Teacher Librarian Collaboration during COVID-19 Study

 This phenomenological study explored and analyze six school librarians’ experience of changes in their professional roles during the pandemic. Three major themes emerged: the local context of the school librarians’ roles during the pandemic, the pandemic as an antagonist to the school librarians’ former and present roles, and the experience of tensions within the evolution of the school librarians’ roles.

The results suggested that the pandemic’s contributions to students’ learning loss present an ongoing, critical need for school librarians’ core value of positively impacting student achievement. Implications for school librarians are that they are strongly positioned to thrive during further evolutions of their roles as instructional settings continue to diversify.

Colvin, K., Croft, M. (2024). Indicators of Successful School Librarian and Teacher Collaboration: A Phenomenology. School Library Research, 27.

https://www.ala.org/sites/default/files/2024-10/colvin-et-al.pdf

Library tech access study

 The American Library Association released a report last week underlining the role of libraries in expanding digital equity throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Libraries have played an increasingly central role in expanding access to emerging technology, as well as in digital literacy programming efforts with local partnership. This role was made even more important during the pandemic, when patrons were forced to adapt to jarring new realities. The report explores the efforts of libraries to understand and combat the digital divide. (from report abstract).

Bryne, A., & Visser, M. (2021). Keeping communities connected: Library broadband services during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2021). American Library Association.

https://www.ala.org/advocacy/sites/ala.org.advocacy/files/content/telecom/broadband/Keeping_Communities_Connected_030722.pdf

Reading studies

 Several recent studies reveal the toll the coronavirus pandemic -- now entering its third year -- is taking on children's reading skills. The declines are affecting students in every demographic, and schools are working to boost literacy with tutoring and other supports, but some say their efforts are hampered by a shortage of trained educators.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/08/us/pandemic-schools-reading-crisis.html

Research brief. (2022). Amplify. https://amplify.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/mCLASS_MOY-Results_February-2022-Report.pdf

Understanding student learning. (2021). i-Ready. https://www.curriculumassociates.com/-/media/mainsite/files/i-ready/iready-understanding-student-learning-paper-fall-results-2021.pdf

Exmaining the impact of COVID-19 on the identification of at-risk students. (2021). University of Virginia. https://pals.virginia.edu/public/pdfs/login/PALS_StateReport_Fall_2021.pdf

Grouping students who struggle with reading. (2021). Reading Rockets. https://www.readingrockets.org/article/grouping-students-who-struggle-reading

Social Skills Study

 Students' social skills and emotional maturity have declined at least somewhat during the coronavirus pandemic, according to most educators who responded to a recent survey. Educators say that in some cases they have observed students withdrawing or acting out.

Educators see gaps in kids' emotional growth due to pandemic. (2022). Eduncaton Week Research Center. 

https://www.edweek.org/leadership/educators-see-gaps-in-kids-emotional-growth-due-to-pandemic/2022/02

Pandemic and digital divide research

 

A recent national report exploresthe impact of the pandemic on the digital divide—the gap between those who have access to devices and connectivity, and those who do not—and its impact on learners. It highlighted several areas that have contributed to the divide—such as a lack of access to devices, limited digital skills, and challenges around engaging pupils online. But it also exposed some of the issues that have occurred because of the divide, likes the disproportionate impact on the learning and wellbeing of the most disadvantaged learners.

Addressing the deepening digital divide. (2022), Oxford University Press. 

https://oup.foleon.com/report/digital-divide/cover/

Teen media use study

New research shows that media of all types -- entertainment, social, creative -- has played an important role in helping kids get through a very tough time. Tweens and teens have been using entertainment media to keep their connections and their creativity alive when their worlds are so disrupted. Moreover, they have been using media to boost their moods, connect with friends, and even learn new things outside of school. The data in this report reinforces why it's so important to point kids toward the very best of media, like the shows, games, apps, and books that engage, inspire, and represent everyone equally. And it also serves as a reminder that when kids turn to media, they need to enter spaces that are safe, healthy, and free of hate speech and misinformation. But the data also shows that no matter how engaging media has been for kids during this time, they're ready for a return to in-person connections and a more "normal" media balance.

Rideout, V., & Robb, M. (2021). The role of media during the pandemic: connection, creativity, and learning for tweens and teens. Common Sense Media

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/report/8-18-role-of-media-research-report-final-web.pdf

Pandemic and literacy study

 Experts say the pandemic may be interfering with young learners' ability to acquire reading skills, especially those who spend time at home doing other things instead of reading.  An analysis of data found that second- and third-grade students' reading fluency fell approximately 30% from 2019 to 2020. The pandemic also deepened inequities. 

Domingue, B. et al. (2021). Changing patterns of growth in oral reading fluency during the COVID-10 pandemic. PACE. 

https://edpolicyinca.org/sites/default/files/2021-03/wp_domingue_mar21-0.pdf

https://edsource.org/2021/what-impact-will-the-pandemic-have-on-early-literacy/659758

Pandemic Impact on Education

 COVID-19 has led to unprecedented challenges in the field of education, and now, even with a return to normalcy seemingly on the horizon, uncertainties remain. Over 600 educators were surveyed in an effort to gauge and further understand the current realities of teaching through a pandemic. The insights gained may help educational leaders strategize and plan for the coming year and beyond, as they search to find the best path forward in supporting staff and students.

