Ann GillespiePhD candidate, QUT

IASL/SLAQ conference, Brisbane, Australia. September, 2010

Diversity Challenge Resilience: School Libraries in Action - The 12th

Biennial School Library Association of Queensland, the 39th International Association of School Librarianship Annual Conference, incorporating the 14th International Forum on Research in School Librarianship, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 27 September – 1 October 2010.

How do teacher librarians perceive and use evidence based practice

� Background to the problem

� Overview of the literature

� Research method� Research method

� Proposed outcomes of the research

� What I have learned along the way

� Australia wide study of teacher librarians

� The education revolution

� The role of teacher librarians

� What is a teacher librarian?

In the school environment the focus is on students, teachers, classrooms and learning. With their impact in student learning largely unrecognised the flow on effect is that is very easy

Inquiry into school libraries and teacher librarians in Australian schools

� Over 320 submissions, hearings and interviews in every state

This scrutiny makes it evident that teacher librarians need to

effect is that is very easy for the teacher librarian and the library itself to be undervalued and overlooked (Hartzell, 1997).

librarians need to demonstrate their impact on teaching and learning and in particular their impact on student cultural, social and academic achievement.

� That evidence based practice has the potential to demonstrate the value of the teacher librarian.

� Providing meaningful evidence of work practices that demonstrate contributions to practices that demonstrate contributions to schools goals and mission statements in conjunction with contributions to student social, cultural and academic achievements.

� EBP is becoming well established in medicine, health services and education and the wider librarianship field.

� There is no empirically derived framework of EBP that applies to the library and information EBP that applies to the library and information sector or specifically to the teacher librarian.

Central objective:How teacher librarians perceive and use evidence based practice to demonstrate their contributions to the social, cultural and academic achievements of their students?

Specific aims – the research questions:� What constitutes evidence based practice in teacher � What constitutes evidence based practice in teacher librarianship?

and � Within the context of evidence based practice and teacher librarianship - what is evidence?

The research contribution would be: � To devise a framework of evidence based practice for teacher librarians which has been developed from a foundation in research.

� Evolving nature of EBP

� The various understandings of what EBP is and its place in research and practice

� The complexity of the t/ls role

� EBP from the perspectives of

� Medical sector

� Nursing & Health sectors

� Library & Information sector

Education sector� Education sector

� School library sector

Evidence based practice is an evolutionary story of adopting, adapting and applying

The origins from the medical sector – A definition‘Evidence based medicine is the conscientious, explicit, and judicious ‘Evidence based medicine is the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. The practice of evidence based medicine means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research’ (Sackett, 1996, p. 71).

� Define the clinical question

� Retrieve the pertinent information

� Evaluate the literature� Evaluate the literature� Categorise the quality of the evidence base

� Develop conclusion and recommendation

(Rosenberg & Donald, 1995, p. 1122)

Summary:Reliance on random controlled trials and systematic researchThe model is structured and hierarchicalQuantitative approaches to data collectionReliance on secondary sources of evidenceDisregards and devalues evidence which is derived from social interactions and observations

� EBM relies on external clinical evidence from systematic research

� A question of bias......� Takes an external scientific approach

Can it tell the whole story?

interactions and observations

� An evolutionary trail� Takes a more internal, intuitive approach

� Linear models (Lomas, 1993)� Kitson, Harvey & McKormack(1998) – placed a value on (1998) – placed a value on facilitation and context

� Move from the quantitative, positivist domain to the qualitative, Interpretivist domain

� Fill the gap between research and practice

Takes a broader, more socially orientated view of evidence.Knowledge can be generated from four types of evidence

Summary:Development from linear to non-linear modelsQuantitative and qualitative data types of evidence

� Research� Clinical experience� Patients, clients and carers

� Local context and environment

(Rycroft-Malone et al, 2004)

qualitative data sourcesPrimary sources of evidence based on secondary sourcesContext and facilitation are acknowledged

Is the human experience really evidence?

Personal experience and experiential knowledge ‘should be recognised for what they are and should not be disguised as types of evidence for them to be deemed of any of evidence for them to be deemed of any value’ (Scott-Findlay & Pollock, 2004, p. 92).

