EBP Workshop: Using Evidence to Inform Instruction for School Library Media Specialists

1. Show Them the Evidence! Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) for School Library Media Specialists WELCOME! Please access the EBP Workshop wiki page @ bcpslis.pbworks.com ODL Library Media Leadership Team: Fran Glick, Coordinator Amanda Lanza, Specialist Chimere Neal, Resource Teacher Kelly Ray, Resource Teacher January 12, 2017

2. Professional Learning Goals Outcome: • School library media specialists will be able to use evidence to inform instruction and to demonstrate the value and impact of their program and professional practices on student learning. Indicator: • School library media specialists will share evidence of the value and impact of school library programs and instruction with school stakeholders on a regular basis.

3. Professional Learning Plan 1 Phase 1:EBP WorkshopJanuary 12, 4:30- 6:30 PM *Stipend paid for 2 hours. • Expand your knowledge of three types of Evidence-Based Practice for school library media specialists. • Work in collaborative small groups to develop strategies and tools for gathering, organizing, and sharing evidence. • Discuss analyzing evidence to inform instruction, improve your program and practice, and demonstrate impact for students.

4. Professional Learning Plan 2 Phase 2:EBP in ActionJanuary 13 - April 3@ your own school *Stipend paid for 2 hours. Will log hours at Showcase. Use your learning from the Phase 1 Workshop, resources and tools on the EBP wiki page, and collaboration with colleagues to: • Develop an Action Plan for engaging in Evidence-Based Practice during third quarter. • Apply strategies and tools for gathering, organizing, analyzing and sharing evidence from a Framework for Action that we will co-create today. Evidence Based Practice Small Groups in Elementary LMS/Secondary LMS Edmodo

5. Professional Learning Plan 3 Phase 3:EBP ShowcaseApril 5 from 4:30 - 6:30 @ School Library TBA*Stipend paid for 2 hours. Collaborate as a Professional Learning Community to: • Share strategies and examples of Evidence-Based Practice and methods for sharing evidence with school stakeholders. • Provide and receive feedback to plan next steps and refine future Evidence-Based Practice. • Discuss the role of evidence in Domain 4 portfolios for LMS Evaluation.

6. EBP Evolution • 2001: EBP, which originated in the medical/health care community, was proposed as a model for school librarianship by Dr. Ross J. Todd (CISSL, Rutgers University) • Keynote address at the IASL Conference: “Transitions for Preferred Futures of School Libraries: Knowledge Space, Not Information Place; Connections, Not Collections; Actions, Not Positions; Evidence, Not Advocacy.” • 2003: David Loertcher and Ross Todd published a book: • We boost achievement! Evidence-based practice for school library media specialists • 2007: SLJ Leadership Summit focused on EBP • “Where’s the Evidence? Understanding the Impact of School Libraries”

7. EBP Evolution Professional Literature: • 2009: Evidence-Based Library and Information Practicedevoted an entire issue to EBP for school librarianship • 2015: AASL Knowledge Quest devoted entire Jan/Feb issue to EBP in school libraries • Many individual articles on EBP published in various journals Websites on EBP in school libraries: • Evidence-Based Practice LibGuide (Joyce Valenza/CISSL) • School Library Media Program: Evidence-based decision making (Annette Lamb) These resources curated under EBP Lit Review on our wiki page.

8. Our Inspiration

9. EBP & BCPS Evidence-Based Practice by school library media specialists supports district goals & initiatives: • Blueprint 2.0: Data-informed and evidence-based decision-making • S.T.A.T. – Learner-centered instruction, leveraging digital content & tools, inquiry-based learning • Elementary & Secondary LMS Evaluation – EBP supports all Domains and provides evidence/artifacts for Domain 4

10. What is EBP? Evidence-Based Practice for school libraries hinges on two concepts: … the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about [school librarians’] performance. It is about using research evidence, coupled with professional expertise and reasoning, to implement learning interventions that are effective. 1

11. What is EBP? Evidence-Based Practice for school libraries hinges on two concepts: … [the school librarian’s] daily efforts put some focus on effectiveness evaluation that gathers meaningful and systematic evidence on dimensions of teaching and learning that matter to the school and its support community. 2

12. What is EBP? Dr. Ross J. Todd Evidence-Based Practice is … • … fundamentally about about professional practice being informed and guided by the best available evidence of what works… using research-derived evidence to shape and direct what we do.  • … combining professional wisdom, reflective experience, and understanding of students’ needs with the judicious use of research-derived evidence to make decisions about how the school library can best meet the instructional goals of the school.  • … active engagement in professional and reflective practices that chart, measure, document and make visible the impact of school libraries on learning outcomes.

13. Framework for Action Framework: Holistic Model for EBP for School Libraries (Todd 2008)

14. Evidence FOR Practice Explained: Multiple major research studies showing the positive impact of strong school libraries, library programs, and certified librarians on student learning and achievement.

