Yes, Virginia, Yes, Virginia, There IS Assessment There IS Assessment

in Library Media in Library Media Instruction!Instruction!

Andy SpinksAndy Spinks

Supervisor of Library Media EducationSupervisor of Library Media Education

Cobb County School DistrictCobb County School District

Introduction/ContextIntroduction/Context Not program assessment, Not gradingNot program assessment, Not grading

Level of assessment:Level of assessment:– Institutional levelInstitutional level– Program levelProgram level– Classroom levelClassroom level

Curricular Focus:Curricular Focus:– Separate/Additional assessment of information Separate/Additional assessment of information

literacyliteracy– Collaborative assessment of curriculum Collaborative assessment of curriculum

standards relating to information literacystandards relating to information literacy

Why Assess?Why Assess?

Why should LMS’s Why should LMS’s participate?participate?

Have an impact: Have an impact: – Ensure that all students become Ensure that all students become

information literateinformation literate

Work more efficiently: Work more efficiently: – Don’t spend time doing things that don’t Don’t spend time doing things that don’t

lead to student learninglead to student learning

Demonstrate your importance: Demonstrate your importance: – The data you gather provide evidence The data you gather provide evidence

that your program that your program directlydirectly contributes contributes to student achievement.to student achievement.

2121stst Century Century Education Education

AssessmentAssessment

New Methods for a New New Methods for a New MissionMission

Change in Mission for Change in Mission for EducationEducation

OLD: Sort students into a rank order OLD: Sort students into a rank order – Good for students who are good at schoolGood for students who are good at school

– Bad for students who don’t succeed initiallyBad for students who don’t succeed initially

– Creates a destructive feedback loop: the Creates a destructive feedback loop: the good get better and the bad drop outgood get better and the bad drop out

NEW: Help ALL students succeedNEW: Help ALL students succeed– Adjust & differentiate instruction so that Adjust & differentiate instruction so that

every student meets standardsevery student meets standards

Balanced AssessmentBalanced Assessment Assessment Assessment OfOf learning learning

– Summative: takes place Summative: takes place afterafter the learning the learning experience experience

– measures student success/failuremeasures student success/failure

Assessment Assessment FORFOR Learning (AFL) Learning (AFL)– Formative: takes place during the Formative: takes place during the

learning experience learning experience – Provides feedback to student and teacherProvides feedback to student and teacher– Allows for corrective action so that all Allows for corrective action so that all

students succeedstudents succeed

Assessment FOR Learning Assessment FOR Learning (AFL)(AFL)

Provides feedback that informs Provides feedback that informs teachers’ instructional decisionsteachers’ instructional decisions– Allows for instructional changes during the Allows for instructional changes during the

learning experience, rather than measuring learning experience, rather than measuring results afterwardresults afterward

Provides Provides positivepositive motivation and motivation and encouragement to studentsencouragement to students– Uses a “carrot,” not a “stick.” (Fear and Uses a “carrot,” not a “stick.” (Fear and

intimidation intimidation do notdo not motivate at-risk students. motivate at-risk students. – Provides evidence of successes and describes Provides evidence of successes and describes

pathways to continued growth (scaffolding). pathways to continued growth (scaffolding).

Students as Instructional Students as Instructional Decision-MakersDecision-Makers

Students are the most important Students are the most important audience for assessment data.audience for assessment data.

Based on assessment feedback, they Based on assessment feedback, they decide whether to try harder or stop decide whether to try harder or stop trying.trying.– Feedback that says “You failed!” causes students to Feedback that says “You failed!” causes students to

stop trying.stop trying.– Feedback that says “You got this part right, and Feedback that says “You got this part right, and

here is how to get the next part right.” motivates here is how to get the next part right.” motivates students to continue.students to continue.

If students stop trying, If students stop trying, wewe have failed. All have failed. All other instructional actions are irrelevant.other instructional actions are irrelevant.

Advantages of AFLAdvantages of AFL

Continuous, ongoing feedback Continuous, ongoing feedback allows student and teachers to allows student and teachers to make real-time adjustmentsmake real-time adjustments

Breaks the destructive feedback Breaks the destructive feedback loop of the old methods loop of the old methods

Research has clearly shown that Research has clearly shown that it worksit works..