Key players are Booth, Booth & Brice, Crumley & Koufogiannakis,Eldredge, Watson-Boone.First adaptations occur inhealth sector libraries

DefinitionA means to improve the profession of A means to improve the profession of librarianship by asking questions as well as finding, critically appraising and incorporating research from library science (and other disciplines) into daily practice. It also involves encouraging librarians to conduct high quality qualitative and quantitative research.

(Crumley & Koufogiannakis, 2002, p. 62)

The various models have been summarised by Lyons (2009, p. 64) as:

� Define the problem and identify possible contributing factors� Specify a desired state of affairs� Identify and evaluate alternative solutions for reaching the desired state of affairs

� Assess the feasibility and suitability in terms of costs, benefits, and constraints of each alternative solutionSelect the most desirable solution and confirm that its specification � Select the most desirable solution and confirm that its specification is complete and understood

� Prepare a plan to implement the solution, and then implement it� Collect valid data to monitor results, comparing both the implementation and the results to the specification in step 2 and step 5

� If needed, adjust the implementation plan and repeat steps 6 to 8.

Watson-Boone (2000) identifies six approaches that could be used in evidence based practice as:

� Action researchAction researchAction researchAction research (a cyclical process of problem identification and resolution involving problem identification, planning, acting, observing, and reflecting) (p. 87).

� Case study researchCase study researchCase study researchCase study research (a detailed examination of one setting using documents, observations, questionnaires and interviews. It is descriptive and interpretive) (p. 88).

� Evaluation researchEvaluation researchEvaluation researchEvaluation research (seeks to verify hypotheses; can be summative when it Evaluation researchEvaluation researchEvaluation researchEvaluation research (seeks to verify hypotheses; can be summative when it seeks to compare actual performance with previously set performance goals and ti is outcomes focused; or formative where data is collected at the program under study is being carried out) (p. 86-89).

� Experimental researchExperimental researchExperimental researchExperimental research (usually in the form of a pre-test-, post-test on a control group; for instance in bibliographic instruction) (p. 89).

� Secondary data analysisSecondary data analysisSecondary data analysisSecondary data analysis (the statistics or analysis of data done by another researcher) (p. 89).

� Survey researchSurvey researchSurvey researchSurvey research (not to be confused with questionnaires which is an instrument to collect data; survey research is a research method; can produce qualitative or quantitative findings) (p. 90).

Linear models

Preference for secondary sources of evidence before primary sources

Quantitative data preferred over qualitative data sourcessources

Some models include a reflective stage

Question trustworthiness of qualitative sources especially narrative and anecdote

If it works in health it must work in library and information services??

Evidence based practice has been adopted and adapted unquestioned into library and information services.

The concept is a good one –The concept is a good one –it just needs adjusting

Qualitative sources should include narratives and anecdotes to provide evidence and information about the user experience.

(Hunsucker, 2007).

Attempts to link research, practice and policyThe question of trustworthinessWhat constitutes valid evidence in education?

� Performance or indicator measures?measures?

� Student evaluation?� National testing?Serves to perpetuate what gets measured gets done (Oliver & Conole, 2003).Maintain rather than transform practice

More controversy What constitutes evidence and the nature of research

� Action research is the most applied approach

� Reliability or trustworthiness of evidence when the

Summary:Primary sources based on secondary

Some primary sourcesQualitative approachesProfessional judgement is viewed with skepticism of evidence when the

practitioner is the researcher� Risk of performance measures and accountability – maintains current practice, rather than transforms it.

viewed with skepticismAligning evidence to performance standards can be restrictive

The focus of evidence based practice for teacher librarians has four purposes:

� Satisfy a need to verify contributions to student contributions to student achievement

� Gain support of school decision makers

� Aid in decision making and future planning

� To take a position of advocacy

Summary

� Reliance on an action research approach

� Strong alignment with student achievement and pedagogy

Primary sources based on secondary, � Primary sources based on secondary, some primary sources

� Evidence data comes from local sources

� Qualitative and reflective

� Trustworthiness is questioned

� Evolution –comfortable & predictable?

