Your MA Professional Development Plan and Action Research Ready! S.M.A.R.T.! Action! MSLA 2014, Hyannis Connecting, Creating, Caring: The School Library As a Third Place:

Marnie Bolstad, Newton South High School Library Teacher, Newton Public Schools (MA) Jennifer Dimmick, Newton South High School Library Teacher, Newton Public Schools (MA) Ethel Downey, Newton South High School Library Teacher, Newton Public Schools (MA) Chris Swerling (K-12 Library Coordinator) Newton Public Schools (MA) Dr. Fran Zilonis (Director) Simmons Graduate School of Library and Information Science--School Library Teacher Program MSLA 2014 Hyannis Session Presenters: MSLA 2014 Conference, Hyannis

Define S.M.A.R.T. Goals and Your Professional Development Plan (Chris) Outline Action Research Steps (Fran) Model the Process in Action: (Ethel, Jennifer, Marnie) S.M.A.R.T. Goals + Action Research: What We Did And What We Learned Session Goals: MSLA 2014 Hyannis

Professional Goal Student Goal 1-2 year plan Requirement Opportunity MA Professional Educator Plan: Components

FROM DISTRICT:FROM DISTRICT: OPPORUNITY TO: SpecificSpecific Strategic MeasureableMeasureable Meaningful AchievableAchievable Action oriented RealisticRealistic Research TimedTimed Take a Risk- and Team S.M.A.R.T. How will you improve your practice? What will you do differently as a result? Be motivated! Engage in Action Research!

“ Simply put, action research is ‘studying whatever you are doing’through disciplined inquiry.” How to Use Action Research in the Self-renewing School.(Emily Calhoun) The goal is to take action and to improve one’s own practice, based on the deeper understanding that relevant data can provide. What is Action Research?

Target what you would like to improve or what you want to know. Problem: Reduction in 4 th grade reading Sample question: – Will the use of book talks and book trailers motivate fourth grade students to select, read, and complete featured titles? Taking The First Step: BE REFLECTIVE!

Define why the problem is important to you, to your students, and to your school community. – What do you know about it? – What don’t you know about it? Taking The Next Step:

Question Checklist: Clear? Broad enough to provide information? Narrow enough to be manageable? Focused enough to inform your practice? Craft Your Question:

What can you learn from others ? (review the professional literature) What can you learn from past research? How similar is the research to your question? After reading relevant literature, how has your thinking changed? How can this information shape your thinking and your question? Research Your Question: Review the Literature

What data do you need? Qualitative and Quantitative How and when will you collect data? How much is enough? –Triangulation of Data What is your timeline? (2-3 months) Multiple Perspectives Define The Data: Data Collection

Interviews Anecdotal evidence/stories Focus groups Responses to prompts Recording observations Define the Data: Qualitative Data

Pre-and post-attitudinal surveys Assessment of students Attendance logs Evaluation of professional development Assessment of student products with a rubric Standardized tests Define The Data: Quantitative Data:

Sift through, categorize, and sort What can you learn from the data? What patterns, insights, and new understandings can you find? What meaning do these patterns, insights, and new understandings have for your practice and for your students? What conclusions can be drawn? Analyze The Data

What will you now do differently as a result of your study? How will you implement change? Develop your Action Plan. Apply Your Learning: Create An Action Plan

What will you do differently in your library as a result of this study? Create your improvement plan based on facts. Implement improvements. Action Planning:

Sample PD Plan: Professional Goal Actions, Timeline and Resources

Implement the action plan. Evaluate it. Begin the questioning process again. Apply Your Learning

Who is your audience? – Principal, district-wide, professional conferences, journal article What is the purpose of the report? – Decide on format? – Use the data analysis to show participant experiences and interpretation of events. – How will you write about what you have learned so that the findings will be useful to you and to others? How will you share it? – Give a presentation at a local or national conference Reporting Results:

In small groups transform this statement: Identify the impact of research resources on information literacy skills to a PD Plan S.M.A.R.T. goal and – Action Research! Be sure to apply the S.M.A.R.T criteria! You Try It! Greet, Meet and Create A PD Goal

Did working together make the process easier? Questions? Thank You! Stay tuned for Part II: What this looked like in action at NSHS Library How Did You Do?