Upload
elijah-houston
View
214
Download
0
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Evidence-Based Practice: Proving That What You Do
Makes a Difference
Audrey Church
Tennessee Association of School Librarians
November, 2006
Evidence-Based Practice The process of carefully documenting how
you make a difference in student learning The process of showing how and why your
services are important to student learning The process of gathering meaningful
evidence on the impact of your instructional role on student achievement
Evidence-Based Practice Equals assessment at a higher level Moves beyond observation to collection of
evidence Proves students benefit from what you do
as a teacher and instructional partner Provides evidence that you boost student
achievement and create a more effective learning environment
Today’s Session:I. Review of impact studies
II. Collecting portfolio evidence
III. Participating in Project Achievement
IV. Using data collection software
V. Linking to academic achievement
VI. Performing action research
ADVOCACY
EVIDENCE
DATA!
I. Statewide Studies: 1993 to Present
Test scores improve in schools which have a school library staffed by a licensed
librarian and assisted by adequate staff, in which the library has a strong collection and
adequate funding, in which the librarian collaborates with teachers,
teaches information literacy skills, provides in-service for teachers in information technology,
in which library resources are available outside of library walls via computer networks.
“School Library Media Centers: Selected Results from the Education
Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002)” Sample of 15,525 10th graders in 752 schools “Found a significant correlation between student
test scores and their use of the school library—students with higher test scores reported higher use of library resources for assignments, in-school projects and research papers, than those students whose composite test scores were in the lower range”
National Center for Education Statistics
“Principals, teachers, and parents want to hear of local successes: they want to know how their students—not other schools–are benefiting. Local outcomes matter.”
Dr. Ross J. Todd, in “School Libraries & Evidence: Seize the Day, Begin the Future,” LMC, 8/9-03
II. Collecting Portfolio Evidence
Lessons and assignments that connect the library to the classroom curriculum
A paper trail that shows what you have done that has increased student learning, how students have benefited from your lessons
Suggested Strategies from Information Power
Checklists—before and after instruction Rubrics—set criteria Conferencing—student reflection (their work,
skills, the benefits) Journaling—your reflections on instruction and
the outcomes Portfolios—collect student work over time,
matched to content curriculum and information literacy standards
How? End of information literacy lesson—quick
evaluation from students Samples of students’ work Collaborative lesson plans/statements from
teachers Collaborative Instructional Partnerships
form Survey data from teachers and/or students
III. Project Achievement A national initiative to collect and present
evidence at the local level that links school library media programs to student achievement, 2003-2005
Sponsored by David V. Loertscher Participants agreed to collect evidence and
to present the evidence locally
Project information available at http://www.davidvl.org/Achieve/achieve.html
Project guidelines available at http://www.davidvl.org/Achieve/ProjectAchievementNational.pdf
More fully developed in Loertscher and Todd’s We Boost Achievement: Evidence-Based Practice for School Library Media Specialists
Measurements collected in four major program areas: Reading Collaborative planning Information literacy Technology
Analysis at Learner level Teaching unit level Organization level
IV. IMPACT! Documenting the LMC Program for Accountability Instructional Media Professional’s
Academic Collaboration Tool Template for Microsoft Excel that tracks
contribution of LMC program in three areas: collaborative planning, information literacy, and links to state standards
Customize to your school Enter basic data concerning lesson/unit,
objectives, standards, resources, activities, research process used, time spent
Data is aggregated and made available in charts and diagrams
Profiles available—collaboration, resource, content area, research skills
Available from LMC Source http://www.lmcsource.com
Other data collection software My Reading Writing Log
Based in Microsoft Access, students create private database in which they record and write about what they read
Time & Task Tracker for School Library Media Personnel Based in Microsoft Excel, allows you to track time
spent by professional and support personnel on tasks and activities aligned with Information Power
Both products available from LMC Source
V. Linking to Academic Achievement
Tennessee Curriculum Standards K-12 curriculum standards (by content area,
tested/not tested/vocational-CTE) Available from
http://www.tennessee.gov/education/ci/standards/index.shtml#english
Tennessee Blueprint for Learning Companion document which elaborates on standards Available from
http://www.tennessee.gov/education/ci/standards/blueprint/
At Your School Analysis of Tennessee Curriculum Standards
Which allow for collaborative work?
