Week 8 Reading #2

Communicating Evidence of Student Learning

Ross, T. J. (2007). Evidence-Based Practice and School Libraries: From Advocacy to Action. In School Reform and the School Library Media Specialist (pp. 57-78). Westport, CN: Libraries Unlimited.

“Central to evidence-based education is the acknowledgement that empirical evidence does not stand alone, outside of the context of practice. Rather, it is melded with professional wisdom…acquire(d) through experience and through view derived from professional consensus (p.61).”


Chapter four of Evidence-Based Practice and School Libraries: From Advocacy to Action focuses on how to, as a school librarian, improve student outcomes. The chapter suggests that it is important to focus on data and best practices to improve the quality of instruction in the media center and throughout the school. In addition, the article overlaps the idea that we must work from experience and knowledge of the population that we serve. Finally, the article ties in the idea of the importance of self-reflection with the focus of measurable outcomes.

A point of interest on page 65 was Todd’s finding that, “professional books are regarded as highly important sources of research for informing practice, they are read far less than informal sources such as listserv conversations and professional and trade magazines.” Many librarians felt that time was the key in prohibiting them from spending time reading this information. As a teacher, I face the time crunch as well. Knowing the importance of this research and that my time will still be limited when I become a school librarian; I will need to combine time management with attainable goals for reading.

Todd moves to the idea of communicating key research and how integration of research has been implemented to improve student learning to stakeholders on page 66. He presents the idea that many librarians struggle with this aspect of their job. I believe that a huge part of the struggle is that as librarians we have an innate love of learning. Therefore, we want to read everything and do everything. Yet, it is more important to try to implement the research than to read everything ever written. Thinking about reading one major piece of research per year and then implementing it and measuring it on a three year cycle might take a lot of overwhelming pressure off the librarian while allowing them to improve their program and communicate the information about their program to the stakeholders.

Critics of this idea will say that implementing one major research based strategy will slow down pace at which librarians can effect change. I argue that allowing librarians to trying research backed strategies on a slower schedule will allow them to delve deeper into the strategy and spend time reflecting on their work in order to perfect their work.

In addition, on page 67 Todd calls for librarians to make the evidence of student learning outcomes the focused result of the work of the librarian. By doing this we will be contributing to our school’s AYP. Moreover, we will increase our job security, as we become an essential part of our students’ achievement.