Mission of the Department of Media and Instructional Technology

The mission of the Department of Media and Instructional Technology is to provide superior student-focused education that is personally and intellectually challenging.

To accomplish this task the department is highly committed to the following:

• Preparing progressive, innovative, academically grounded school library media specialists and instructional technology leaders;
• 
  Preparing teachers to critically analyze existing research and conduct classroom based research;
  
• Building and enhancing skills in research and technology;
• Pioneering innovative delivery options to maximize educational experiences;
• Cultivating diversity of ideas, values, and persons responsive to the changing needs and technologies; and
  Promoting the advancement of learning through scholarship and service.

To achieve our mission the department offers two program options in Media at the Masters and Specialist levels. These include the following:

• Masters in Media - Media Specialist track (this program is a certification program) – Program A
• Masters in Media - Instructional Technology track (this program is not a certification program) – Program B
• Educational Specialist – Media Specialist track – Program F
• Educational Specialist – Instructional Technology track – Program E
  

In addition, the department delivers a non-degree program leading to media certification for individuals with a Master’s degree in education or library science. These are:

• Add-On in School Library Media for students entering the program with Teacher Certification – Program C
• Add-On in School Library Media for students entering the program without Teacher Certification – Program D

Mission and Goals of the School Library Media Program

Ensuring students are effective users of ideas and information and facilitate the effective use of technology in the schools is the mission of the school library media program. Our program goals closely align with the national charge of school library professionals described in the textbook, “Information Power.” The goals are as follows:

1. Provide access to information by designing learning activities that cause students to explore the literature in a variety of ways (e.g., online resources, books, journals, encyclopedias, CDs);
2. Provide physical access to information in a variety of areas, grade levels, and learning formats including electronic and non-electronic media;
3. Provide leadership and assistance to teachers and school administrators using instructional design to make school improvements;
4. Provide students with learning experiences that will enhance their ability to make sound judgments on the value of information and ideas;
5. Provide rich resources and a variety of meaningful learning activities to promote life long learning within our students;
6. Provide a strong program that exposes students to a wealth of information and ideas that can be integrated and used within the schools;
7. Provide learners with resources and activities that are diverse in nature and mirror effective intellectual freedom practices; and
8. Emphasize active, hands-on learning experiences for learners that is practical in nature and directly related to the work expectations of school library media specialists in P-12 schools in the region.
   

Outcomes of the Masters program in School Library Media

The media program objectives support the mission of the university, the College of Education’s Conceptual Framework, and the standards of our accrediting agencies (American Association of School Librarians (AASL)/ American Library Association (ALA), Professional Standards Commission, and National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Upon completing the School Library Media program at the University of West Georgia students will:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of how students and other members of the learning community learn and effectively integrate the library media program into the school’s curriculum in order to foster student achievement;
2. Demonstrate effective leadership skills to initiate and facilitate transformational systemic change to ensure the library media program is central to the instructional program of the school;
3. Demonstrate knowledge and skills when making media and instructional technology decisions that will influence effective transformational systemic change in the schools;
4. Demonstrate leadership and strategic planning to infuse media and instructional technology into the school’s instructional program;
5. Demonstrate an understanding of media and technology operations and concepts;
6. Create and promote a positive, technology rich learning environment that nurtures a sense of community and a respect for diverse cultures and learners in the school;
7. Motivate and guide members of the learning community in appreciating literature and related materials while they pursue lifelong learning;
8. Effectively develop the school’s media collection to meet specific information needs of the learning community by critically evaluating the existing collection and building it as needed following collection development policies and procedures;
9. Serve as a leader in modeling and assisting others in the learning community in accessing information efficiently and effectively;
10. Use information accurately and creatively with the learning community;
11. Pursue information related to his/her personal interests;
12. Strive for excellence in information seeking and knowledge generation
13. Serve as a facilitator in getting others in the learning environment to recognize the importance of information to a democratic society;
14. Practice ethical behavior regarding information and information technology;
15. Serve as a leader in promoting a positive media and technology rich learning environment that nurtures a sense of community and a respect for all learners in the school;
16. Participate effectively in groups to pursue and generate information;
17. Effectively use technology resources to collect and analyze data, interpret results, and communicate findings to improve instructional practice and maximize student learning; and
18. Demonstrate an awareness of research and its use in the school to make program improvements.

