Online course information
Summer 2012
July 9 - August 17, 2012
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. All courses are offered asynchronously (self-directed) meaning you will never need to sign-in on a specific date/time for an online meeting.
To sign-up for an upcoming course, visit the ALA registration website or fill out the registration form and mail it in. Course space is limited and additional courses will be added in the future.
Out of this World Youth Programming
(6 weeks, July 9 - August 17, 2012)
If you are like most children’s librarians, you are no doubt faced with the continual challenge of providing programs that are not only fun and appealing, but also highly informative and educational. How do I fit all age levels? What is age-appropriate? How do I make old materials fresh again? Where do I even begin? This course will provide innovative ideas and suggestions on how to plan, promote, execute and evaluate your programs to work for you and your patrons.
Instructor: Angela Young, MSLS, Youth Services Librarian, Lorain Public Library System
Frequently asked questions
Are these self-directed courses or real time? What is the time commitment involved?
All courses are offered asynchronously (self-directed). Occasionally, a course my hold several synchronous chat sessions which are 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 a Moodle account ( http://classes.ala.org). The login is not tied to your ALA user name and password. Please set your email filter to allow mail from the domain classes.ala.org. as you will receive a confirmation email that is needed to complete setting up the account. 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.
Questions?
Contact ALSC Program Officer Jenny Najduch at jnajduch@ala.org or 1-800-545-2433 ext. 4026.