School-Academic Librarian Collaboration

Abstract: Collaborations between school and academic librarians centered around the professional development of K-12 media specialists may represent a scalable and sustainable method by which school and academic librarians can support information literacy. This article outlines a pilot project developed between The Ohio State University Libraries (University Libraries), located in Columbus, Ohio, and the Columbus City Schools (CCS) that was intended to forge connections between school and academic librarians through professional development.

Hammons, J., & VAasudev, K. (2023). Connecting school and academic librarians through professional development: A pilot project. College & Research Libraries News, 84(1), 32. <https://crln.acrl.org/index.php/crlnews/article/view/25740/33658>.

Personalized Learning Perceptions Study

 

Personalized learning (PL) approaches have become increasingly common across the United States. PL aims to create individual learning experiences and pathways for students. Despite its popularity, little data exists on the prevalence of PL practices and the conditions needed to support high-quality PL implementation, particularly in high schools. This report presents findings from high school teachers taken from RAND's 2018 American Teacher Panel. The findings should be useful to practitioners, professional development and support providers, researchers, and policymakers interested in understanding how high school teachers are using PL practices and which supports and resources they need to use them effectively. Key Findings Teachers reported providing a variety of instructional materials and adapting course content to meet students' needs; student-directed learning was less common. Teachers reported using mastery-based assessment more frequently than other mastery-based practices. Most teachers reported addressing students' social and emotional growth but reported that professional development was less helpful for addressing this area. More teachers reported using student data for tailoring instructional approaches than for adjusting how quickly students advanced through content. Teachers reported infrequently receiving data on individual students' progress and needing better data systems; those who reported access to high-quality data reported more extensive use of PL practices.

Elizabeth D. Steiner, E., Doss, C., & Hamilton, L. (2020). High school teachers' perceptions and use of personalized learning. Santa Monica, CA: Rand.

https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA322-1.html?utm_source=WhatCountsEmail&utm_medium=NPA:2535:6293:Aug%2011,%202020%205:42:03%20AM%20PDT&utm_campaign=NPA:2535:6293:Aug%2011,%202020%205:42:03%20AM%20PDT

Technology priority in education survey

More than 90% of school district leaders across the country say their top priority for education technology is to personalize learning for students, according to a national survey. More than nine in 10 respondents to a survey on the topic reported that in the pursuit of encouraging personalized learning their districts 1) provide software or digital curriculum to classrooms (designated by 96 percent of participants); 2) provide computing devices to classrooms (94 percent); and 3) provide professional development in personalized learning practices (92 percent). Two-thirds of districts (65 percent) also assess teachers on their implementation of personalized learning practices.The survey also reveals that about three-quarters of districts offer blended-learning options and more educators are expressing concern about student data and privacy issues.
Center for Digital Education. (2018). K12 school district priorities. Folsom, CA: Center for Digital Education.
http://www.govtech.com/education/papers/2018-K-12-School-District-Priorities-Is-Yours-on-the-List-103201.html?
 

YALSA library staff continuing education report

This report offers recommendations for supporting library workers through continuing education (CE) to enhance services for/with teens. The findings are based on a year-long national forum of stakeholders.
1. Commit to CE that promotes deeper learning
2. Connect with others to provide a richer learning experience
3. Create an organizational culture that prioritizes staff learning
4. Embrace effective models for CE
Transforming library services for and with teens through continuing education. (2018). Chicago: YALSA. http://www.ala.org/yalsa/national-forum-transforming-teen-services-through-continuing-education

Reading PD Study

 The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) has created additional opportunities for school librarians to collaborate with classroom teachers, reading specialists, and other educators in support of schools’ literacy goals. This potential for expanded collaboration suggests a need for increased focus on reading instruction as part of the school librarian’s workload. For a variety of reasons, school librarians may not see this role as a priority within the scope of their many other duties. This convergent mixed-methods study sought to examine the effect of a professional development series emphasizing reading comprehension strategies on school librarians’ knowledge and perceptions. Results indicated that participants experienced statistically significant knowledge gains as well as increased acceptance of an enhanced role in literacy instruction.
 Reed, K., &Oslund, E. (2018). “School Librarians as Co-Teachers of Literacy: Librarian Perceptions and Knowledge in the Context of the Literacy Instruction Role. School Library Research, 21.

