Supporting You: Teacher Action Research

Teacher Action Research – For Implementation And Sustainability

Implementation and sustainability of the learning commons model, like any pedagogical movement, depends on continuous gathering of evidence and research to support growth. Leading Learning provides rich opportunities for exploring instructional strategies through action research as schools use the standards to guide change. Principals, teacher-librarians, library support personnel and classroom teachers will approach the research from their own perspectives and all are needed to ensure desired results. Collaborative teacher inquiry is another approach and fits so well with the co-teaching and collaboration goals of the learning commons.

Researchers can target specific indicators from the standards to focus their research. What’s working well? What needs to change? What would you like to experiment with? What are you doing now that you can stop? How will you know you are making progress? These and many more questions will guide each inquiry in order to improve pedagogy and practice in the school library learning commons.

Although the school library community has produced volumes of academic research over the years on the positive impact of excellent school library programs and teacher librarian leadership on student achievement and partner teacher efficacy; we are counting on leaders in each SLLC to conduct ‘home grown’ local research at each site. As the stories, testimonies, blogs, and seminars sharing action research findings multiply, it will be very hard to ignore the evidence. Schools, districts and regions will see the logic of serious reinvestment in school libraries as a wise business plan that gets results.

Approaches and Tools to Help

• Evidence Based Practice

Evaluation is a critical aspect of an ongoing cycle of continuous improvement. Evaluation helps to align a library’s programs and services with the goals of the school. Evaluation demonstrates to students and teachers, to library staff, and to the wider educational community the benefits derived from school library programs and services. Evaluation gives the evidence needed to improve those programs and services and helps both library staff and library users understand and value those programs and services. Successful evaluation leads to renewal of programs and services as well as development of new programs and services. Evaluation also is essential to guide initiatives related to public relations and advocacy.

Evidence-based practice is a holistic and integrated approach to using data for decision-making. Evidence-based practice in school libraries integrates three kinds of data: a) evidence FOR practice (using findings from formal research to inform practice); b) evidence IN practice (using locally produced data for transforming practice); and c) evidence OF practice (using userreported and user-generated data to show the results of what school librarians do) (Todd, 2007). IFLA School Library Guidlines 2nd Edition 2015

Three Dimensions of Evidence Based Practice in the Library Learning Commons based on Ross Todd

• Explore these articles by Ross Todd which suggests three dimensions to evidence-based practice in the LLC School Librarianship and Evidence-Based Practice: Perspectives, Progress and Problems. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice.(2009) and Evidence Based Practice and School Librarians (2015)

• Use findings from formal research and/or from professional expertise to inform practice. See: Canadian School Libraries Research Archive and Library Research Service (LRS)

• Where is your school on the continuum of evidence-based practice phases* in developing the Whole School Library Learning Commons? Use this chart adapted from The Whole School Library Learning Commons: An Educator’s Guide (Sykes, 2016) to analyze the growth in your school and plan for the future. Click here to open and download a PDF Where do we see ourselves in EBP?

• Action Research

Treasure Mountain Canada developed a brief guide for TMC participants writing papers for biannual research symposiums. This simple process for approaching action research is an excellent guide for a teacher who wants to experiment with the standards and indicators and collect evidence of the impact on teaching and learning.

Click here to open and download a PDF Action Research Process for Teacher Librarians Made Simple.

• Research In Action: An Interview with Judith Sykes

The author of school library practice books including books on action research makes a case for de-mystifying and integrating action research into daily practice to support a practitioner’s development and advance student learning.

• Collaborative Teacher Inquiry

Working with another educator or a team of teachers is a natural and powerful approach to conducting research in the Library Learning Commons and ensuring transference of best practice to the whole school. To find out more consult Collaborative Teacher Inquiry Monograph Ontario Ministry of Education.

Examples of Collaborative Teacher Inquiry in the LLC:

• Inquiry into Use of iPads in the Library Learning Commons: Peel Teacher Librarian iPad Exploration Project, Peel District School Board Presented for Treasure Mountain Canada 3 (2014), this inquiry explored the potential of incorporating iPads as tools to support student learning within the context of the school library learning commons involving six teacher librarians from secondary, middle and elementary (primary/junior) schools.

Greater Essex County DSB / University of Windsor Collaborative Inquiry Project Presented for Treasure Mountain Canada 3 (2014), this inquiry examined the impact of triple roles of the teacher-librarian – teaching and learning, professional development, and support (and resource management) – on both student learning and teacher learning.

Leading Learning in Action:

Teacher action research has been foundational in creating Leading Learning and keeping exemplars growing.  Prior to each Treasure Mountain Canada (TMC) research retreat, held every two years for the past six years, a call for papers was sent out to educational leaders and school library associations across the country. Several papers prepared for study at TMC5 demonstrate how Leading Learning standards of practice can be used to help schools advance a Culturally Relevant and Responsive School Library Learning Commons.

• Facilitating Reconciliation through the Library Learning Commons Jo-Anne Gibson

This symposium paper relates how teacher-librarians can turn to Leading Learning for guidance and exemplars and show how these standards have helped this school learning community move forward in culturally relevant and responsive ways.

• Weaving the Fabric of our Schools’ Cultures… Vivianne Fogarty

Students’ cultures mesh in the library learning commons and whole school to create a unique school culture as depicted through this slideshare symposium presentation. Environments, partnerships and lifelong learning factor prominently in this rich learning journey; teaching artifacts from collaborations and leadership in the library learning commons are shared.

• Leading Learning as a Tool for Reflection and Growth: Culturally Relevant and Responsive Library Learning Commons  Judith Sykes and Carol Koechlin

This symposium paper explores the many ways school library professionals can enable every student to see themselves in the spaces, resources and learning approaches in the learning commons as well as uncovering and appreciating their broader communities through turning to Leading Learning for themes and exemplars to demonstrate evidence of culturally relevant and responsive practices already in place across Canada in school libraries. An added bonus: 17 new “See it Action” exemplars!