Lesson Study: An Experience in Collaborative Inquiry

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Lesson StudyAn Experience in Collaborative
Inquiry
Learning and teaching should not stand on
opposite banks and just watch the river flow by
instead, they should embark together on a journey
down the water. Loris
Malaguzzi (19201994)
Galadriel Chilton chilton.gala_at_uwlax.edu Michael
Current current.mich_at_uwlax.edu
Jenifer Holman Holman.jeni_at_uwlax.edu Cris
Prucha prucha.cris_at_uwlax.edu
WAAL Annual Conference April 19, 2007
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Agenda

• What is Lesson Study?
• Jenifer Holman
• Lesson Design
• Galadriel Chilton
• The Study
• Michael Current
• Discussion Lessons Learned
• Cris Prucha

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What is Lesson Study?
Lesson Study An Experience in Collaborative
Inquiry

• Jenifer Holman
• holman.jeni_at_uwlax.edu

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What is Lesson Study?

• the name of Murphy Librarys new cafe

• A term coined from the Japanese jugyokenkyuu by
  Makoto Yoshida in his 1999 dissertation.

• a popular professional development tool in use by
  Japanese elementary school teachers for many
  years

• both b and c

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How it Works

• a small group of teachers collaboratively

Improving student learning is the best way to
improve ones teaching
on a single class lesson.
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Why Lesson Study?
Because sometimes Information Literacy
Instruction feels like this
Instead of this.
Photo courtesy of Hari Bilalic
Photo courtesy of UW-L Educational Technologies
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_at_ UW-La Crosse

• 2003 Dr. Bill Cerbin, UW-L psychology professor
  and Assistant to the Provost and Vice Chancellor
  for Academic Affairs at UW-La Crosse launches the
  Lesson Study Project with support from the
  University of Wisconsin (UW) System Office of
  Professional and Instructional Development
  (OPID).
• To date, faculty at UW-L have launched 23 lesson
  study teams in 15 disciplines. The project has
  also begun to involve faculty on other University
  of Wisconsin campuses.
• Videos, a webblog, an interview with Makoto
  Yoshida, and final reports from many teams are
  available at

http//www.uwlax.edu/sotl/lsp/index.htm
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_at_ Murphy Library

• In the fall of 2004, librarians attended a lesson
  study workshop and formed a group of interested
  librarians and CST110 instructors.
• Murphy Librarians teach over 2000 CST110 students
  each year through a one-shot information literacy
  session
• The repetition of this one lesson makes it an
  excellent candidate for the lesson study process.

Photo courtesy of UW-L Educational Technologies
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Teaching Goals

• incorporate more collaborative learning
  experiences.
• create a lesson that all librarians could use to
  teach all sections of CST 110.
• build a lesson around what we THOUGHT were best
  practices and actually observe students
  interacting with the lesson.

Photo courtesy of UW-L Educational Technologies
What we think is the best way to teach students
often is not the best way for students to learn.

• Librarians have been involved in two lesson
  study teams one with Communications Studies
  and one with Theatre Arts.

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Learning Goals

• Chilton, G., Current, M., Holman, J., Prucha, C.,
  Putz, J., Reinert, T., Belter, B. (2007,
  March) Teaching library information literacy
  skills to students enrolled in an introductory
  communication course a collaborative study.
  Teaching Forum, Retrieved March 31, 2007 from
  http//www.uwlax.edu/teachingforum/

Our primary goal for the lesson was to ensure
that CST110 students gained proficiency in basic
research skills, including the use of library
services and resources.
Specifically, we wanted students to be able to

• choose appropriate library databases for a
  research question (navigate the library website)
• efficiently search library databases (use basic
  search principles)
• understand how to use library databases to
  identify and retrieve books, print periodicals,
  and electronic periodicals
• discern the credibility of sources
• format APA-style citations

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Lesson DesignDesign is not just what it looks
and feels like. Design is how it works.
Steve Jobs
Lesson Study An Experience in Collaborative
Inquiry

• Galadriel Chilton
• chilton.gala_at_uwlax.edu

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If we knew what we were doing it wouldnt be
called research. Albert Einstein

