keep, change, or expand? collecting and using data to ... · keep, change, or expand? collecting...
TRANSCRIPT
Keep, Change, or Expand?
Collecting and Using Data to
Evaluate a Library Service
Homework Help Center
Worthington ParkHHC 2008
Five computersTwo tables
Open Monday through Thursday
3:00-6:00
Why Assessment
•Move away from “I feel like…”
•Establish effectiveness
•Understand scope of service
•Consider community need
•Tell a story
Questions to Ask: Be Curious
What data do we need?
How can we collect it effectively and efficiently?
What we will do with the data once collected?
What else do we need to tell our story?
Are we asking the hard questions?
Evaluation Topics
Unique Issues with Evaluation
•Lots of moving parts and pieces•Mix of students using the service•Multiple school districts•Drop in program•Variety of types of homework•Limited contact with parents and teachers
A volunteer helping a student with her math homework.
Evaluation Tools
Data collection
Anecdotes and observations
Surveys
Research
Data Collection
•The power of the sign-in sheet
•Tally sheets •Textbooks•Volunteers•HHC hours
•No List
The number of students who have visited the HHC has increased every school year.
With the opening of the new HHCs at Northwest and Old Worthington Libraries, we have helped almost 400 students so far this school year!
Homework Help Center Statistics
050
100150200250300350400450
OWL
NWL
WPK
Students Using the HHC
Students from all grades visit the HHCs, but the majority of students are in the elementary grades.
The graph shows the number of individual students from each grade level who have visited the HHCs during the 2012-2013 school year (through February).
Homework Help Center Statistics
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
GradesK-3
Grades4-6
MiddleSchool
HighSchool
OWL
NWL
WPK
Students by Grade
Based on statistics for all 3 locations for the 2012-2013 school year (through February):
Nearly half (46%) of the visits to the HHCs were for math homework help.
Many students work on multiple subjects when they visit the HHCs.
Homework Help Center Statistics
47%
20%
3%
3%
24%
3%
Subject
Math Language Arts
Science Social Studies
Multiple Subjects Other Subjects
Anecdotes and Observations
A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words
Snapshot of a Day in the HHC
• 19 students• Grades 1-11 (except 9th)• 14 had math homework• 6 had homework in multiple subjects• 3 students had foreign language
homework• 10th grader had biology homework• 11th grader had chemistry homework
How We Support Students & Worthington City Schools Curriculum
Surveys
Patron
Volunteer
School Media Specialists
A volunteer helping a student with her homework
Impact
Worthington Libraries goal is for the homework help centers to help children from kindergarten through twelfth grade do better in school.
• We do customer surveys twice a year.• According to customer survey results
84% said that their children’s schoolwork had improved because of visits to the HHCs. 76% said that the HHCs were helpful.
• Overall, patrons are satisfied with the HHCs. Most patrons ranked “people to help” or “a place to do homework” as the most important aspect of the HHC.
Research
Articles and Books
Site Visits
School Trends
Why Are HHCs So Important
Research shows:• Students do better in school when they
have help understanding directions and vocabulary.
• Students learn to work with others.• Kids have increased self-esteem.
Telling Our Story
Gather everything together
Analyze, analyze, analyze
Double check your formulas
Draw conclusions
Design action steps
Share the story of your service
Homework Help Center Worthington Park 2017
Lessons Learned
Be okay with what you know and what you don’t know
Rely on your experts
Evaluate your evaluation
Look ahead