15. Evidence FOR Practice Research studies are often used for school library advocacy, BUT … alone they do NOT provide any evidence of the impact of library programs or librarians for students at the local school level! INSTEAD, you must use this research as a guide to inform and improve your own professional practice. "A profession without reflective practitioners who are willing to learn about relevant research is a blinkered profession - one that's disconnected from best practices and best thinking, and one which, by default, often resorts to advocacy rather than evidence to survive." Ross Todd (2008)

16. Evidence FOR Practice Best practices by library media specialists, like … • Collection development & reading promotion • Collaboration with teachers • Instruction by the LMS • Professional development for integrating technology/digital resources which are shown to result in major impacts for students, like … • Increased reading engagement & achievement • Information Literacy/21st Century skills development & fluency • Enhanced content learning Research findings “ … present a vision for excellence and aspirational goals for program planning.”-- Barbara Stripling (2014)

17. Evidence IN Practice Explained: • Documentation of inputs, interventions, activities, and processesinitiated by the library media specialist. • Aligned to research-based Evidence FOR Practice as well as to standards (AASL/CCSS/P21/Content standards) • Must involve REFLECTION on current practice & evidence, including attention to NEGATIVE evidence. • ACTIONS taken to improve practice and increase impact

18. Evidence IN Practice Examples: • LibraryTrac data (Secondary) • Collaboration outreach actions • Lesson planning, customizing curriculum lessons • Formative assessment, small group instruction • Post-lesson reflection/teacher conference notes • Destiny circulation data, book displays/promotions

19. Evidence OF Practice Explained: • Evidence/artifacts generated by students and teachers; gathered, organized & shared with stakeholders by LMS • Formative/summative assessment data • Direct and indirect measures, both quantitative and qualitative • Results may be positive or negative; there will be gaps • Negative results should inform decision-making and lead to changes IN practice

20. Evidence OF Practice Examples: • Pre-assessment data (formal or informal) • Formative/summative ssessmentdata following LMS instruction • Of library media learning objectives (AASL/CCSS/P21) • Of content learning objectives (Secondary) • Student products demonstrating skills development based on success criteria • Specific student & teacher feedback; surveys, interviews, testimonials

21. EBP then … • For as long as I can remember, I’ve counted: - books checked out, bodies through the door, reference questions answered, classes taught, teachers with whom I collaborated, and website visitors. Counting generated data that could be embedded in colorful charts and professional-looking reports. These efforts captured a little of what happened in my school library. Old days (output measures): #checkouts #class visits #students through the door #questions answered #collaborations with teachers #website visits Joyce Valenza, AASL 2015 http://garcya.us/category/vector-graphics/

22. EBP Now … • Back in the day we called these “data output measures” and used them to justify budgets, maintain staffing, rethink scheduling, and advocate for our programs. Those metrics troubled me. They inspired systemic, competitive cheating, and they didn’t tell the stories that needed telling. They had little to do with asking good questions, selecting quality sources, synthesizing information, and ethically and creatively constructing, and communicating new knowledge. They didn’t address administrators’ achievement concerns or faculty’s engagement issues. They did little to capture real impacts our school library program made or my accountability to the instructional team. • Better data were all around me. I wasn’t capturing it. I missed the connection between data and results and essential questions: • How does my work make a difference in improving teaching and learning? • What is my value to the learning culture? • How might I use evidence to improve my practice and enhance learning? • -- Joyce Valenza, AASL 2015

23. Leveraging Resources & Tools Use Resources and Tools to engage in best practices and gather, organize& share evidence: • LMS/Teacher Evaluation Rubrics • BCPS Librarians’ Resource Wiki: • Lesson Planning Resources: AASL Standards/CCSS Crosswalk, AASL Standards in Action grade level Benchmarks, etc. • ODL Resource Wiki: Toolbox • LibraryTrac, EasyBib(Secondary) • CAMERA • Social Media: VLC, Twitter, etc. • eNewsletters: S’More See more RESOURCES/TOOLS on EBP wiki!

24. Using the Framework for Action Job-alike groups will use the Framework for Action to plan EBP for Information Literacy/21st Century Skills Instruction: • 4 Elementary Groups and 1 Secondary Group • Group # on your place card One group member open your group’s document linked on wiki: • EBP Framework for Action: Information Literacy/21st Century Skills Instruction

25. Focus on Instruction Using the Framework for Action to plan EBP for Information Literacy/21st Century Skills Instruction: • Review Evidence FOR Practice: Research that identifies best practices which produce major impacts for students. Highlight best practices in the evidence.

26. Generate Ideas for Evidence IN Practice Using the Framework for Action to plan EBP for Information Literacy/21st Century Skills Instruction: • Develop applications & actions for Evidence IN Practice aligned to research. • Identify TOOLS & RESOURCES for engaging in practice & documenting actions.

27. Generate Ideas for Evidence OF Practice Using the Framework for Action to plan EBP for Information Literacy/21st Century Skills Instruction: • Developexamples & strategies for gathering Evidence OF Practice. • Identify TOOLS for gathering and organizing evidence & sharing it with school stakeholders, Team BCPS and wider community.

28. Action Plan • Action Plan Model • Draft: Sandy Bixby’s Un-Deweying pilot • Action Plan Template

29. Intersession Work & Documentation • Action Plan: • Based on your reflection and identified needs and goals, create an Action Plan focused on a specific instructional goal. • Use strategies/tools from co-created Framework for Action: Instruction and other EPB wiki resources to help you develop your Action Plan. • Framework for Action • Download a personal copy of the co-created Framework for Action: Instruction document. • Highlight anystrategies and tools that you use during third quarter. • Organizing: • Use OneDrive to organize your intersession documentation in an EBP folder. • Include your completed Action Plan, highlighted Framework for Action, supporting evidence/artifacts, Showcase presentation (optional). • Sharing: • Send Kelly the URL for your EBP OneDrive folder via email. • Be prepared to tell your EBP story and share your evidence/artifacts at the April 12th EBP Showcase! Register if you have not already done so.

30. Support • Use resources on EBP Wiki page! • Including co-created Framework for Action: Instruction • Collaborate & communicate using Evidence-Based Practice small groups in Elementary & Secondary LMS Edmodo

31. Questions? Begin your Evidence-Based Practice journey!