� Revolution – keep asking What difference has it made?

The central objectiveHow teacher librarians perceive and use evidence based practice to demonstrate their contributions to the social, cultural and academic achievements of their students.

The research questionsThe research questions

� What constitutes evidence based practice in teacher librarianship?

and � Within the context of evidence based practice and teacher librarianship -what is evidence?

Aim is to make a fit between my own background and the research questions

� Qualitative� Theoretical underpinnings of Information horizons (Sonnenwald, 2005), & EBPhorizons (Sonnenwald, 2005), & EBP

� Interpretive, ECIA, elements of case study� Participatory, using interviews & observationsHenri, Hay, Oberg Rubric for an information Literate School (2002, p. 89)

� Presented as Narrative, bricolage, matix & model

Critical Incident Technique (CIT) developed by Flanagan in 1954.Answers what style � Answers what style questions

� A critical incident could be activities or actions that

result from an event which could be a major turning point.

ECIA seeks to represent the human experience by identifying critical incidents and recording critical behaviours to answer how and why aspects. aspects.

� Holistic focus

� Crosses the social science disciplines of education and library science

� Gains insights through actions, thoughts and feelings

(Hughes, 2007)

Takes an Australian perspective and interviewees will be drawn from qualified and practicing teacher librarians

The demographics� all states in Australia (where possible)� rural, urban and regional centres� primary, secondary and multi-campus schools� primary, secondary and multi-campus schools� schools with large and small student populations

� government, Catholic and independent sector schools

� schools where teacher librarians operate in isolation and schools with more than one teacher librarian and additional support staff

� accessibility to schools,

� time and distance,

� reliability of interview information

Ethics: all ethical requirements will be met

Reliability: interviews will be recorded, transcribed and verified

� They had built good relationships with their principal, staff and students.

� They were addressing user needs in their actions for change

� They held strong convictions that their work was for the benefit of the students and teachers at their schoolsschools

� Their actions and interventions would impact on the whole school, not just the library

� They had attitudes that were proactive, supportive, and positive and were able to negotiate

� They were all providing timetabled relief time for class teachers and therefore were not working as collaborative teaching partners

� They were relying on primary based on secondary sources of evidence; that is they were using local data generated from their own work practices or library database

� They were reflective of their actions constantly striving to do things better

� They were most successful when the school principal actively supported the interventions

� They were well skilled in the use of ICTs and the applications to learning

� They were well skilled in the use of ICTs and the applications to learning

� They were leaders of professional development� They were leaders of learning innovations and users of ICTs in learning

� The culture of the school governed how they worked with students and teachers

� They were collaboratively planning though not always on a regular basis with class teachers

� Through their teaching interactions they were working to build strong links between the learning in the library and the learning in the classroomclassroom

� Lack of access to staff was a barrier to successful interventions

� They had an awareness of pedagogies for student learning

� They were adapting teaching and learning strategies to suit the culture of their school

� A use of primary sources, or original research where they conducted their own research as the foundation of evidence buildingthe foundation of evidence building

� This qualitative approach provides rich and in-depth data

� The true voice of the teacher librarian � The true voice of the teacher librarian will be heard by using excerpts of transcripts and vignettes.

� Objective 1: Raise awareness of the role of the teacher librarian and their impact on students’ social, cultural and academic achievement.

� Objective 2: Gain insight into teacher librarians’ perceptions and use of evidence based practice.

� Objective 3: Add to the body knowledge about � Objective 3: Add to the body knowledge about evidence based practice

� Objective 4: From the insights, observations and artefacts, develop a framework of evidence based practice for teacher librarians

� Object 5: Add to the research in the use of new methods to explore evidence based practice.

Ann GillespieAnn GillespieAnn GillespieAnn Gillespie

BEd (CIAE), GradDipEd(TeachLib), MInfMgt, MInfTech, AALIA.

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am.gillespie@qut.edu.au

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For other references see the full conference For other references see the full conference paper.