The degree to which our program objectives are met is measured by our program outcomes survey which is given to students during their exit oral exam. This continuous collection and analysis of data keeps faculty informed of how effectively our program is meeting the diverse and varying needs of our school library media candidates and modifications that need to be considered for program improvement purposes.

Mission and Goals of the Instructional Technology Program

Preparing students to be productive individuals in the 21st century by being able to use ideas, information, and technology is the mission of the instructional technology program. Our program goals closely align with the standards developed by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), the NETS standards. The goals are as follows:

1. Demonstrate knowledge, skills, and understanding of concepts that are related to technology;
2. Plan and design learning environments and experiences for learners by assisting with the planning, designing, and modeling effective learning environments and experiences supported by technology at the district/state/regional levels;
3. Model, design, and disseminate curriculum plans to maximize student learning by utilizing effective methods and strategies with all learners;
4. Disseminate researched information on the use of technology to implement effective assessment and evaluation strategies;
5. Design, develop, evaluate, and model products created using a variety of technology resources to enhance productivity and professional development;
6. Demonstrate an understanding of the social, ethical, legal, and human issues that impact P-12 schools and develop programs that effectively apply these principles to practice; and
7. Coordinate and direct the development of technology infrastructures, policies, plans, and budgets for P-12.

Outcomes of the Masters program in Instructional Technology

The instructional technology program objectives support the mission of the university, the College of Education’s Conceptual Framework, and the standards of our accrediting agencies (International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), and National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Upon completing the School Library Media program at the University of West Georgia students will:

1. 1. Demonstrate knowledge of how students and other members of the learning community learn and effectively integrate technology into the school’s curriculum in order to foster student achievement;
2. Demonstrate effective leadership skills to initiate and facilitate transformational systemic change in media and instructional technology.
3. Demonstrate knowledge and skills when making instructional technology decisions that will influence effective transformational systemic change in the schools;
4. Demonstrate leadership and strategic planning to infuse media and instructional technology in the school’s instructional program;
5. Demonstrate an advanced understanding of technology operations and concepts;
6. Apply knowledge of terms associated with educational computing and instructional technology;
7. Apply computer productivity tools for professional use and seek to improve their knowledge and skills for transformational systemic change;
8. Motivate and guide members of the learning community in appreciating media and instructional technology while they pursue lifelong learning;
9. Effectively develop the school’s media and technology collection to meet specific information needs of the learning community by critically evaluating the existing collection and building it as needed following collection and development policies and procedures;
10. Use electronic technologies to access and exchange information;
11. Pursue information related to his/her personal interests in media and instructional technology;
12. Identify, locate, evaluate, and use appropriate instructional software to support instructional objectives for all learners in the educational community;
13. Use educational technologies for data collection, information management, problem solving decision-making, communications, and presentation within the curriculum;
14. Effectively plan and implement lessons and strategies that integrate technology to meet the diverse needs of learners in a variety of educational settings;
15. Strive for excellence in information seeking and knowledge generation;
16. Recognize the importance of information and instructional technology to a democratic society;
17. Practice ethical, legal, and socially acceptable behavior with the use of media and instructional technology in the learning community;
18. Create and promote a positive, technology rich learning environment that nurtures a sense of community and a respect for diverse cultures and learners in the schools;
19. Participate effectively in groups to pursue and generate information in media and instructional technology; and
20. Demonstrate an awareness of research and its uses in the school to make program improvements.

The degree to which our program objectives are met is measured by our program outcomes survey which is given to students during their exit oral exam. This continuous collection and analysis of data keeps faculty informed of how effectively our program is meeting the diverse and varying needs of our school library media candidates and modifications that need to be considered.

