Contents
NOTE: The following policies are specific to the SL&IT Department. All other Graduate Student Policies of the Mansfield University also apply. They can be found at ……………………..
- SL&IT Master of Education Requirements
- School Library Certification
- Requirements to Participate in Field Experiences
- SL&IT Grading Policies
- Policy Regarding Late Assignments
- Policy Regarding Assignment Resubmission
- Policy Regarding Course Absences
- Incomplete Policy
- Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
- MU Academic Dismissal Policy
- MU Policies on Drops and Withdrawals
SL&IT Master of Education Requirements
- The School Library & Information Technologies (SL&IT) graduate program offers successful students a Master’s degree in Education (M.Ed.), not a Master’s degree in Library Science (MLIS). Designed specifically for certified teachers to earn a M.Ed. with eligibility for school library certification (depending on their home-state’s requirements), the SL&IT program consists of eleven courses totaling either 31 or 33 semester-credits.
- Students, who are employed as teachers, typically take 4 to 5 years to complete the program. All courses are completely online, although most courses include some local field experiences in order to complete assignments. Not all courses are offered in the two main academic semesters (Fall and Spring). The summer session is optional and only a few courses are offered during the summer. Students are expected to take at least one course per Fall and Spring semesters, summer is optional. If a student does not take a course in the Fall or Spring, he/she needs to receive approval form the faculty advisor to be enrolled in the “placeholder” course ED5600 so that they are recognized an active student and receive all MU notifications and emails.
- The SL&IT program is part of the Mansfield University Teacher Education Unit (TEU) of professional level education courses. Students accepted into the TEU professional level courses are designated Teacher Education Certification Candidates (TECC). As such, SL&IT students must hold a state teaching certificate. For out-of-state students who do not currently hold a valid Pennsylvania teaching certificate, the following TEU admissions requirements also apply:
- Minimum GPA: 3.0 GPA as required by Pennsylvania ACT 354
- Assessment: Passing score on PRAXIS I Certification Tests. Contact Career Development, 305 South Hall 570-662-4133 for information and registration.
- General Coursework: 6 credits of college level math, 3 credits of college level English composition and 3 credits of college level English Literature
- Minimum GPA: 3.0 GPA as required by Pennsylvania ACT 354
- Students must complete all academic coursework within seven years.
- This program cannot be used to obtain initial teaching certification.
- Students may transfer a maximum of six graduate credits (or two courses) into this program if the transferred course replicates the content of an existing SL&IT course and is approved by the SL&IT department chairperson.
- Eleven SL&IT courses are required for graduation. However, only one cataloging course is required; either LSC 5521, Introduction to Cataloging & Classification or LSC 5522, Advanced Electronic Cataloging.
- Courses may be taken in any sequence with the following notable exception. Students seeking placement in the culminating School Library Practicum (LSC 5565) must have completed 21 credits in the SL&IT program, to include LSC 5501, Instructional Collaboration, and LSC 5530, School Library Advocacy.
- SL&IT courses are graduate level with all of the demands of graduate level work. Students who are working as teachers or in other full-time professions should keep this in mind when selecting the number of courses to be taken each semester. Enrolling in more than one course per semester while engaged in full-time employment may be very challenging. As a general rule, students can expect to work at least 7-10 hours each week, per course. Three courses or 9 semester credits of graduate work is a full-time graduate student load. Taking more than two courses per semester must be approved by the assigned SL&IT advisor.
- MU graduate students must earn a minimum 3.0 cumulative quality point average and complete each course with a C- grade or better. The 3.0 QPA must be maintained each semester.
- Pennsylvania students who are provisionally or permanently certified teachers may add K-12 Library Science to their certificate upon completing this program as long as they meet Pennsylvania Department of Education certification requirements, to include the PRAXIS II examination.
- For information on the PRAXIS II test for library science certification go to http://www.ets.org/praxis/about/praxisii. State requirements in regards to the PRAXIS II are located at http://www.ets.org/praxis/states .
- The SL&IT program may meet school library certification requirements for other states. Most states have some degree of reciprocity with Pennsylvania teacher certification. The SL&IT Department maintains a guide to Reciprocity. However, as certification requirements can change, students should seek confirmation of certification regulations with their state’s department of education teacher certification officer.
- Additional information about the interstate agreement that outlines reciprocity is available online from the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification.
Requirements to Participate in Field Experiences
Most SL&IT courses, including the Practicum in LSC 5565, require students to complete some assignments or course work in a school library setting which students arrange locally where they live. These experiences are referred to as “field experiences.” Field experience required in completion of a MU degree must comply with requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) for staff who work in school buildings. Therefore, the following requirements affect all SL&IT students and include documentation of Educational Clearance, Affiliation Agreement, and Liability Insurance.
Prior to participating in any field experiences for an SL&IT course, students who are already certified teachers will need to send evidence that they have met the clearances required for the state in which they reside or in which they perform a field experience. Students can submit evidence in two ways:
- Students can submit a letter signed by a building principal stating that they have met the clearances requirements of their state, or
- Students can submit copies of their clearances.
Students who are not certified teachers must meet all requirements for PA clearances: Act 34, Act 151, TB test, and an FBI background check (finger printing). See PDE's Background Checks page for more information. Students should then mail the form letter or copies of the clearance to the SL&IT office, in care of:
Jill Scott, 202 Retan, Mansfield University, Mansfield, PA 16933
For further details see our Clearances FAQ.
All SL&IT students are also required to submit an Affiliation Agreement prior to participating in a field experience or Practicum. This legal document (available for download) outlines the duties, terms, conditions and responsibilities of the university and school district(s) in which you perform class activities.
