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

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

• Audrey Church
• Longwood University
• VEMA
• 2004

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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

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Outline

1. Review of statewide impact studies
2. Collecting portfolio evidence
3. Participating in Project Achievement
4. Using data collection software
5. Linking to academic achievement
6. Performing action research

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ADVOCACY
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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.

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Principals, teachers, and parents want to hear
of local successes they want to know how their
studentsnot other schoolsare benefiting. Local
outcomes matter.
Dr. Ross J. Todd, in School Libraries
Evidence Seize the Day, Begin the Future, LMC,
8/9-03
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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 ?

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How?

• End of information literacy lessonquick
  evaluation from students
• Samples of students work
• Collaborative lesson plans/statements from
  teachers
• Survey data from teachers and/or students
• Collaborative Instructional Partnerships form
• Test scores

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Suggested Strategies from Information Power

• Checklistsbefore and after instruction
• Rubricsset criteria
• Conferencingstudent reflection (their work,
  skills, the benefits)
• Journalingyour reflections on instruction and
  the outcomes
• Portfolioscollect student work over time,
  matched to content curriculum and information
  literacy standards

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• Move from quantitative reporting to qualitative
• Reports to administrators
• Sharing of evidence with parent teacher
  organization

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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

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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 agree to collect evidence and to
  present the evidence locally

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• Project information available at
  http//www.davidvl.org/Achieve/achieve.html
• Project guidelines available at
  http//www.davidvl.org/Achieve/ProjectAchievementN
  ational.pdf

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• Measurements collected in four major program
  areas
• Reading
• Collaborative planning
• Information literacy
• Technology
• Analysis at
• Learner level
• Teaching unit level
• Organization level
• Direct and indirect measures

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IV. IMPACT! Documenting the LMC Program for
Accountability

• Instructional Media Professionals 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 availablecollaboration, resource,
  content area, research skills
• Download a trial version (good for five launches)
  from http//www.lmcsource.com/tech/new.html

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V. Link to Academic Achievement

• Current VDOE Project
• Linking Libraries and Academic Achievement
• Documents to be introduced at fall 2004 VEMA
  conference in Roanoke, for LMS and for content
  area curriculum specialists
• Analysis of SOL Test Blueprints
• SOL which lend themselves to collaboration and
  information literacy instruction

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• At Your School
• Analysis of SOL
• Curriculum Frameworks, Scope and Sequence Guides,
  Test Blueprints
• Analysis of test scores
• Classroom data, Student data
• Collection of data
• What impact did your involvement in the
  instructional process have?

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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

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Action Research Nine Steps

1. Focus on a topic or issue
2. Review and synthesize the research and theory on
   the topic
3. Develop research questions
4. Collect data
5. Analyze data
6. 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
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Action research is reflective and recursive!
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Sample Action Research Questions

• How does the presence of parent library
  volunteers affect student achievement?
• To what degree are parents involved in their
  childrens 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?

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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

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• 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
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Evidence-Based Practice

• Every student succeeds _at_ your library
• Partners for learning _at_ your library
• Teacher librarians make a difference _at_ your
  library
• Evidence proves students learn _at_ your library

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Prove that what you do makes a difference!
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Resources

• Farmer, L. S. J. (2003). How to conduct action
  research a guide for library media specialists.
  Chicago American Association of School
  Librarians.
• Todd, R. J. (2003). Irrefutable evidence how to
  prove you boost student achievement. School
  Library Journal, 49(4), 52-54.

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For more information, contact

• Audrey Church, Coordinator, School Library Media
  Program, Longwood University, 201 High Street,
  Hull 234, Farmville, VA 23909
• Phone [phone]
• Email achurch_at_longwood.edu
• Web page http//www.longwood.edu/staff/achurch