Outcomes of the Ed.S. Program in School Library Media

1. Integrate information literacy through collaboration, planning, implementation, and assessment of learning;
2. Lead in providing equitable access to and effective use of technologies and innovations;
3. Plan, develop, implement, manage, and evaluate library media programs to ensure that students and staff use ideas and information effectively;
4. Engage in reflective practices to increase his/her effectiveness;
5. Model a strong commitment to lifelong learning and to the profession (e.g., joining organizations, attending conferences, reading journals);
6. Uphold and model professional ethics and promote equity and diversity in the schools;
7. Advocate for the library media program involving the greater community (e.g., state the importance of the media program, how the media program enhances the school improvement efforts);
8. Demonstrate knowledge of learning styles and of human growth and development;
9. Demonstrate teaching and learning that contribute to an active learning environment; and
10. Create effective, integrated library media programs.

Program outcomes surveys are administered to students at their exit oral exam to evaluate the program’s objectives and the degree to which they have been met.

Outcomes of the Ed.S. Program in Instructional Technology

1. Demonstrate knowledge, skills, and understanding of technology operations, concepts, and factors that impact effective integration of technology into the schools and workplace and provide leadership to facilitate the successful infusion of technology to meet the diverse and varying needs of learners;
2. Design, use, and evaluate instructional technology to stay up-to-date in the current and new and emerging technologies;
3. Apply current research on teaching and learning with technology when planning learning environments and experiences;
4. Identify, locate a variety of technology resources, and evaluate them for accuracy and suitability for the teaching and learning environment;
5. Plan strategies to effectively manage student learning in a technology-enhanced environment;
6. Model the effective use of a variety of technology in the school and workplace;
7. Create and participate in learning communities that stimulate, nurture and support faculty and staff in using technology for improved productivity;
8. Use and manage a variety of technology to advance learners’ higher order skills and creativity and make organizational improvements;
9. Work with teachers to co-plan, and/or co-assess instruction to enhance student learning;
10. Use and apply technology resources to collect and analyze data, interpret the results, and communicate the findings to improve instructional practice and maximize student learning;
11. Model a strong commitment to lifelong learning and to the profession (e.g., joining organizations, attending conferences, reading journals).
12. Engage in reflective practice to increase his/her effectiveness as a technology leader in the schools or workplace;
13. Use technology to communicate and collaborate with students, peers, parents, and the larger community to enhance student learning;
14. Uphold and model professional ethics and promote equity and diversity in the schools and workplace;
15. Facilitate the shared development by all stakeholders of a vision for technology use and widely communicate that vision; and
16. Provide leadership and assistance to teachers and school administrators to enhance the school and/or district’s technology and school improvement plan, including the identification of funding opportunities and grant writing.

At student’s exit oral exams program outcomes surveys are administered to evaluate the degree to which the program objectives have been met.

The Department of Media and Instructional Technology is committed to delivering effective distance learning classes:

The department offers the majority of its courses through distance technology to students at remote locations in the state in an effort to provide educational opportunities to those students who could not otherwise receive an education due to time and/or distance constraints. A wide variety of technology is used by the department in its distance delivery. This includes the use of WebCT Vista, podcasting, blogging, Impatica, Camtasia, Horizon Wimba and a variety of Internet resources.

The department’s distance learning goals are:

• To design distance learning classes that are effective in meeting the diverse learning needs of students;
• To deliver quality distance learning classes that promote student learning and development; and
  
• To systematically evaluate distance learning classes and our program in order to determine how successful the department is in meeting students’ needs and to make sound decisions on changes that are needed to make program improvements.

The department’s distance learning goals align with the institution’s distance learning goals. The University focus is on planning and creating distance learning environments that encourage and support excellence in a personal environment, maintaining resources that are needed to support and deliver the distance program, providing timely academic and student support services, conducting continuous evaluations for program improvement purposes and supporting research, scholarship and creative endeavors to expand distance learning knowledge.