Conducting Action Research to Evaluate Your School Library

Sykes, J. A. (2013). Conducting Action Research to Evaluate Your School Library. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited
ISBN: 978-1-61069-077-5

Publisher's Description
How should teacher librarians or instructional leaders engage in action research to improve their school library and benefit students' learning? This book provides the answers.

Teacher librarians need to get directly involved with the research process in the learning commons in order to create actions and strategies that will enhance student learning—and benefit their own professional development as well as demonstrate accountability through their action research efforts. This book provides practical tips and work spaces for educators at the local, state, and national levels, clearly modeling and explaining the process and the tools for conducting action research in a school library setting that will identify the program's strengths and weaknesses.

The author coalesces current expert opinions on the topic of action research in the school library environment and highlighting what other teacher librarians in the field have identified as the pros and cons of using the process. Readers are directed to focus on mitigating the "cons" through the use of specific working pages and templates and by initially exploring "five favorite" links, thereby encouraging those who are new to action research to try what might otherwise seem a daunting process. School principals K–12 who read this book will be better equipped to support their teacher librarians and teachers in this important professional process.


Features

• Supplies invaluable insights from experts and practitioners on the subject of action research
  
• Provides a clear model of the process in action
  
• Directs readers to additional resources that facilitate effective action research and timely topics for school library research, such as time management and technology in learning