It summarises the School Library Journal Leadership Summit 2007 "Where's the evidence ? Understanding the importance of school libraries."
At the end of the article online is a section TO-DO Lists - for school librarians, for researchers and educators, and for associations...
To-Do Lists : School librarians
At the heart of evidence-based practice (EBP) is the day-by-day actions of school librarians, and participants identified a wide range of suggestions and strategies.
Shift from an advocacy strategy. Make certain that mission statements are articulated from a learning-outcomes viewpoint, that means “students will…” rather than “the school library will….” Ensure that goals and initiatives are built on a research framework and based on research evidence and document learners’ needs and EBP strategies to address them.
Just do it. Step outside your comfort zone and deal with any insecurity about your impact. An outcomes-driven practice may need to adjust its management and support staff. EBP is neither easy nor simple, but taking small steps is essential in overcoming the false perception that EBP is time-consuming and complicated. Develop an EBP plan that makes you part of your school’s solutions.
Share outcomes rather than seek permission to engage in EBP. Your mandate for practice is derived from the profession and not based on the limited perceptions of others. Be patient in overcoming resistance to changes in your professional role, and remember: presenting clear evidence that you’re contributing to your school’s learning goals is much more convincing than merely advocating for the opportunity.
Establish evidence-based mentorships and partnerships: identify some leading lights and learn together.
Gain access to data. You’ll probably be able to get your hands on test scores and other kinds of achievement data, which can be broken down to isolate specific gaps in student learning. Develop interventions aligned to the school library’s role, such as actions that build better reading comprehension or critical thinking. “Standards for the 21st Century Learner” provides a framework for spotting gaps in local data and identifying where the school librarian can close those gaps.
Get involved with your school improvement process. Improvement plans are a natural avenue for developing EBP. Typically they are data driven, with data required to establish the need, interventions, and to measure change. Explain how the school library can contribute to the plan.
Build a research orientation into your practice. Produce a weekly summary of some key research. Share locally generated evidence at faculty forums or in newsletters.
Work within your school’s data-driven structures. It’s likely that teachers are already using school data or involved in school improvement planning. Join them. Drill down into the data to find the gaps and where library interventions can help.
Make advocacy evidence-based. Make sure every advocacy initiative is explicitly tied to research and provides national, district, and school-based evidence. Advocacy without evidence is just self-interested opinion.
Construct an evidence-based portfolio. Compile data from diverse sources, including library-based data; instructional processes, exemplars, and assessment data; statements of outcomes; and examples of high-quality learning. Use it when negotiating for continuous improvement or defending against proposed cutbacks.
Identify your professional development needs in relation to evidence-based practice. Get training and learn to apply EBP approaches.
No comments:
Post a Comment