Resources for Practitioners

Photo Credit: NoahJon Marshall

Alumnus NoahJon Marshall '12, pictured above, helped to build this new school library in Bali

This project RE-04-15-0081-15, has been made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

How can school library media specialists demonstrate evidence of practice?

This resource contains exemplars to illustrate how school library media specialist can demonstrate evidence of practice within the school library and classroom. The examples were created by former graduate students of the University at Albany's ALA-accredited Information Science School Library (ISSL) program.

In an effort to show how practitioners can demonstrate evidence of practice, graduate students were asked to create a performance-based learning segment consisting of at least three original lessons, collaboratively developed with a K-12 certified mentor (school librarian and/or teacher). The lessons target information literacy skills/competencies. Graduate students were provided with the American Library Association (ALA) definition of information literacy.

The design of the learning segment or curriculum unit demonstrate knowledge of the PreK-12 students' cultural backgrounds, individual needs, talents and personal interests. The lessons exhibit knowledge of individual students' cognitive style, prior learning, and apply knowledge of criteria and procedures for evaluating, selecting, creating and adjusting instructional materials to meet the learning needs of all students. Formative assessment information is gathered, interpreted and used to shape current and subsequent instruction to determine whether the PreK-12 students have mastered the specified learning objectives. Assessment information is also used to help graduate students modify their instruction to help all PreK-12 students master the learning objectives. A final report documents of evidence of the graduate student's practice summarizes the results and provides a self-reflective assessment describing pedagogical and instructional strategies to improve his/her practice.

The learning segments:

  • consist of at least three original lessons, developed in collaboration with the ISSL student's mentor (certified school librarian, and/or teacher). Lessons must be designed for second grade and higher

  • align to local, state, and national standards

  • specify learning goals and learning objectives for each lesson

  • use the color-coding scheme to identify a learning objective’s:

A measurable/observable verb: The action/behavior/attitudes of the learner

The criterion of acceptable performance: Skills/competencies/attitudes learners will perform in order to demonstrate mastery/attainment of the learning objective

The important condition (if any) under which the performance is to occur: What the learner will be doing when demonstrating mastery or attainment of the learning objective. Typically this is where the performance data will be collected (an essay, a journal, a circle map, a speech, a presentation, a Venn diagram, etc.).

  • provide evidence of how the learning needs of all students are met

  • demonstrate knowledge of each student’s cultural background, cognitive learning style, prior learning, learning needs (academic, social, and emotional), and personal interests

  • be taught in the school’s environment: face-to-face, remote, or hybrid, according to a building or district’s policy given COVID-19 conditions/restrictions. Include original formative and summative assessments. Seamlessly integrate multiple formative assessments within each lesson

  • describe how assessment information was gathered, analyzed, interpreted, and used to inform and shape current and subsequent instruction

  • cite, using APA format, current and/or seminal research to substantiate pedagogical and instructional models and resources.

  • provide tangible empirical evidence of students’ learning

  • summarize what worked, what didn’t, and suggest what can/should be improved

  • present highlights of the learning segment by creating an online narrative assertion, evidence presentation (see: https://www.assertion-evidence.com/tutorial.html)

  • include a final reflection describing how feedback (positive, negative, and neutral) helped to shape and inform pedagogy and instruction



The view the exemplars, click here.