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Slide Notes
When I started CLEAR 5 I had a pretty inflated confidence in my research ability. After all, I am a librarian, research is my thing. What I failed to recognize was that I was looking for qualitative data in essentially an experiment with teenagers. The words experiment, and qualitative hadn't ever really had a place in my firmly humanities centered world...so, I was setting myself up to fail, and fail spectacularly. And learn a whole lot about how to do it the right way, by doing it all wrong first.
Celebrating Failure
Published on Jul 28, 2016
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Celebrating Failure
The Research, on Research, gone a bit wonky
When I started CLEAR 5 I had a pretty inflated confidence in my research ability. After all, I am a librarian, research is my thing. What I failed to recognize was that I was looking for qualitative data in essentially an experiment with teenagers. The words experiment, and qualitative hadn't ever really had a place in my firmly humanities centered world...so, I was setting myself up to fail, and fail spectacularly. And learn a whole lot about how to do it the right way, by doing it all wrong first.
Photo by Tomasz Stasiuk
What did I set out to do?
- Use a standardized assessment to show the positive impact our library program has on student achievement re: research skills.
- How to do that: Work collaboratively, co-teaching the research project, History Fair, with Bry Roemer.
- Control group: one of her classes that recieved no additional instruction from the library.
Hypothesis: we would see substantial growth in many (hopefully all) of the 5 ares tested for the classes who worked under the co-teaching model.
Untitled Slide
In the last 10 years of being a librarian, I have seen the evolution of TRAILS, an online standardized assessment series, that assesses students in 5 major areas of research: Develop Topic; Identify Potential Sources; Develop, Use, and Revise Search Strategies; Evaluate Sources and Information; Recognize How to Use Information Responsibly, Ethically, and Legally. Since I started using this assessment, it has never failed to show massive growth from Pre to post test. Banking on this experience, I decided this would be the hub of my data. That I would take each area and present growth, show student work and progress that reflects the growth shown...I had it all figured out.
Pre-Test Breakdown...Oct. 2015
The pre-test put our students above the National Benchmark Average for the 12th grade assessment, 51.8%. Which for me, was a very exciting start! Especially given that there was no introduction to the vocabulary used, or really to the structure in any way. I think it also speaks volumes to the background our students have regarding research.
Post-Test Growth...Jan. 2016
And then there was this...which I should probably mention, we are still above the national average...
So, What Happened?
missteps and miscalculations
I stared at these results...quite shocked. This was the first time I had ever seen this kind of result. Ever. I was more than a little panicked. The research was over, the chance to collect other data...over...
Photo by Idhren
Pre-Test went as Planned
nothing else did...
So Bry and I started reflecting. The first, and most obvious mistake, was giving the post test, two months, and one long winter break after research was complete. Then we got wrapped up in life and classes and prepping for the competition part of History Fair...more reflection happened well into the summer. I thought, hey, maybe I should just ask the kids what they learned?
Photo by qisur
What was the most important thing you learned
Having Reliable Sources
I don't know about you, but I have found trying to get feedback, written, and thought out feedback, from students in the summer...is a bit of a task. But, I managed to get in touch with two students who both went to state with their projects. According to Myla, pictured here, the most important thing about doing research, "was probably making sure we had valid data and making sure we were using reliable sources so our information wasn't wrong."
Research steps?
Was: Google. Now: Databaes
When asked about her research steps, she said, "Usually when doing research projects, I would just go to google and knock it out with what I found there. But with History Fair, I learned to use other databases more specific in my topic, and learned how to use different key words to get information closer to what I was looking for. Having time in the library was very helpful, because when we first starting looking in databases, we needed help, more than just our teacher could give us. She is just one person. Having multiple people to go to for that time was super helpful in making our project a success."
In Order to Understand, you have to research
most important thing learned
Another student, Lucy, told me that for her, the importance of research to understanding any subject was what she took away from History Fair. "Research is so vital to understanding. You can't just become an expert on anything without research, thorough, non google research."
Standardized assessments are nice...but do not tell the story I am trying to tell.
Photo by albertogp123
Interviews
Video
Interviews, at the beginning, before the project kicks off, during the process and after the first competition stage will tell the story, with student work, demonstrating the various stages of understanding, will tell the story.
Student Reflection Forms
Along with the visual, reflections from students at key moments throughout the project will give us both qualitative and quantitative data that will not only tell the story, but also give us an idea of the impact History Fair, and the Library program, has on student research skills and success.
Clear 6
When I get bucked off a horse, I get back on.