• Photo by Brent Danley

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The lesson included two instructional methods.
For every person who wants to teach there are
approximately thirty people who don't want to
learn--much. W. C. Sellar and R. J. Yeatman,
And Now All This (1932) introduction
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Lecture segments included questions
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Small group work encouraged collaborative
learning.
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Each student has a specific role throughout the
lesson.
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Small group explorations tasked students with
answering specific questions.
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The lesson includes three media types.
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1st Media Type A Movie

• Looping Intro,Welcome to Murphy
  Libraryhttp//www.uwlax.edu/murphylibrary/ili/W
  AALWelcome to Murphy Library.wmv

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2nd Media Type PowerPoint
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Handout Worksheet Research Log
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Job aids reduce demand on students short term
memories.
Image from Prof. Robert Lynchs Brain Behavior
course Web site.
Image by Dr. René Marois, retrieved from
Exploration.
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How the media and methods fit together.
Introduction
Group Exploring Establish Groups
Brainstorm Keywords
Looping Video
Base Camp Library Website
What is an article database?
Search Survival
Evaluative Thinking
Library Catalog
Library Catalog Review/Recap
CQ Researcher
Newspapers
Database Exploration Review
Academic Search Premier
CrossSearch (Metalib)
GetTeXt
Statistics Sources
Scholarly Sources
Wrap Up, Student Evaluation
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How the media and methods fit together.
Introduction
Group Exploring Establish Groups
Brainstorm Keywords
Looping Video
Base Camp Library Website
What is an article database?
Search Survival
Evaluative Thinking
Library Catalog
Library Catalog Review/Recap
CQ Researcher
Newspapers
Database Exploration Review
Academic Search Premier
CrossSearch (Metalib)
GetTeXt
Statistics Sources
Scholarly Sources
Wrap Up, Student Evaluation
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The Study
Lesson Study An Experience in Collaborative
Inquiry

• Michael Current
• current.mich_at_uwlax.edu

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The Study

• ApproachData / Evidence we collected, and How
• FindingsAnalysis of Observations

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The Study Approach

• Forms of data/evidence collected
• Filmed observations of students
• Written Observations of students
• Classroom responses
• Student evaluations
• Instructor evaluations

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The Study Approach

• Data 1 Filmed observations of students
• Consent forms signed before filming began
• Videographer filmed the class experiencing the
  lesson.
• Focus camera on students (not the instructor)
• Video burned to DVD for review/analysis

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The Study Approach

• Data 2 Written observations of students
• LS team members observed the class
• Focus on students (not the instructor or the
  lesson)
• Observe those students nearest you
• Standardized observation sheets

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The Study Approach

• Data 3. Classroom responses
• Feedback questions built into lesson as
  TurningPoint question/responses
• TurningPoint would have recorded responses for
  analysis
• Due to technical difficulties, used shows of
  hands instead.
• These were observed, but not recorded in their
  totality for analysis

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The Study Approach
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The Study Approach
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The Study Approach

• Data 4. Student evaluations
• Students asked to complete online lesson
  evaluation form at end of session
• Did the session improve your ability to use
  library resources?
• What were the 2 most important things learned?

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The Study Approach
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The Study Approach

• Data 5. Instructor evaluations
• Bibliographies were required components of later
  assignments in the class
• APA format was expected

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The Study Findings

1. Analysis of filmed written observations
2. Classroom responses
3. Analysis of student evaluation data
4. Analysis of instructor evaluations

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The Study Findings

• 1. Analysis of filmed and written observations
• In general, most students appeared to learn the
  material.
• Group explorations
• Group exercises
• Inconsistent engagement across all members of
  groups of students

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The Study Findings

• 1. Analysis of filmed and written observations
• Visual impediments in front of the screen
• Difficulty organizing into groups
• Lack of interest in Search Survival
• GetTeXt info screen not well received
• Lack of time for exercises

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The Study Findings

• 1. Analysis of filmed and written observations
• Once organized into groups, students expected
  group tasks
• Students especially engaged by automatic citation
  formatting tool

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The Study Findings

• 2. Classroom responses
• Most students had difficulties with Library
  Catalog searches (phrases, Boolean)

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The Study Findings

• 3. Analysis of student evaluation data
• Students indicated that the session improved
  their ability to use information resources(3.9
  on a 5-point Likert scale)

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The Study Findings

• 3. Analysis of student evaluation data
• That 3.9 score was a slight improvement over
  earlier versions of the lesson given by the same
  instructor 3.73Not necessarily significant,
  but well take it as a positive!

