment involved?
All four courses are offered asynchronously (self-directed). Occasionally, a course my hold one synchronous chat session which is scheduled and announced at the start of the course.
Participants will be expected to login to the online course and interact several times a week. This can include reading online, working on assignments, reading and responding to the discussion boards. Participants will be given weekly deadlines, but will be able to work at times that are most convenient to the student.
What is Moodle? I have never used it before.
You will not have to download any special software to use Moodle. Moodle is an effective online learning community that is Web-based.
The following Web site is mainly for those developing courses in Moodle (http://moodle.org/). However, there is a course demonstration feature that shows students the Moodle environment utilizing Moodle itself.
In the very first paragraph in the center frame (This site itself is created using Moodle, so check out the Moodle Demonstration Courses or read the latest Moodle Buzz.), click on “Moodle Demonstration Courses”. You will then go to a Web page where you are able to explore a sample Moodle course that is the template for how most courses are structured and explanations for each of the areas. Please visit this link to explore the Moodle environment and see if you think it is something you will be comfortable using.
After you have registered for an ALSC course, your instructor will send you a URL for the ALA online course environment about a week before the start of the session. If you have not used Moodle before, you will need to create an account (your ALA login will not work) to log in and be recognized by ALA's moodle environment. Your instructor will also provide you with an enrollment key that will allow you entry to the course. You will then be able to access your course information, interact via discussion boards, and work with the instructor and other students.
Do you offer college credit or CEU's for these courses?
College credit nor CEU's are available at this time. ALSC's online courses are the equivalent of a one day face-to-face workshop. A certificate of completion will be sent to each participant upon successful completion for each course taken.
Requirements vary by state and school district regarding certification and continuing education credits. The decision to grant CEU credits remains entirely up to your state or school district. If you are in need of credits, check with your state and/or school district before enrolling to determine eligibility. Some states will review your certificate of completion and course syllabus to determine eligibility. A PDF copy of the syllabus can be provided to you upon request.
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