Becoming a Research Activist

CURRICULUM

Becoming a Research Activist

How Do We Use Our Time?

• In Pairs, Consider these Questions:

• What takes up the majority of your work time?

• What ONE thing do you have to do that you would rather not do?

• What ONE thing would you do more of if you had the time?

Teacher Time vs Librarian Time

Librarian Time

Reading Lessons Info Literacy Lessons Other

Book Clubs Stock Management Admin

Meetings

FT Teachers' Time (Statistics taken from Ofsted Report July 2019)

Teaching Lesson Planning & Preparation

Marking & Correcting Pupil Work Admin

Other

My Context

My Inspiration: Graham Gardner, JCS 2018

Image courtesy of JCS

Strategic Development Plan

Curriculum-linked resources now feature on the Library’s strategic development plan.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

Two Key Objectives

• An improved reading culture within the school, particularly in Year 9

• Be a definitive and authoritative research hub for pupils and departments

Objective

1. Be a definitive and authoritative research hub for pupils and departments

Means to achievement / actions Timeframe and comments (measurable progress) Responsibility

a. Attend one departmental meeting with every department in order to gauge and understand what their requirements are

Dec 2019 EAS

b. Read and digest A-level specifications for all subjects to link research resources to Assessment Objectives (AOs)

June 2020 EAS

c. Develop sub-pages on Library Firefly online resources which link directly to sub-categories in departmental A-level specifications or IB

June 2021 – measure impact via hits on Firefly and regularly

review (once a term / two terms) with departments

EAS/Library

Team

d. Review online resources / databases annually using usage statistics to ensure fitness for purpose and check for better ones

June 2020 EAS

e. A cross-searchable portal for all Library resources, both online and offline, to limit the number of ‘clicks’ and logins

June 2021 EAS

f. Provide training for all Library staff to ensure they are aware of relevant systems such as Planet eStream and how to help pupils and staff search existing databases

June 2020 EAS/LN

g. Develop the Library Catalogue to ensure it is more user-friendly and autonomous

June 2021 EAS/IS/CS

h. Embed a research curriculum which starts in Year 9 and continues into Year 12

June 2021 EAS with

Divisions/

Bradfield

Diploma/

EPQ/IB

i. Raise Awareness of resources held by the Library and how to access them

Oct 2019 – check monthly usage stats wherever available EAS/LN

Timeline since JCS 2018

English Teacher asked for

resources to support course

Looked up exam board and A level

specification

Created Firefly page with

Assessment Objectives

Showed it to English

Department

Summer Term 2019

Request to attend departmental meetings

Provided opportunity to read exam specifications, promote library resources and offer services

Used one Firefly page as an example

Targeted Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences – started with IB and A level

Spoon-feeding vs Extended Reading

Example: University Reading List on Talis Aspire

Challenges I Face

• Time: it’s important to get something done for a department soon after you’ve met with them else you lose your customer enthusiasm/faith!

• Quantity: Lots of subjects with (seemingly) endless sub-topics

• Managing: Delegating to other library staff!

• Currency: How often should the page be checked? Some subjects need regular updating to stay current and relevant

Top Tips

• Start with an ‘easy’ department first – one you’re already established with or a subject you know (e.g. your degree subject)

• Don’t overlook books! Skim read and scan in a relevant chapter/section with a short commentary (I usually take this from the introduction/conclusion)

• Books also have bibliographies that you can follow – especially for primary sources that are out of copyright e.g. Wars of the Roses

• Scan in journal/magazine articles of particular significance

• Try using Padlet (or Scoop.it) to curate news / web resources and PDF files

• Set up RSS feeds for e.g. Science subjects for latest news topics

• Scan sections of Revision Guides to provide short concise overviews (or try using the CLA Education Platform)

And to give you an indication of impact, here’s a quick video of interviews with the teachers themselves….

Image used with permission from The Root Cause website

Use of the library and impact on grades

A-Level Results & Library Use 2017 & 2019

Non-

Library

User

Results

Library

User

Results

Total

Grades

A* 5 13 18

A 33 38 71

B 53 96 149

C 41 59 100

D 22 27 49

E 12 11 23

U 1 2 3

Non-

Library

User

Results

Library

User

Results

Total

Grades

A* 6 16 22

A 38 44 82

B 41 62 103

C 39 34 73

D 19 12 31

E 4 2 6

GCSE Results & Library Use 2017 & 2019

Comparison

Non-

Library

Results

Library

Results

Total

Grades

A* 144 71 215

A 274 139 413

B 285 149 434

C 97 35 132

D 17 7 24

U 1 0 1

Comparison

Non-

Library

Results

Library

Results

Total

Grades

9 94 128 222

8 145 128 273

7 196 140 336

6 205 118 323

5 121 60 181

4 44 17 61

3 13 6 19

2 1 1 2

ReferencesAdkins, N. (2012) What Do Librarians Do? Day Three – School Librarian, Voices For The Library. Available at: http://www.voicesforthelibrary.org.uk/2012/11/what-do-librarians-do-day-three-school-librarian/ (Accessed: 21 November 2019).

Davis, L. (no date) A Day In The Life Of Tomlinscote School, Heart Of The School. Available at: http://heartoftheschool.edublogs.org/day-in-the-life-of/a-day-in-the-life-of-tomlinscote-school/ (Accessed: 21 November 2019).

Great School Libraries (2019) Great School Libraries Survey Findings and Update on Phase 1, Google Docs. Available at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rjo_wPFjwppcl3e-DrJMk7CAH9JJnMMc/view (Accessed: 21 November 2019).

Ofsted (2019) Teacher well-being at work in schools and further education providers, GOV.UK. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/819314/Teacher_well-being_report_110719F.pdf (Accessed: 21 November 2019).

Image Credits

Title Slide:

Top Left: Activist by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Alpha Stock Images

Right: Journey to the Centre of the Earth Poster from IMBD.com

Bottom Left: Protestors protesting from The Chronicle of Higher

Education

Slide 2: Not Enough Time from JKR Advertising

Slide 17: Time + Effort from PictureQuotes.com