Similar to clearances, the agreement takes effect immediately once signed by authorized officials of MU and the school district in which you plan to perform a field experience. Please send the signed form to Jill Scott, 202 Retan, Mansfield University, Mansfield, PA 16933. If you have questions contact Cindy Keller (717-816-6995) or Jill Scott (570-662-4790).
As a condition of the Affiliation Agreement, SL&IT students, as well as all TECC, must be legally protected in the event of unfortunate occurrences while working in a school or school library. Consequently, all students must provide proof of liability coverage in order to participate in any field experiences. Students are responsible for obtaining professional liability insurance at their own expense. The limits of the policy must be a minimum of $1,000,000 per claim and an aggregate of $3,000,000 per occurrence.
Students who are currently employed in a school district may already be covered by a district-provided liability insurance policy. However, it is the responsibility of the student to check whether it meets the claim amounts stated above. In the event that a MU student is not covered by a school district policy, other insurance providers, such as professional associations, unions, etc., should be pursued by the student. Additional insurance can also be added to an existing home owner's insurance policy at a reasonable rate.
To satisfy the requirement, please submit proof of liability coverage to the SL&IT office. All you need to do is to e-mail Jill Scott (jlscott@mansfield.edu) using the following statement:
“I have liability insurance to complete any and all field work assignments and the 100-hour Practicum in a school district.”
Instructors will grade student work according to the scoring rubrics/checklists provided with every assignment. Assignments are graded on how well the student demonstrates an understanding of the concepts examined in the course. All students are expected to participate actively and substantively in online discussions and in group and partner work. All students are expected to write at a graduate level and follow MLA citation format. Students needing further explanation on any assignment should contact the instructor immediately.
Policy Regarding Late Assignments
Students are expected to turn in all work on or before the due date. Though instructors are sympathetic to the needs of adult learners, students are responsible for contacting the instructor as soon as possible concerning events that may impact course requirements and deadlines. Since assignments often build on previous course activities, late assignments will be marked down one grade letter and will not be accepted after one full week from the due date. Instructors will handle chronically late submissions of assignments on an individual basis.
Policy Regarding Assignment Resubmission
Students may request one resubmission of an assignment in each course. If the instructor agrees s/he will then set a new due date, and average the grade of the resubmitted assignment with the first attempt.
Policy Regarding Course Absences
Instructors recognize that genuine health emergencies, loss of a family member, or other catastrophic events can happen suddenly to anyone. SL&IT instructors will work with students to deal with such emergencies.
Vacations, conferences, and other job or family related travel constitute non-emergency situations that instructors are not obliged to accommodate. If a student deems such travel necessary, it is the responsibility of the student to plan for continuous Internet access to monitor emails, participate in forum discussions and/or group/partner work, and submit assignments on time, as if there has been no disruption to participation in the course.
Since all the SL&IT courses are online, where learning takes place is not the issue. However, students are required to meet all course requirements, weekly schedules, and observe due dates. Instructors follow a posted calendar and are not required to assist students who want to work ahead or submit assignments early.
If students know ahead that a big event such as a wedding, vacation, family reunion, etc. is being planned and Internet access or time to work on course requirements is uncertain, it is better to not take courses that semester. In this case, students should request to be registered for ED 5600, a continuing enrollment option. This is a placeholder “course” that indicates the student is still enrolled, although not taking a course. ED5600 is only used during Fall and Spring semesters, not summers.
The SL&IT online program encourages students to work from anyplace, but the emphasis is still on the work, and instructors will not make course exceptions on demand except for a genuine emergency. Please be prepared to provide documentation of such an emergency if needed.
- Incomplete (I) A grade of I is used to denote unfinished course work because of serious mitigating circumstances beyond the student's control. It is a privilege granted because of circumstances, not a right to be expected by the student.
- The I grade is submitted by professors at their discretion on the grade report form at the end of the semester. The professor and the student will identify the specific requirements to be satisfied in order to convert the I to a letter grade. The student is responsible for the removal of an I grade by the end of the fourth week of the subsequent semester except in cases where serious circumstances prevail and a request for an extension is made by the faculty member to the Registrar's Office. If the incomplete grade is not cleared within the allotted time period, a final grade of "F" is recorded.
Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
Students are expected to do their own academic work and submit original work. Where resources and sources of information are used, credit must be given to the original source, following the citation format of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers.
Dishonesty in academic work, including cheating, academic misconduct, fabrication, or plagiarism is unacceptable. Deliberate plagiarism as well as unintentional plagiarism is a serious issue. Additionally, unauthorized multiple submission of academic work is subject to the same penalties as plagiarism.
Any form of cheating, which includes plagiarism or collusion, may result in an F for the course and/or the filing of academic dishonesty charges with the Provost's office. Students are advised not to lend or share previous course work with other students, as this could lead to work being used by others for academic advantage. It should be noted that in this situation, the original owner of the course work will be liable for academic action regardless of his/her knowledge or lack of the other student's intent.
Additional information concerning academic dishonesty can be found in the Graduate Bulletin, which outlines the procedures faculty will use to initiate disciplinary action in cases of academic dishonesty and the SL&IT Student Online Handbook, which outlines student options for defending against dishonesty charges.
The following is a link to a ten-minute interactive tutorial from Acadia University designed to teach students the basics of avoiding plagiarism by learning why, when, and how to cite information sources: http://library.acadiau.ca/tutorials/plagiarism/
The Academic Dismissal Policy in the graduate catalog states "A student who receives an F in a course is automatically dismissed from the University. A student whose cumulative QPA (quality point average) is below 3.0 at the end of any semester is placed on academic probation until the QPA rises to a minimum 3.0. Failure to achieve the minimum QPA within one academic year will result in dismissal from the University."
If a student fails a course and is automatically dismissed from the university, reinstatement must be petitioned. To seek reinstatement, a student must submit a Graduate Petition to the Associate Provost (through their SL&IT adviser).