Digital content integration study

This research studied how digital content is being integrated, how administrators are making the decision to transition from print to digital, and what the future holds for digital materials that support curriculum and instruction goals. Among findings are:
- Teachers are most interested in digital resources for ELA.
-  To help them integrate digital content into curriculum, teachers want hands-on, how-to, differentiated, and in-person professional development.
ASCD, & Overdrive. (2016). Digital content goes to school.  Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
http://www.ascd.org/professional-development/digital-content-trends.aspx?utm_source=ascdexpress&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Express-11-14

Teacher training impact report

Poor professional development fails students
U.S. schools need to improve teacher training to raise the effectiveness of the entire educational system, according to a new report from researchers at Stanford University. "We're way behind other countries that are high-achieving in terms of the time and intensive opportunity for deep learning they provide," said co-author Linda Darling-Hammond.. "We still see teachers engage in really short one- and two-day workshops rather than ongoing, sustained support that we now have evidence changes practices and increases student achievement."

Wei, R., et al. (2009). Professional learning in the learning profession. Palo Alto, CA: School Redesign Network.
http://www.srnleads.org/resources/publications/pdf/nsdc_profdev_tech_report.pdf

Math instruction report

Report Profiles High Schools With Effective Math Instruction
A new report finds that access to high-level math classes and knowledgeable, effective teachers is crucial to preparing high school students for college and beyond. Researchers found that successful schools shared three things in common in regard to their ability to provide effective math programs: offering high-level math courses and support for all students; providing intensive professional development for teachers to improve their subject knowledge and teaching skills; and using student progress and evaluations to help teachers tailor their lessons.
WestEd. (2008). Rethinking High School: Supporting All Students to Be College-Ready in Math. San Francisco: WestEd.
http://www.wested.org/online_pubs/GF-08-01.pdf

Math education studies

Singapore math credited with major boost in U.S. school's scores
After a low-income Los Angeles elementary in the 2005-06 school year introduced a math curriculum developed for use in Singapore, where learners excel in the subject, 76% of the U.S. school's students now score at grade-level on standardized math tests, up from 45% in the prior school year. The method blends math basics with conceptual learning in way that's easy for children to understand, educators say.
Landsberg, M. (2008, Mar. 9). In L.A., Singapore math has added value. Los Angeles Times.
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/mar/09/local/me-math9


The National Math Panel Report on K12 math education made recommendations about:
* The critical skills and skill progressions needed to learn algebra and prepare for more advanced courses;
* The proper role and design of standards and assessment in promoting student competence in math;
* The processes by which students of various abilities or backgrounds learn math;
* How the training, selection, placement and professional development of math teachers affect student achievement;
* Instructional practices, programs and materials that have proven effective in improving math learning; and
* Research needs in support of math education.
National Mathematics Advisory Panel. (2008). Foundations for Success: Report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel. Washington, DC: U. S. Department of Education.
http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/mathpanel/index.html

Teacher effectiveness studies

This report discusses the need to invest in multiple methods to measure a teacher's effectiveness, as well as in high-quality evaluations and career development to improve it. Describes "value-added" analysis, its limitations, and other measures of effectiveness.
Alliance for Excellent Education.(2008). Measuring and Improving the Effectiveness of High School Teachers. Washington, DC: Author.
http://www.all4ed.org/files/TeacherEffectiveness.pdf


Analyzes the factors behind the persistent inequitable distribution of effective teachers, and recommends measures to prepare, recruit, and retain more highly qualified teachers to improve academic outcomes in schools with mainly poor minority students.
Alliance for Excellent Education. (2008). Improving the Distribution of Teachers in Low-Performing High Schools. Washington, DC: Author.
http://www.all4ed.org/files/TeachDist_PolicyBrief.pdf

Technology impact report

This annual report, which includes data from all 50 states and DC, highlights the states' focus on professional development and academic and includes details regarding the trends of the EETT budget cuts. "Research has shown that educational technology programs help ensure that all schools have highly qualified teachers and provide students with the academic resources necessary to compete in a global economy," said Mary Ann Wolf, executive director of SETDA. To maximize the return on their investment, states are focusing heavily on leadership and professional development initiatives.
State Educational Technology Directors Association. (2008). 2008 national trends report. Glen Burnie, MD: Author.
http://www.setda.org/

Teacher professional development studies

A shift to greater school-level control of teacher professional development may be responsible for "perceptual discrepancies" over who is primarily responsible for organizing teachers’ learning activities, according to a survey of 1400 teachers, principals, and district superintendents. Principals and teachers in larger schools tended to have the greatest sense of school-level influence over professional development; however, in low-income schools, district administrators were perceived to have more authority. Districts were seen as the main source of financial support for teacher professional development, but the findings "also suggest a fair amount of discretionary authority at the school level to select and purchase materials and services specific to their needs."
PBS Teacher Line/Hezel Associates.(2007). The PBS TeacherLine National Survey of Teacher Professional Development. Syracuse, NY: Hezel Associates.
http://www.hezel.com/pbstlsurvey.html

A good research roundup on this topic is available at: http://www.teachermagazine.org/tm/articles/2007/10/25/01report-1.h01.html?tmp=612090635