Collaboration through Action Research: A 3-Dimensional Model

1. Collaboration through Action Research:A 3-Dimensional Model Multiple Faces of Collaboration CISSL-ILILE Research Symposium Kent State University Dr. Carol Gordon 17 May 2007

2. The Problem School libraries are not considered critical to student achievement. School librarians are marginalized by their library functions and what they teach. Research Questions • How will a 3-dimensional model, whereby school librarians are mentored by a professional researcher, inform their practice? • How will the school librarians feel about their research?

3. Action Research: Reflection, Inquiry, Action Question Reflect Fieldwork New action Analysis To improve the transaction between student and teacher

4. What is action research? “I am on the outside looking in.” “The research is a portrait of ourselves.” “My research is an invention created by me.” “My research is a unique expression of my classroom story. In many ways, it has a life of its own.” Action research is the pedagogical counterpart of authentic learning

5. Action research… • Acknowledges the teacher is knowledgeable • Is ongoing • Gives teachers the power to make decisions • Is collaborative • Gives teachers the responsibility for professional growth Wood, P. (1988, April). Action research: A field perspective. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA.

6. The link between Action Research and Collaboration Kurt Lewin

7. What is collaboration? • Coordination • Cooperation • Collaboration Delaware Study:

8. The Context for Collaboration Why Information Literacy is not Enough to Effect Collaboration • Recognize a need for information • Locate information • Select information • Evaluate information • Use information

9. Theory and Practice In the First and Second Dimensions Evidence-based Practice • Action Research • School library media specialists • use tools of the expert • apply problem solving • become their own best critics Authentic Teaching Guided Inquiry Authentic Learning Tasks Authentic Assessments • Students • use tools of the expert • apply problem solving • become their own best critics Constructivism Cognitive Science

10. What is Authentic Teaching? • Essential questions • Authentic learning tasks & assessments (formative and summative) • Authentic research • Action research Why do we need authentic teaching in the school library?

11. Linking Classroom Teacher with School Library: Historical Inquiry • Stating a thesis A proposition whose validity the author demonstrates by producing evidence • Asking questions Should the constitution be read strictly or broadly? Was Christopher Columbus the first to think the world was round?

12. Historical Decision-making • Probability – informed common sense • Verification & attribution (footnotes, citations, bibliographies • Detecting bias

13. Evidence Primary Records, documents Relics, artifacts Visuals Secondary The “literature” Reports How do historians gain knowledge?

14. Research is Question, thesis, hypothesis Rooted in theoretical framework Plan, design for conducting a study or experiment Information collection Data collection Analysis What is Authentic Research? Research is not • Collecting information • Reporting facts • Following a linear process • Selling or persuading • Writing a neat, grammatically correct paper • Experimentation • Surveys, questionnaires Research is asking the right questions

15. Why Authentic Learning Tasks? Do we want to evaluate student problem-solving in the visual arts? Experimental research in science? Speaking, listening and facilitating a discussion? Doing document-based historical inquiry? Thoroughly reviewing a piece of imaginative writing until it works for the reader? Then let our assessment be built out of such exemplary intellectual challenges. Grant Wiggins, 1990

16. Projects Authentic Learning Tasks Librarian as Teacher ALTs are Preparation for Research

17. Research Mentor as Professional Developer 2.Action Research Research Mentor As Formal Researcher Librarians as Practitioner- Researchers 1.Authentic Teaching: Authentic Learning Tasks- Assessments 3. Research Study on Action Research

18. How did it Work? Conceptual Framework Logistics, funding, procedures Mentor as Adviser Mentor as Researcher Director Library, Media and Technology Feedback On site instruction 221 E-mails, phone support; 4 on-site visits Collect data: observation, e-mails, PR journals, conversations, Meetings, and interviews Progress, Updates, findings Support, scheduling, monitoring Librarians, Technology Trainer as Teachers and Researchers Develop and implement instructional unit with teachers Feedback Collect, analyze data Students as Researchers Teachers as Partners

19. Evidence-based Practice Action Research Guided Inquiry Authentic Learning Tasks & Assessments ISP Theoretical Framework

20. The First Dimension: Librarian as Teacher • The teaching unit • Essential questions • Authentic learning tasks • Authentic assessments • formative and summative • Project evaluation questionnaire: • How can I do it better next time questionnaire • in collaboration with the classroom teacher

21. The Second Dimension:Librarian as Researcher The Research Questions A unique question: • How can we help 4th graders achieve higher order thinking? • When given a choice, which methods of note taking do students prefer? • How can we promote the use of online subscription databases with 9th graders? Generic question: How can I do it better next time? (Project Evaluation) Librarians as Researchers

22. The Generic Question:How can I do it better next time? Data Collection: Ask the students Instrument: Questionnaire Timelines were reasonable. Instructions were clear. Resources were adequate. I could get help when I needed it. What was the most difficult thing you had to do? How would you change this unit to make it better? Librarian as Researcher

23. 1. Research question/Thesis Research Proposal for Focus Formulation 2. Unit Design: Topic Authentic Learning Task Collaborator(s) Timelines Start: End: Description of the project or unit. Student product? Information/research skills assessed? Assessments? Lessons taught? Support materials used? 3. Data Collection: Two types of evidence (e.g., interviews, questionnaires, grades, observation/journal entries, photographs, student products/projects, authentic assessments (rubrics, journals checklists, portfolios).