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The Study Findings

• 3. Analysis of student evaluation data
• When asked what important things they learned, a
  significant number mentioned learning about
  citing sources

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The Study Findings

• 4. Analysis of instructor evaluations
• The CST110 instructor reported students were
  generally successful in their library work,
  including citing their sources, following their
  experience with this lesson.

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Discussion Lessons Learned
Lesson Study An Experience in Collaborative
Inquiry
Photo courtesy of UW-L Educational Technologies

• Cris Prucha
• prucha.cris_at_uwlax.edu

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The knower is central to the research.
Polkinghorne (1983) Methodology for the
Human Sciences Systems of Inquiry

• Individual students
• Librarian/Presenter
• Observers
• Course Instructor

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Participatory action research operates in the
political realm and is concerned with producing
knowledge and empowering people and communities
through genuine collaboration. Bensimon, E.,
Polkinghorne, D., Bauman, G. and Vallejo, E.
(2004)

• Alternative methodology effects institutional
  change
• Practitioner as researcher approach

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The Process Effected Change

• Communication between two departments
• Communication and collaboration between
  librarians teaching the same lesson
• Acknowledging the importance of the lesson with
  our time

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The Lesson Design Facilitated Librarian
Observation and Interaction

• Group Work
• Students complete three exercises (ten minutes)
  before reconvening for discussion and lecture
• Librarian has time to observe, reinforce search
  techniques

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The Lesson Design Was More Appropriate For
Student Learning Needs

• Less lecture
• More information conveyed in group discussion of
  question/answer results
• More information provided in response to
  librarian observation and questions
• Pace was more appropriate
• Level of difficulty was more appropriate

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In Response to Findings Changes to the Lesson

• Reduce content
• General information
• Search survival information
• Organize groups at appropriate time
• Compensate for visibility problems
• GetTeXt example on worksheet
• Add APA exercise to give them experience

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In Response to Findings Change Assessment

• Include questions which assess learning on
  standard student evaluation form
• Collaborate with course instructors on pre and
  post test questions
• Collaborate with course instructors to evaluate
  student bibliographies
• Collect and evaluate student research logs.

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In Response to Findings Our Lesson is a Work in
Progress

• Address varying class length (55 minutes or 85
  minutes)
• Identify core elements of the lesson for
  librarians
• Encourage creativity
• Acknowledge different styles
• Continued communication
• Library changes
• Curriculum changes
• Close collaboration Time well spent

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Bibliography

• Chilton, G., Current, M., Holman, J., Prucha, C.,
  Putz, J., Reinert, T., Belter, B. (2007,
  March) Teaching library information literacy
  skills to students enrolled in an introductory
  communication course a collaborative study.
  Teaching Forum, Retrieved March 31, 2007 from
  http//www.uwlax.edu/teachingforum/
• Bensimon, E., Polkinghorne, D., Bauman, G.,
  Vallejo, E., (2004). Doing Research That Makes a
  Difference. The Journal of Higher Education
  75(1) 104-126.
• deWinstanley, P. A. Bjork, R. A. (2002).
  Successful lecturing Presenting information in
  ways that engage effective processing. In
  Halpern, D. F., Hakel, M. D. (Eds.), Applying
  the Science of Learning to University Teaching
  and Beyond. New Directions for Teaching and
  Learning. 89. (pp. 19-31) New York Jossey-Bass.
• Meyers, C., Jones, T. B. (1993). Promoting
  active learning Strategies for the college
  classroom. San Francisco, CA Jossey-Bass.
• Rossett, A. Gautier-Downes, J. (1991). A
  Handbook of Job Aids. San Diego Pfeiffer
  Company.
• Smith, S. A. (2004). Designing Collaborative
  Learning Experiences for Library Computer
  Classrooms. College Undergraduate Libraries,
  11(2), 65-84.
• Yiping, L., Abrami, P.C., and dApollonia, S.
  (2001). Small Group and Individual
• Learning with Technology A Meta-Analysis.
  Review of Educational Research
• 71(3) 449-522.

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Learning is not attained by chance, it must be
sought for with ardor and attended to with
diligence. Abigail Adams

• Questions?

Thank you!