Evidence-Based Programs:
School Library Media Montonio C. Reid July 20, 2008 Curriculum For Educational Leaders Summer 2008 EDLE 6322.01D Dr. Robert Morris
Purpose The purpose of this presentation is to describe some effects of evidence-based practices in the school library media program. An evidence based program will assist school library media specialists to reevaluate their media programs and operations for its contributions to the learning community. School library media specialists will know that evidencebased practices are student-centered and focus on student learning outcomes.
What is an Evidence-Based Practice? Evidence-based practice can be defined as the use and integration of research-derived processes that have been supported with evidence of successful outcomes.
According to the University of Minnesota's Biomedical library, EBP is a thoughtful integration of the best available evidence, coupled with clinical expertise. As such it enables health practitioners of all varieties to address healthcare questions with an evaluative and qualitative approach. EBP allows the practitioner to assess current and past research, clinical guidelines, and other information resources in order to identify relevant literature while differentiating between high-quality and low-quality findings. (http://www.biomed.lib.umn.edu/learn/ebp/mod01/i ndex.html)
The Purpose of EBP Evidence-Based Practice in the school library media program
seeks to address issues of perception about the effectiveness of the program on student achievement and learning.
Why is a school library program necessary for schools? Will students benefit from the effects of a school library media program? Are school library media programs addressing the needs of students living in a digital world? Does the school library media program support the needs of the educational community? Mapping is changing the way schools do business Evidence-based practices will help Administrators, teachers, community, and students To know that the school library media program affirmatively affects student learning outcomes and To readily identify some learning outcomes resulting from direct contributions of the school library program.
Evidence-based school librarianship uses research-derived evidence to shape and direct what we do. Evidence-based practices (EBP) combines professional wisdom, reflective experience, and understanding of students’ needs with the judicious use of researchderived evidence to make decisions about how the school library can best meet the instructional goals of the school... (Todd, School Library Journal, 2008)
How does a school library program prove necessary using evidence-based practices?
Making concrete the links between library and learning Making concrete the links between information access and provision and growth of knowledge Practices that demonstrate tangible power of our contribution to school’s learning goals Local, immediate evidence: local successes, local improvements (Todd, 2003)
From Process to Outcome • EBP recognizes the Standards for the 21st Century Learner (ALA, 2007), as a guide for shaping evidentiary data: •
“The standards clearly provide a framework for the evidence that should be generated. They provide a structure for making evidence-based claims about the school library’s contribution to learning, and give focus to specific evidence-collecting strategies”. (Todd, 2008)
• School library programs should focus on learning outcomes as a means to provide productive evidence. Apart from the normal, accepted process of collecting data, like circulation statistics and ordering procedures, though they are necessary data processes for the continual management, school library programs should seek to gather data of rubrics, evaluations, checklists, and journal entries.
• Todd wrote, “Evidence-based practices... asks school librarians to take action, to engage in local initiatives, rather than simply keeping track of the number of books that are checked out. • This is not to disparage what has traditionally been at the center of school library practice, such as the number of classes in the library, the number of items borrowed, and the number of items purchased annually. However, these are evidence of inputs and processes, rather than evidences of outcomes. They do play a role in making decisions that will lead to optimum outcomes, and should not be overlooked. But they are not the centerpiece of evidence-based practice.”
Suggested Strategies (Todd, 2003) • simple checklist strategies: where students check their perceived levels of skills, knowledge and attitude before and after learning intervention; • rubric strategies: where students are scaled according to a set of criteria that clearly defines requirements of performances and products • conferencing strategies: group / individual review activities, students reflect on their work, on their constructive process and skills, and on benefits; • journaling strategies: writing entries in journal to focus on the research process as well as on the outcomes of their research;
How to implement a Evidencebased program School library media specialists must lead the charge by ď Ž Providing staff development ď Ž Developing collaborative teams (with teachers), focusing on guided inquiry (http://cissl.scils.rutgers.edu/guided_inquiry/im plementation.html), a process rooted in the application and conceptual framework of the Standards for the 21st Century Learner (ALA, 2007)
References
American Association of School Librarians and the Association for Educational Communications & Technology (1998). Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning. Chicago: American Library Association. American Association of School Librarians (2007). AASL Standards for the 21stCentury . Retrieved July 16, 2008, from www.ala.org Web site: www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslproftools/learningstandards/AASL_LearningStandards.p df Kuhlthau, C (2007, August 27). Guided Inquiry. Retrieved July 21, 2008, from http://cissl.scils.rutgers.edu Web site: http://cissl.scils.rutgers.edu/guided_inquiry/introduction.html Todd, R (2008). The Evidence-Based Manifesto for School Librarians. Retrieved July 11, 2008, from www.schoollibraryjournal.com Web site: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6545434.html#What%20is%20EBP%20for% ? R Todd, Outcomes Evidence-Based Practice, 2003