Here’s how!

3. Analyze and Relate Evidence
Before During After


Analyzing your evidence does not have to be complicated.

Before

Pay attention to what you do daily and how students perform before, during and after your lessons.
Review your school test results to find areas to target for improvement.
Review your school improvement plan to discover specific areas where the school library program can help.
Survey your staff to find out what they need help with from the library.
Review your successful partnerships and then build upon these.
Survey students about their perceptions of the library program.
Start small; decide on one area of your program or facility you want to improve.

During

Start a file and eventually build an organized portfolio of various kinds of evidence.
See Gather and Document for ideas on what counts as evidence.
Use the criteria outlined in What does it tell me? and the indicators in the section What does it look like? to help you look for indicators of success.
Analyze this evidence over time to determine student growth and make adjustments to your program.

…research done closer to
home is more likely to be considered and perhaps
to be viewed trustworthy
………….it is important not
to forget that people also
respond strongly to data
in narrative form - stories,
case studies, or brief
scenarios.

Diane Oberg,
School Libraries in Canada 2002

How do you analyze the information you have gathered?
Your evidence gives you information and you must search for the answers. One way to make meaning is to ask yourself some reflective questions. These questions from Analyzing Your Evidence Worksheet, should give you some starting points.
What patterns do you see?
 What’s missing?
 What surprised you?
 What knowledge has been gained?
 What skills have been gained?
 What does this really mean?
 How do you feel about what you found out?
 How does it fit with what you know and believe?
 What should you do about it?
 What can you apply to other learning situations?
 What do you need more of?
 What do you need less of?
 What helped, what didn’t help?
Graphic Organizers may help you to find patterns and trends in the data you have gathered.
Agree/Disagree Chart
 The Grid
 The Fish Bone
 The Target
 The Ranking Ladder
 The Mind Map
 Sequence Chart
 The Venn Diagram
 The Web
 Diagramming
The Ontario Curriculum Planner has many graphic organizers to print from the Teacher Companion.
Smart Ideas is Ministry licensed. See examples
 Other links to graphic organizers:
The Graphic Organizer
The Write Design
You can create graphs with Excel, Apple, etc to help you track and analyze data.
Spreadsheets are useful for tracking classes you have worked with and the information skills you have taught over time. You can also use spreadsheets and other analysis tools available in automated circulation software to examine circulation of types of resources or to map out areas of your collection needing updating.
Graphs can be generated from most databases. They are very powerful visual tools to help you gain a picture of your program over time.
Reflective dialogue is a great way to find meaning. Share your evidence with a fellow teacher or a group of teachers and discuss the analysis questions. Two or more headsare always better than one when working through information problems. During your conferencing you might concentrate on one or more of these key areas of your program.
teaching curriculum
teaching information literacy skills
building reading literacy
integrating ICT
design of the learning experience
collection and facility
collaboration
More tools to help you:
5 Key Things To Do Everyday - doc pdf
Collaboration Log
Let’s Chat - doc pdf
Teacher-Librarian-an Agent for Collaboration

After

Now that you have documented and analyzed some evidence of the difference you make on student achievement, spend some time reflecting on the impact your initiatives have made. Visit the Reflect and Refresh section for some guiding questions.
Next: Communicate and Celebrate