Evidence-Based Practice: Proving That What You Do Makes a Difference

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

2. 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

3. 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

4. Today’s Session: • Review of impact studies • Collecting portfolio evidence • Participating in Project Achievement • Using data collection software • Linking to academic achievement • Performing action research

5. EVIDENCE DATA! ADVOCACY

6. 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.

7. “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

8. “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

9. 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 

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. Measurements collected in four major program areas: • Reading • Collaborative planning • Information literacy • Technology • Analysis at • Learner level • Teaching unit level • Organization level

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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/

19. 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?

20. 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

21. Action Research: Nine Steps • 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

22. 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

23. Action research is reflective and recursive!

24. 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?

25. 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……

26. 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

27. 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 inquiry Dr. Lesley S. J. Farmer, How to Conduct Action Research: A Guide for Library Media Specialists, p. 39-40

28. Evidence-Based Practice • Accountability… • Impact on student learning…

29. 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

30. Evidence for… • Teachers • Administrators • Parents • Community members

31. 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

32. Prove that what you do makes a difference!

33. 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/

34. 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

35. 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: churchap@longwood.edu • Web page: http://www.longwood.edu/staff/achurch