Action Research Plan

NAMES: Katelyn Boucher and Craig Kubiak ISSUE: Collaboration with Classroom Teachers FOCUSED QUESTIONS:
1) Is collaboration between classroom teachers and school librarians beneficial to student achievement? 2) How often, when, and where is a mutually acceptable time and place for collaboration between classroom teachers and school librarians to occur?

DATE: October 5, 2013

APPLICABLE RESEARCH OR WEBSITES:

American Association of School Librarians. Partnerships & Collaborations | American Association of School Librarians (AASL). American Association of School Librarians. n.d. Web. 5 Oct. 2013. Immroth, Barbara, and W. Bernard Lukenbill. Teacher-School Library Media Specialist Collaboration through School Marketing Strategies: An Information Behavior Study. Teacher-School Library Media Specialist Collaboration through Social Marketing Strategies: An Information Behavior Study | American Association of School Librarians (AASL). American Association of School Librarians. n.d. Web. 5 Oct. 2013. Kimmel, Sue C. Collaboration as School Reform: Are There Patterns in the Chaos of Planning with Teachers? School Library Research 15.(2012). ERIC. Web. 5 Oct. 2013. Kimmel, Sue C. Pass the Chocolate: Planning with Teachers. Knowledge Quest. 42.1 (2013): 48-51. Library Literature & Information Science Full Text (H.W. Wilson). Web. 5 Oct. 2013. Kimmel, Sue C. Seeing the Clouds: Teacher Librarian as Broker in Collaborative Planning with Teachers. School Libraries Worldwide 18.1 (2012): 87-96. Library Literature & Information Science Full Text (H.W. Wilson) . Web. 5 Oct. 2013.

Panter, Michael E. Collaborative Teaching: Teaching Strangers. Library Media Connection 28.6 (2010) 34-35. ERIC. Web. 5 Oct. 2013.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN:
The school that we are describing is a bit fictitious but loosely based on the schools that we currently work at. In this middle school, collaboration with classroom teachers is difficult for the school librarian. No one in particular is against the idea; in fact, many are outright in support of collaboration, including administration [asset]. There is also plenty of available space to meet; and since funds are not required, money is not an issue [assets]. The problem is the lack of adequate time [barrier]. This is a rather large middle school, with approximately 100 teachers, and collaboration is required between the content-area teachers (e.g., sixth grade history teachers), which require a lot of time during planning periods. Further, it is also required that teachers meet with interdisciplinary teachers (e.g., each seventh grade team), although this is usually for a lesser amount of time each week than the content-area meetings. This leaves little planning time for things that teachers need to do during planning time. After school is an option, but with mandatory meetings one day a week after school along with after school tutoring and activities that many teachers participate in, this is an undesired option.

DATA COLLECTION TOOLS: Research Question

Is collaboration between classroom teachers and school librarians beneficial to student achievement? How often, when, and where is a mutually acceptable time and place for collaboration between classroom teachers and school librarians to occur?

Data Source #1
Teacher Questionnaire

Data Source #2
Teacher and Administration Interview Teacher and Administration Interview

Data Source # 3
Observation of Content-Area and Interdisciplinary Team Meetings Teacher and Course Schedules Archival Information

Teacher Questionnaire

TIME LINE: Date

Oct 1-7, 2013 Oct 15-31, 2013

Action
Create plan and surveys, questionnaires, etc. Have teachers complete the Teacher Questionnaire.

Responsibility
School librarian Classroom teachers

Expecting 80%+ participation rate. Conduct teacher and administration interviews. Nov-Dec, 2013 Jan-Feb, 2014 Jan-Feb, 2014 Mar-Apr, 2014 May 2014 Summer 2014 Expecting to interview 25%-50% of the classroom teachers and 100% of the school administration. Conduct observations of content-area and interdisciplinary team meetings of classroom teachers Compile teacher and course schedules. Compile information from all sources. Report findings to school administration and classroom teachers at a faculty meeting. Schedule times, places, and methods for collaboration between school librarian and classroom teachers.

School librarian, classroom teachers, and school administration School librarian observing classroom teachers School librarian and guidance counselors School librarian School librarian, classroom teachers, and school administration School librarian and school administration

ONLINE SURVEY:
Link to Take Questionnaire: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/58VF9KN Title of Questionnaire: Making Room for Library Collaboration Participants will Include: Classroom teachers Pre-Test Phase (Who Pre-Tested): Robin Cullen, Teacher, JMLMS, LCPS Jessica Nguyen, Teacher, JMLMS, LCPS

INTRODUCTION (to the questionnaire):

Numerous studies show that effective collaboration between the school librarian and classroom teachers can help in improving student achievement. Therefore, the librarian has prepared a short, online survey to gather data on the amount of collaborative instruction that is currently occurring between the library staff and classroom teachers, as well as staff preferences regarding such collaboration. The survey should take approximately five minutes to complete. All responses will be completely anonymous. The librarian will compile and share the results with the principal and staff in order to find ways to improve collaboration and enhance the instructional program for our students. Thank you for your time and candid responses.

SURVEY QUESTIONS: Question

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Type of response
Rating Scale Rating Scale Rating Scale Multiple Choice Multiple Choice Multiple Choice Multiple Choice

10

How beneficial to your instruction is collaborating with the School Librarian? How often can you find time in your schedule to collaborate/plan with the School Librarian? How important is it to designate a structured time to plan with the School Librarian? When do you usually work on or design your lesson plans? Where do you usually work on or design your lesson plans? How long do you usually spend planning each week? How much of that time is currently spent planning with the School Librarian? In your opinion, what is the BEST PLACE to designate for collaborative planning with the School Librarian? In your opinion, what is the BEST TIME to designate for regularly scheduled collaborative planning with the School Librarian? In your opinion, HOW MUCH TIME should be set aside to plan with the School Librarian each week?

Open Response

Open Response

Open Response