Analysis of test scores Classroom data, Student data
Collection of data What impact did your involvement have in the
instructional process?
VI. Action Research Also called “teacher research” and
“teacher-as-researcher” An approach designed to develop and
improve teaching and learning Teachers solving everyday problems in
schools to improve both student learning and teacher effectiveness
Action Research: Nine Steps1. Focus on a topic or issue
2. Review and synthesize the research and theory on the topic
3. Develop research questions
4. Collect data
5. Analyze data
6. Report results
7. Design an action plan based on the data
8. Take action
9. Evaluate the action
Dr. Lesley S. J. Farmer, How to Conduct Action Research: A Guide for Library
Media Specialists, p. 3
Action research is
reflective and
recursive!
Sample Action Research Questions How does the presence of parent library
volunteers affect student achievement? To what degree are parents involved in their
children’s reading? How early should students use the Internet for
research? In what ways, if any, does filtering software
affect student research and student learning?
Should information literacy standards be separate from or integrated into the curriculum?
How can I increase collaboration with classroom teachers?
What effects do book clubs have on reading comprehension?
How can the library program help increase boys’ engagement in reading?
What effect does library appearance and atmosphere have on student learning?
And on, and on, and on……
Benefits of Action Research Process
Focus on an issue Observe carefully, listen actively
Review the theory Examine best practice, see what is happening in the
field Ask the question
Forces reasonableness and objectivity Collect the data
Forces reality check, provides baseline, demonstrates professionalism
Analyze the data Allows for reflective practice, see interconnections
and interdependence Communicate the results
Legitimizes efforts, allows for positive proactivity Design the action
Goal-centered opportunity to collaborate Implement the action
Facilitates positive change; demonstrates responsiveness and reflection
Reanalyze the issue Look at outcomes and impact; regroup; cycle of
inquiryDr. Lesley S. J. Farmer, How to Conduct Action Research: A Guide for Library Media Specialists, p. 39-
40
Evidence-Based Practice
Accountability… Impact on student learning…
Faye Pharr, Principal, Lakeside Academy of Math, Science, and Technology
“After the first year of flexible scheduling, with all library projects based on teacher/librarian collaboration, we found there was direct correlation between library usage and improved test scores. After running the end-of-the-year circulation report, it became obvious that the teachers who had the highest library usage also had the highest test scores. A detailed analysis revealed there was a direct link between library usage and test scores in the reference study and reading comprehension. For example, the classroom with the highest library usage had a mastery percentage of 86% in reference study and 81% in reading comprehension. The teacher who offered the most resistance to collaborative planning and library usage also had the lowest in mastery scores—19% in reference study and 52% in comprehension.”
White House Conference on School Libraries, June 4, 2002
Evidence for… Teachers Administrators Parents Community members
Evidence-Based Practice
Every student succeeds @ your library Partners for learning @ your library Teacher librarians make a difference
@ your library Evidence proves students learn @
your library
Prove that what you do
makes a difference!
Resources Eisenberg, M. B. (2004, March). It’s all about learning:
Ensuring that students are effective users of information on standardized tests. Library Media Connection 22(6), 22-30.
Farmer, L. S. J. (2003). How to conduct action research: a guide for library media specialists. Chicago: American Association of School Librarians.
Loertscher, D. V. & Todd, R.J. (2003). We boost achievement: Evidence-based practice for school library media specialists. Salt Lake City: HiWillow.
National Center for Education Statistics: (2005). Education Longitudinal Study of 2002. Retrieved October 3, 2006, from http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/els2002/
Resources (continued) School Libraries Work! (2006). Retrieved October 1,
2006, from http://www.scholastic.com/librarians/printables/downloads/slw_2006.pdf
Todd, R. J. (2003). Irrefutable evidence: how to prove you boost student achievement. School Library Journal, 49(4), 52-54.
White House Conference on School Libraries, 2002. Retrieved October 1, 2006, from http://www.imls.gov/news/events/whitehouse.shtm
For more information, contact: Audrey Church, Coordinator, School
Library Media Program, Longwood University, 201 High Street, Hull 232, Farmville, VA 23909
Phone: 434-395-2682 Email: [email protected] Web page:
http://www.longwood.edu/staff/achurch