Proposed+Maryland+Study

=Our Proposed Maryland Study=

Topic

 * What impact do school media centers in Maryland have on student achievement, both in the classroom and on standardized tests?

Method

 * An online survey
 * Both quantitative & qualitative responses will be captured
 * LMS and student participants will be entered into a drawing for a $300 book purchase or a subscription to an online periodical or database

Participants

 * media specialists at public and private schools will be invited to participate
 * students at public and private schools will be invited to participate

What to Measure - Survey Content

 *  The quantitative on-line survey, to be completed by Maryland School Library Media Specialist (SLMS) will concentrate on eight areas pertinent to the achievement of students. The survey will be adapted from the 2003 North Carolina study by Burgin and Brown (used with permission from Lance, Rodney and Hamilton-Pennell’s 2000b Pennsylvania study). The eight focus areas will include staff activity, service hours, library use, library technology, operating expedentures, collection information, management and school demographics.
 * There will also be a need to identify student achievement for each participant in the survey. Data will be collected through the identification of MSA scores of grades3, 5, and 7 as well as 10th and12th grade students HSA scores.
 * More detail on each of the eight survey areas is available in:



What to Measure – Student Centered
Students will take a web survey and respond to quantitative and qualitative questions based on the following seven blocks (as taken from //Student Learning Through Ohio School Libraries,// Todd & Kuhlthau, 2004):
 * Block 1. How helpful the school library is with getting information you need. (Finding Information)
 * Block 2. How helpful the school library is with using the information to complete your school work. (Using Information)
 * Block 3. How helpful the school library is with your school work in general. (Knowledge Building)
 * Block 4. How helpful the school library is with using computers in the library, at school, and at home. (Computers/Technology)
 * Block 5. How helpful the school library is to you with your general reading interests. (General Reading Interests)
 * Block 6. How helpful the school library is to you when you are not at school. (Independent Learning)
 * Block 7. Now, some general things. (Academic Achievement)

Data Analysis

 * Once the data is collected, the quantitative responses will be analyzed statistically; this will enable the researchers to better visualize and understand patterns and trends with the data. The qualitative data will be read to determine common themes and main ideas; the qualitative data will then be categorized by those common themes and summarized. Researchers can then use the summaries to better understand the statistical data and create a whole picture.
 * 75% completion to make survey valid

Measurement of Success
We recommend surveying all public and private K-12 school libraries in Maryland, tailoring the studies with sections to address/measure the unique impact each level of school library has on student success. We would survey students, teachers, SLMS and administration. Our measure of success would be a statistically signifcant impact on test scores.