Assessment in Assessment in Library Media Library Media

InstructionInstructionRoles of the Library Media Roles of the Library Media Specialist in AssessmentSpecialist in Assessment

Common Common Assumptions/UnderstandingsAssumptions/Understandings

Good library media instruction isGood library media instruction is– Collaboratively planned with teachersCollaboratively planned with teachers– Co-taught (both are engaged in Co-taught (both are engaged in

instruction)instruction)– Integrated with subject area curriculumIntegrated with subject area curriculum– Project-basedProject-based– Inquiry-basedInquiry-based– Designed to engage higher order thinkingDesigned to engage higher order thinking

Co-Planning of Assessment: Co-Planning of Assessment: GoalsGoals

Collaborate with teachers in the Collaborate with teachers in the earliest stages of assessment earliest stages of assessment planning planning

Co-design projects thatCo-design projects that– Employ inquiry learningEmploy inquiry learning– Align with curriculum standards Align with curriculum standards – Incorporate information literacy elements Incorporate information literacy elements – Engage higher-order thinking skillsEngage higher-order thinking skills– Allow for differentiationAllow for differentiation

Co-develop assessment rubricsCo-develop assessment rubrics

Co-Planning of Assessment: Co-Planning of Assessment: First StepsFirst Steps

Identify teachers with whom you already Identify teachers with whom you already have good collaborative relationshipshave good collaborative relationships

Identify teachers who are open to change Identify teachers who are open to change

Suggest small adjustments to the Suggest small adjustments to the projects you already do with these projects you already do with these teachersteachers– During initial collaborative planning for the projectDuring initial collaborative planning for the project– At the beginning of the term, before they have At the beginning of the term, before they have

started planningstarted planning

Co-Planning of Assessment: Co-Planning of Assessment: ExamplesExamples

Allow students to choose their own topics Allow students to choose their own topics and allow/encourage them to make creative and allow/encourage them to make creative topic choices.topic choices.

Add elements that require students to Add elements that require students to compare, contrast, evaluate, or create compare, contrast, evaluate, or create information.information.

Broaden/Narrow source requirementsBroaden/Narrow source requirements Add citation requirements, even for Add citation requirements, even for

presentationspresentations Create a schedule of sub-goals or progress Create a schedule of sub-goals or progress

indicators within the project to guide indicators within the project to guide students through the project.students through the project.

Others?Others?

Co-Assessment During Co-Co-Assessment During Co-TeachingTeaching

Whole-group instructionWhole-group instruction– Teacher & LMS can swap off ; one performs Teacher & LMS can swap off ; one performs

informal assessment & individual assistance informal assessment & individual assistance while the other gives instruction to the groupwhile the other gives instruction to the group

Small Group or Individual InstructionSmall Group or Individual Instruction– LMS can provide individual feedback and LMS can provide individual feedback and

scaffolded instruction to students as they scaffolded instruction to students as they complete the project (even after the class visit)complete the project (even after the class visit)

* This requires that the LMS know the * This requires that the LMS know the standards, understand the assignment standards, understand the assignment and maintain open communication with and maintain open communication with the teacher. the teacher.

Co-Evaluation of Co-Evaluation of Assessment DataAssessment Data

After the project is completed, the After the project is completed, the LMS can join the teacher inLMS can join the teacher in– Examining student work samplesExamining student work samples– Reflecting on the what worked & didn’t workReflecting on the what worked & didn’t work

Using this information, they can Using this information, they can – Make adjustments to the plan for “next time.”Make adjustments to the plan for “next time.”– Pro-actively improve similar projects in other Pro-actively improve similar projects in other

classesclasses– Promote the role of the library media program Promote the role of the library media program

in student achievement!in student achievement!

Review: Why Participate in Review: Why Participate in Assessment?Assessment?

Improve the effectiveness of your Improve the effectiveness of your programprogram

Improve student achievement for all Improve student achievement for all students, especially those who students, especially those who strugglestruggle

Gather concrete data that directly Gather concrete data that directly shows your program’s contribution shows your program’s contribution to student achievement & support of to student achievement & support of curriculumcurriculum

Thanks for being here!Thanks for being here!

DiscussionDiscussion

PowerPoint & selected resources PowerPoint & selected resources online:online:

http://www.andyspinks.com/conferhttp://www.andyspinks.com/conferencesences