Some of the findings are:

• 90% of teachers and staff need to wear PPE.
• 39% of teachers will teach F2F with no remote option.
• About 70% teachers used Zoom.
• In 42% of schools, devices are usually shared. 

Survey Says. (2020). Tech & Learning.

https://www.smartbrief.com/whitepapers/01F93951-ADD5-4C3D-BA60-B3C72DAA4882/AVer_Whitepaper_July2021_v10.pdf

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A recent survey conducted during the coronavirus pandemic finds that students cite depression, stress and anxiety as key barriers to learning. The survey also revealed a decline in access to trusted adults among students, with just 39% saying they have a connection to a supportive adult at school.

Learning & well-being during COVID-19. (2021). YouthTruth. http://youthtruthsurvey.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/YouthTruth-Students-Weigh-In-Part-II-Learning-and-Well-Being-During-COVID-19.pdf

https://www.the74million.org/article/student-survey-depression-stress-and-anxiety-leading-barriers-to-learning-as-access-to-trusted-adults-drops/

Study on strategies to curb student learning loss during the pandemic

 

Researchers say early data shows the pandemic is taking a toll on student learning. They concluded that children have lost at least one and a half months of reading, with students of color faring worse. And some experts say the loss could be even worse because some of the most vulnerable students may not be regularly attending class online or taking assessments this year. The report  details five strategies schools are taking to curb these losses: tutoring; lengthening the school year; ensuring learning materials are at grade level; partnering with community organizations; and tapping parents as partners in boosting literacy.

Dorn, E. et al. (2020, Dec. 8). COVID19 and learning loss. McKinsey.

https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-and-social-sector/our-insights/covid-19-and-learning-loss-disparities-grow-and-students-need-help

Digital shift report

 The sudden shift in digital learning in spring 2020 has resulted in increased usage of digital tools by teachers and students, according to a recent national survey. Teacher viewpoints on what platforms and features are necessary has changed greatly, with more of a need for accessibility and flexibility. Teachers also see the importance of more cross-platform digital resources and want training in gamification. The report also finds stronger appreciation by parents for the value of technology as a learning vehicle and their role in supporting their child’s education from home. Engagement is still cited by education leaders as the top reason for the use of technology in education, but students cite improved outcomes, more personalized learning, better grades, better communication, and being able to collaborate. 

Speak Up National Report. (2020). Digital learning during the pandemic. Project Tomorrow. https://tomorrow.org/speakup/pdfs/2020%20Speak%20Up%20National%20Report.pdf

Research on K12 educational practices during the pandemic

To determine effective ways to deliver education during the pandemic, agent-based computational models ran thousands of simulations of infection spread across more than 100 different school situations, varying by school level, school size, operating strategy, approach to quarantines and closures, and the local community’s COVID-19 infection rate. The results offer educators and civic leaders a set of comparable schools to their own, and provide insights beyond the heated political rhetoric about the best approaches for individual communities and schools to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 while providing meaningful learning opportunities. Key findings include:

• Precautions such as requiring masks and limiting the mixing of students outside of classes can measurably reduce infection spread in schools.
• Hybrid approaches where smaller groups of students wearing masks attend in person part time dramatically reduce the total number of likely infections in a school.
• Infection rates in elementary schools are likely to be lower than in secondary schools employing the same operating strategies.
• Part-time hybrid operation is far more effective at reducing infections than temporarily closing the school building each time an infection is detected.
• In schools that are using a part-time hybrid approach, quarantining close contacts of individuals with detected infections is sufficient to keep the school’s infection rate low, while closing entirely reduces the number of days that students can attend with no demonstrable benefit in further reducing infections.
• Schools using a hybrid approach in a community with a moderate infection rate are likely to experience little or no unplanned disruption in the number of days students can come to school.
• Regardless of precautions taken, there is a chance that a school could have an infection on its first day of operation.

Gill, B., Goyal, R., & Hotchkiss, J. (2020).  Operating schools in a pandemic.  Princeton, NJ: Mathematica.

https://mathematica.org/our-publications-and-findings/publications/operating-schools-in-a-pandemic-predicted-effects-of-opening-and-quarantining-strategies

Pandemic impact on students

 Some high-school students feel more motivated to learn in school than online and do not have equal access to remote instruction, according to a national survey administered in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, from March 26 to April 1. Results also show the toll of the pandemic on students' mental health, with one sharing it felt like life was in chaos. "Most, but not all, students had access to the technology needed for online learning; however, many found it difficult to adapt." The study recommends addressing inequities of access to technology and Internet, addressing food insecuriy, considering the whole student, improving online instruction and materials.

Croft, M. et al. (2020). HIgh school students' experiences in March during the coronavirus pandemic. Iowa City, IA: ACT Center for Equity in Learning.  https://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/R1841-covid-insights.pdf