24. What did the school librarians investigate? • Note taking (2) • Higher levels of thinking (2) • Use of variety of sources of information • Evaluation of web sites • Use of databases vs. Internet • Teaching styles and classroom computers Librarian as Researcher

25. Data Collection Methods • Observation (field notes, photos, videos) • Interview (notes, tapes) • Survey • Case studies • Researcher’s journal • Correspondence (letters, emails, phone calls) • Primary documents • Focus groups • Debriefings • Behavioral Checklists • Formative/summative assessments of students’ work Librarian as Researcher

26. What about theory? Dewey Learning by doing; Progressivism; School connects with community Piaget Knowledge is constructed by assimilation & accommodation Sternberg Learning Styles Haptic Auditory Visual Bloom’s Taxonomy Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation Vygotsky Metacognition & the Zone of Proximal Development

27. Analysis Qualitative • Constant Comparative Method Color coding, finding patterns Quantitative • Descriptive Statistics Librarian as Researcher

28. First and Second Dimensions: Librarians as Teachers and Researchers Action Research Authentic Learning Tasks/ Assessments Data from Action research Data from ALT/Assessments

29. The 3rd Dimension:What did the Research Mentor do? • Built a Framework for -the design and implementation of ALT -structure for the action research • Provided Models and Support Materials -Proposal template -Questionnaire exemplar, help sheets • Coached Methodology • Acted as Intermediary to facilitate communication • Bridged theory and practice • Conducted research on school librarians as teachers and researchers Researcher as Mentor

30. Librarian-Mentor email transactions • 184 transactions • One-to-one and group transactions Categories -Planning stage -Implementation stage Input for Categories • Kuhlthau’s ISP • Types of support offered by mentor • Work patterns of librarians during collaboration • with teachers • Traditional formal research requirements set forth by universities

31. Planning Stage Implementation Stage Findings Total = 38/184 emails 21 % of total emails 38 emails for TS, IU, RQ TS. IU, RQ= Focus Formulation Findings Total = 146/184 emails 79 % of total emails 146 emails for DC-LO= Collection & Presentation *Total email transactions including Director/Mentor Researcher=37 for total of 221 TS=Topic Selection IU=Instructional Unit RQ=Research Question DC=Data Collection TH=Theory CO=Collaboration with teachers SH=PR sharing AN=Analysis PE=Praise and encouragement PR=Progress LO=Logistics DC=Data Collection TH=Theory CO=Collaboration with teachers SH=PR sharing AN=Analysis PE=Praise and encouragement PR=Progress LO=Logistics

32. Email and Average Word Counts Comparing average number of words in paragraphs to number of emails written in a category to determine what was problematic for PRs. (Word counts do not include email attachments/support materials.) Focus formulation dominated the planning stage. The need for support was not as intense in implementation stage. TS=Topic Selection IU=Instructional Unit RQ=Research Question DC=Data Collection TH=Theory CO=Collaboration with teachers SH=PR sharing AN=Analysis PE=Praise and encouragement PR=Progress LO=Logistics DC=Data Collection TH=Theory CO=Collaboration with teachers SH=PR sharing AN=Analysis PE=Praise and encouragement PR=Progress LO=Logistics

33. Research Mentor’s Findings • How will a 3-dimensional model, whereby school librarians • are mentored by a professional researcher, inform their • practice? • How will the school librarians feel about their research? The Librarians: • Clarified learning theories • Explored sense of self as teachers, leaders • Gained awareness of students’ perspectives • Acquired knowledge about teaching and curriculum • Developed appreciation for processes of inquiry and reflection • Experienced the stages similar to ISP; attained a level of comfort with formal research methods

34. How well did the 3-D model work? • It strengthened bonds between librarians and collaborating teachers despite the problems of collaboration. • The 3-D model improved perceptions of the school librarians as experts in research. By the end of the unit they felt a high degree of confidence and ownership in the instruction. • Action research helped school librarians become school leaders. Evidence: The project, now is now in its 4th year. For the past 2 years librarians have been mentoring teachers in action research across the district.

35. 4. Teacher Action Research Research Mentor as Professional Developer 2.Action Research Research Mentor As Formal Researcher Librarians as Practitioner- Researchers 1.Authentic Learning Tasks- Assessments 3. Research Study on Action Research The 4-Dimensional Model

36. 4. Teacher Action Research Librarians as Mentors for teachers Research Mentor as Professional Developer 2.Action Research Research Mentor As Formal Researcher Librarians as Practitioner- Researchers 1.Authentic Learning Tasks- Assessments 2. Action Research for Students Librarians as action research mentors for students 3. Research Study on Action Research The 5-Dimensional Model

37. How can the 5-D model help school libraries to be accountable? Demonstrates the value school librarians add to the academic lives of students and teachers as • Professional developers and mentors • Research experts • Teachers of essential skills/inquiry by raising the quality of instruction for students and the quality of interactions with teachers.

38. The school librarian as instructional leader • Interpreting standards • Designing instruction • Designing accountable curriculum • Assessing product and process • Conducting action research • Being a change agent ACHIEVING CREDIBILITY

39. The Bottom Line School librarians must abandon library-centric thinking, shed paradigms of librarianship that are not relevant to student learning, and become an integral part of their work world: the world of education. Until they do that, the consensus will remain that they are expendable.

40. Reflective thinking is always more or less troublesome because it involves overcoming the inertia that inclines one to accept suggestions at their face value; it involves willingness to endure a condition of mental unrest and disturbance. Reflective thinking … means judgment suspended during further inquiry; and suspense is likely to be somewhat painful… To maintain the state of doubt and to carry on systematic and protracted inquiry-these are the essentials of thinking. John Dewey

41. What are essential questions that drive historical inquiry? • Can we ever “know” the past? • Does the historian discover or create meaning? • What is the truth? • Does the empirical-analytical lead us to the truth? • Does the past contain one true story/meaning or several? • Can we trust our sources? Essential Questions