a form of our own: guidelines-based assessment of teacher-librarians

P. Owen & M. Oakleaf, OELMA 2007

A Form of Our Own:Guidelines-Based

Assessment of Teacher-Librarians

Patricia Owen, NBCT powen@bex.net

Megan Oakleaf, PhDmoakleaf@syr.edu

50 handouts have been

reserved for presentation attendees

P. Owen & M. Oakleaf, OELMA 2007

WHY CREATE A TOOL?

• Local Need– District adopts a Praxis-type evaluation form for

teachers – Adopted evaluation form inconsistent with

teacher-librarian (TL) Information Power roles• Teacher • Instructional partner• Information specialist• Program administrator

P. Owen & M. Oakleaf, OELMA 2007

WHY CREATE A TOOL?

• Problems Encountered:– ODE does not provide a T-L evaluation tool (because

Ohio is a local control state)– Existing evaluation tools do not meet criteria (not ACS-

based, wrong format, lack rubrics, etc.)– T-L’s want to participate in creation of their evaluation

tool (a form of their own!)– T-L’s seek to use their evaluation tool to advocate for

their libraries– T-L’s promote evidence-based practice

P. Owen & M. Oakleaf, OELMA 2007

THE LITERATURE SEARCH

• What evaluation tools are available?– Teacher-focused evaluation forms– Existing T-L evaluation forms

P. Owen & M. Oakleaf, OELMA 2007

TEACHER-FOCUSED EXAMPLES

Component 1.1 Acquires and uses knowledge about students as individual learners in preparing lessons which consider students’ diverse backgrounds, communities, and interests.

Component 3.4 Tracks individual student progress by instructional and non-instructional records.

Component 4.1 Contacts all families about academic and social progress of the students and events in the classroom, encourages parental involvement in the student’s education.

P. Owen & M. Oakleaf, OELMA 2007

EXAMPLES OF EXISTING T-L EVALUATION

FORMS

P. Owen & M. Oakleaf, OELMA 2007

P. Owen & M. Oakleaf, OELMA 2007

P. Owen & M. Oakleaf, OELMA 2007

P. Owen & M. Oakleaf, OELMA 2007

OUR SOLUTION?

Create a New Form!

RESOURCES FOR CREATING“A FORM OF OUR OWN”

• ODE website – Library Guidelines (ACS)http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?pae=3&TopicRelationID=340&ContentID=13952&Content=31719

• KSU ILILEhttp://www.ilile.org/instructionalRes/checklists/libraryguidelines.html

• Praxis format– Conform to district model

P. Owen & M. Oakleaf, OELMA 2007

STEPS TO CREATE EVALUATION TOOL

1. Identify ACS (K-12 library guidelines) to use in place of Praxis teacher evaluation content.

• Choose a grade level (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, K-12).• Consolidate similar indicators, benchmarks, standards.• Ignore repetitious indicators, benchmarks, standards.• Omit items that don’t fit local context (ex. email).• Eliminate minutia (ex. research listserv information).

2. Determine performance levels (unsatisfactory, needs improvement, proficient, distinguished).

P. Owen & M. Oakleaf, OELMA 2007

STEPS TO CREATE EVALUATION TOOL

3. Create forms.– Summative conference form– Pre-observation form– Rubric (professional practice components)

P. Owen & M. Oakleaf, OELMA 2007

BEST PRACTICES FOR CREATING A RUBRIC

• Tie evaluation criteria to the standards.• Identify 3-5 levels of performance.• Educate administrators about ACS; create a

shared performance expectation.• Write clearly.

– Concrete– Concise– Common terminology– Consistent (parallel) construction– Clearly differentiated levels– Quality-focused

RUBRIC4.14.2

RUBRIC4.34.4

SUMMATIVECONFERENCE

FORM

P. Owen & M. Oakleaf, OELMA 2007

PRESENTING EVIDENCE TO ADMINISTRATORS

• Binder of library evidence (print or electronic)• Example documents

– Library web site screenshots– Lesson plans, collaborative units, teaching schedules– Parent contact log– Student assessment data– Policy & procedure manual documents– Diagrams; student photos; library activities photos– Sample handouts/fliers/newsletters– Professional development records– Library promotions (ex. RTR bookmark)

4.4 Remote access24/7 accessConnect district pageInfo about library services & resourcesOPAC access

4.4 Peer-reviewed teacher resources

4.3Assist teachers with integrating technology into the curriculum

CREATING A FORM OF YOUR OWN

• Begin with ACS (library guidelines).http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRelationID=340&ContentID=2489&Content=32808#

• Choose a grade level (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, K-12).• Consolidate similar indicators, benchmarks, standards.• Ignore repetitious indicators, benchmarks, standards.• Omit items that don’t fit local context (ex. email).• Eliminate minutia (ex. research listserv information).

• Choose a format that matches the teacher-focused evaluation form.

• Create forms (summative, etc).

P. Owen & M. Oakleaf, OELMA 2007

CONCLUSION

• T-L’s need evaluation forms of their own.• T-L’s need to help create their evaluation forms.• ACS (library guidelines) provide a framework.• Guideline-based tools reflect all T-L Information

Power roles.• Guidelines-based tools allow T-L’s to demonstrate

their value using evidence-based documentation.

P. Owen & M. Oakleaf, OELMA 2007

Questions?

Thoughts?

Patricia Owen, NBCT powen@bex.net

Megan Oakleaf, PhDmoakleaf@syr.edu

A Form of Our Own:

Guidelines-Based Assessment of

Teacher-Librarians