Transcript Evidence-Based Practice: Proving That What You Do Makes a Difference Audrey Church Tennessee Association of School Librarians November, 2006

Evidence-Based Practice:
Proving That What You Do
Makes a Difference
Audrey Church
Tennessee Association of School Librarians
November, 2006
Evidence-Based Practice
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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
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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.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
Review of impact studies
Collecting portfolio evidence
Participating in Project Achievement
Using data collection software
Linking to academic achievement
Performing action research
ADVOCACY
EVIDENCE
DATA!
I.
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Statewide Studies:
1993 to Present
Test scores improve in schools
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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 inservice 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)”
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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
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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
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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?
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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
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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
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Project information available at
http://www.davidvl.org/Achieve/achieve.ht
ml
Project guidelines available at
http://www.davidvl.org/Achieve/ProjectAc
hievementNational.pdf
More fully developed in Loertscher and
Todd’s We Boost Achievement: EvidenceBased Practice for School Library Media
Specialists
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Measurements collected in four major
program areas:
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Reading
Collaborative planning
Information literacy
Technology
Analysis at
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Learner level
Teaching unit level
Organization level
IV. IMPACT! Documenting the
LMC Program for Accountability
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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
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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
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My Reading Writing Log
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Time & Task Tracker for School Library Media
Personnel
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Based in Microsoft Access, students create private
database in which they record and write about what
they read
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
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Tennessee Curriculum Standards
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K-12 curriculum standards (by content area,
tested/not tested/vocational-CTE)
Available from
http://www.tennessee.gov/education/ci/standards/inde
x.shtml#english
Tennessee Blueprint for Learning
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Companion document which elaborates on standards
Available from
http://www.tennessee.gov/education/ci/standards/blue
print/
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At Your School
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Analysis of Tennessee Curriculum Standards
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Analysis of test scores
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Which allow for collaborative work?
Classroom data, Student data
Collection of data
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What impact did your involvement have in the
instructional process?
VI. Action Research
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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 Steps
1.
2.
3.
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5.
6.
Focus on a topic or issue
Review and synthesize the research and
theory on the topic
Develop research questions
Collect data
Analyze data
Report results
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Design an action plan based on the data
Take action
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
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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?
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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
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Focus on an issue
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Review the theory
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Examine best practice, see what is happening in the
field
Ask the question
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Observe carefully, listen actively
Forces reasonableness and objectivity
Collect the data
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Forces reality check, provides baseline, demonstrates
professionalism
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Analyze the data
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Communicate the results
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Goal-centered opportunity to collaborate
Implement the action
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Legitimizes efforts, allows for positive proactivity
Design the action
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Allows for reflective practice, see interconnections
and interdependence
Facilitates positive change; demonstrates
responsiveness and reflection
Reanalyze the issue
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Look at outcomes and impact; regroup; cycle of
inquiry
Dr. Lesley S. J. Farmer, How to Conduct Action Research: A Guide for Library Media Specialists, p. 39-40
Evidence-Based Practice
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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-ofthe-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…
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Teachers
Administrators
Parents
Community members
Evidence-Based Practice
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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
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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)
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School Libraries Work! (2006). Retrieved October 1,
2006, from
http://www.scholastic.com/librarians/printables/download
s/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:
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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