In 2007 AASL issued detailed standards Use the doc at http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslproftools/learningstandards/AASL_Learning_Standards_2007.pdf and study well. This will be integrated into LS classes in 2008.
There is a Praxis Prep book listed in Books in Print :PRAXIS II Educational Media Specialist, published by XAM, ISBN 1-58197-022-6 for $30.50
This is apparently very outdated and not useful. Students who have taken the Praxis say that the guide that follows is very helpful and that they felt very prepared for the test.
IF you are not working toward certification as a library media specialist, please disregard this message.
Hi all!
I took the Praxis and just wanted to give you a heads up as to what to study.
Most importantly be very familiar with ALA, it’s organizations, purpose, publications, interests and activities, equity of access, intellectual freedom, copyright info, censorship, code of ethics, standards and guidelines, know the ALA acronyms. This list is more than likely not complete, but I remember questions dealing with all of these.
Secondly, Information Power. Know it inside and out as well. (see notes on 2007 standards as well)
There were several questions relating to the research process (like the Big 6). It didn’t name the Big 6 specifically, but you had to understand how that process worked. (from LS 6110)
Understand the vocabulary from 6200, authors and their genres, titles and their themes, awards, that kind of stuff, collection mapping, collection development, evaluation of media programs, budgeting, descriptive cataloging, MARC, setting up a new media center, the list goes on and on.
My mind is mush. I can’t think of anything else. There were 120 questions. It was a pencil and paper test, multiple choice. Time was not a problem. 2 hours….plenty of time to go back and change your answer(s) from the correct one to the incorrect one like I know for a fact I did on one question.
In general and in closing, allow me to say you should review all notes from each class focusing mostly on Librarianship (6130), and 6110, with cataloging coming in just behind these.
My opinion: If you are nearly through with
your LIBS classes, and especially if you are through and are just
finishing up your education classes….don’t delay. Take the Praxis
now while the information is fresh. The education classes will not help
you pass it.
Also, if any of you are considering getting the degree
but not going ahead and getting the certification, allow me to suggest,
that for all the time, effort, and money you’ve put into this degree you
should spend just a tad more and get your certification. You may
not feel that you need it now, but it’s a lot easier to obtain your certification
now than to decide to go back and get it later. You don’t want the
lack of this one test to prohibit you from being able to take “the job
of a lifetime” that is offered 7 years from now.
All this being said, allow me to add a disclaimer. My guess is the test you take will not be the exact test I took. As such, I should not be held responsible for information not listed here on which you will be tested. Nor shall I be held responsible for information to which I have alerted you which may not be on the test. Lol
These are some topics that were included on PRAXIS tests
2003-2008:
| Collection development. | Covered in Libs 6110. |
| Policies that are common to all school libraries. | Covered in Libs 6110. |
| Collection mapping – its purpose and procedures. | Covered in Libs 6110. |
| Collaboration. | Covered in Libs 6110 and Libs 6200. |
| Terms – LAN, WAN, TCP-IP, truncation, Boolean operators, encumbered (budget term for monies spent, but not yet paid) | Covered in Libs 6200. |
| Big 6 – steps, examples of steps, authors. | Covered in Libs 6110 & 6200. |
| Taxonomies of school libraries by Loertscher. | Covered in Libs 6110. |
Curry Lance's materials--get up to date on his newest stuff and
what AASL is doing
|
Covered in Libs 6110. |
| Printz, Newbery, and Caldecott awards. | Covered in Libs 5150. |
| Genre – realistic fiction and science fiction (others on some praxis) | Covered in Libs 5150 / 5160. |
| DDC questions | Covered in Libs 6120. |
| MARC questions – why it’s used. | Covered in Libs 6120. |
| AACR2 questions--what it does | Covered in Libs 6120. |
| Purpose of authority control | Covered in Libs 6120. |
| Reference sources – important thing to remember when evaluating all reference sources | Covered in Libs 6170. |
| Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read, ALA Code of Ethics | Covered in Libs 6130. |
| Court cases – Island Trees v. Pico, Child Online Protection Act(case that caused this to be passed-- Reno v. ACLU struck down Communications Decency Act, COPA replaced, it was struck down in March 2003. Patriot Act, etc. The cases from LS 6130 | Covered in Libs 6130. |
| Dr. Seuss, Ezra Jack Keats, Allen Say, Speare, Jean Craighead George, Chris Van Allsburg, Julius Lester and other major authors / illustrators. Know their genre. | Covered in Libs 5150 / 5160. |
| What to consider when placing an order | |
|
Information Power – read the index and know who wrote it! Standards for 21st century learners and how to apply--comb AASL site to keep up to date |
Covered in Libs 6130. |
| ALA organizations/ selection aids / NICEM for video / SLJ for all / ESLC / Horn Book Guide / Bowker / BIP / etc. | Covered in Libs 6130. |
|
ICONnect – whose group is this?
AASL established the ICONnect technology initiative to address the need for training school library media specialists to use the Internet as a meaningful curriculum tool to help students develop information literacy skills.
|
Covered in Libs 6130. |
| Reaching a reluctant reader | Covered in Libs 5150 / 5160. |
| Bibliographies – recognizing required information for periodicals and books | Covered in all courses by requiring bibliographies correctly formatted. |
| Multiple intelligences by John Gardiner | Covered in lesson plans in courses. |
| Individualize reading plans for students who are reluctant readers, second language learners, etc. | Covered in lesson plans in courses. |
| Stripling & Pitts process model REACTS | here's a website with the
process models
http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/stripling.htm Covered in LS 6110 |
| TCP-IP | techy term for Transmission
control protocol--internet protocol ; look it up in Wikipedia (!) it's how your computer knows how to find other stuff / computers over the internet in LS 6200 |