The Survey:
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Result Summary:
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Stakeholder Survey Narrative
The data we were able to obtain through our Evidence Based Survey will help transform our media center program into a program supported by all of our Stakeholders. We conducted a ten question survey asking teachers to share their thoughts about our current media center program and how the program could better meet the needs of teachers and students.
Teachers reported their top three reasons for visiting the media center is to check-out books, use technology, and obtain help from the media specialist. The majority of respondents, 46.67%, visit the library bi-weekly. While another 40%, are split, 20% visit once a week, and another 20% visit several times a week. These teachers generally send their students to the library media center to check out books, in order to participate in the AR program. Of the teachers who were planning to utilize the library media center, with their class, they wanted the library media center to be an extension of their classroom. The library media center is seen as a space students can conduct research, as well as work with the SLMS to learn about technology tools. A small percentage, 6.67% never visit the media center, because of hectic schedules. Providing these respondents with an additional survey may be helpful in identifying what services they would like to see implemented, in order to make the media center program relevant, to their hectic schedules. We did ask our respondents to identify what programs they would like to see in our media center program. Teachers would like to have direct collaboration of lessons and curriculum (100%), staff training and technology (100%), extended hours before and after school (86.67%), and a parent resource center (80%). Developing opportunities for collaboration and curriculum development, as well as staff training are two critical programs to begin implementing in the media program, based on the data.
We asked teachers to identify how the media specialist and classroom teachers can collaborate and co-teach to support inquiry learning in the classroom. Teachers recommended the media specialist attend regularly scheduled grade level or department meetings, in order to plan for co-teaching opportunities. They find value in collaboration, according to their responses, because it brings a different dynamic to the lesson, as well as developing collaborative relationships. This provides us with additional data to support collaboration and curriculum development, immediately, into our library media program.
Digital citizenship skills were very important to all our respondents. Teachers want their students to understand the impact of their digital footprint, how to be a good digital citizen, internet safety and responsibility, as well as copyright, fair use, and plagiarism. These topics would be an easy entry for collaboration and co-teaching opportunities, because teachers understand how digital literacy is not only important in the library media program, but with research activities in the classroom, as well as real life extensions into their students’ digital lives.
Teachers also asked for staff training, in regards to the mission, policies, procedures, programs, and technology within the library media program. The majority of the teachers surveyed did not feel knowledgeable about the library media center’s mission, policies, and procedures. Teachers felt like students are introduced to the policies and procedures of the library media center, during their beginning of the year library orientation, but afterwards students do not know where they can reference the policies and procedures. Policies and procedures are different for teachers, and they do not feel like they are given any training regarding policies and procedures within the library media center. Obviously, this is a critical need, which must be addressed immediately. The library media center should have its’ mission, policies, and procedures for all stakeholders, posted within the media center, and the mission and brand, as well as policies and procedures, should also be posted on the library media center website.
The final area we assessed was the availability of materials and resources within the library media center. We received conflicting data, and further evidence based assessments will need to be obtained, in order to clarify the actual needs for our program. For example, 86.67% of our teachers felt like most of the materials and resources in the library were user friendly, and 80% of respondents felt like the materials and/or technology are useful and relevant to their needs. Yet, the teacher majority, did not feel like the books and technology were adequate 21st century resources. Teachers recommended adding e-books and iPads to the materials and technology available within the library media program. Again, additional assessments or surveys will need to be conducted in order to identify what materials, books, and technology patrons feel will be adequate 21st century resources.
Teachers reported their top three reasons for visiting the media center is to check-out books, use technology, and obtain help from the media specialist. The majority of respondents, 46.67%, visit the library bi-weekly. While another 40%, are split, 20% visit once a week, and another 20% visit several times a week. These teachers generally send their students to the library media center to check out books, in order to participate in the AR program. Of the teachers who were planning to utilize the library media center, with their class, they wanted the library media center to be an extension of their classroom. The library media center is seen as a space students can conduct research, as well as work with the SLMS to learn about technology tools. A small percentage, 6.67% never visit the media center, because of hectic schedules. Providing these respondents with an additional survey may be helpful in identifying what services they would like to see implemented, in order to make the media center program relevant, to their hectic schedules. We did ask our respondents to identify what programs they would like to see in our media center program. Teachers would like to have direct collaboration of lessons and curriculum (100%), staff training and technology (100%), extended hours before and after school (86.67%), and a parent resource center (80%). Developing opportunities for collaboration and curriculum development, as well as staff training are two critical programs to begin implementing in the media program, based on the data.
We asked teachers to identify how the media specialist and classroom teachers can collaborate and co-teach to support inquiry learning in the classroom. Teachers recommended the media specialist attend regularly scheduled grade level or department meetings, in order to plan for co-teaching opportunities. They find value in collaboration, according to their responses, because it brings a different dynamic to the lesson, as well as developing collaborative relationships. This provides us with additional data to support collaboration and curriculum development, immediately, into our library media program.
Digital citizenship skills were very important to all our respondents. Teachers want their students to understand the impact of their digital footprint, how to be a good digital citizen, internet safety and responsibility, as well as copyright, fair use, and plagiarism. These topics would be an easy entry for collaboration and co-teaching opportunities, because teachers understand how digital literacy is not only important in the library media program, but with research activities in the classroom, as well as real life extensions into their students’ digital lives.
Teachers also asked for staff training, in regards to the mission, policies, procedures, programs, and technology within the library media program. The majority of the teachers surveyed did not feel knowledgeable about the library media center’s mission, policies, and procedures. Teachers felt like students are introduced to the policies and procedures of the library media center, during their beginning of the year library orientation, but afterwards students do not know where they can reference the policies and procedures. Policies and procedures are different for teachers, and they do not feel like they are given any training regarding policies and procedures within the library media center. Obviously, this is a critical need, which must be addressed immediately. The library media center should have its’ mission, policies, and procedures for all stakeholders, posted within the media center, and the mission and brand, as well as policies and procedures, should also be posted on the library media center website.
The final area we assessed was the availability of materials and resources within the library media center. We received conflicting data, and further evidence based assessments will need to be obtained, in order to clarify the actual needs for our program. For example, 86.67% of our teachers felt like most of the materials and resources in the library were user friendly, and 80% of respondents felt like the materials and/or technology are useful and relevant to their needs. Yet, the teacher majority, did not feel like the books and technology were adequate 21st century resources. Teachers recommended adding e-books and iPads to the materials and technology available within the library media program. Again, additional assessments or surveys will need to be conducted in order to identify what materials, books, and technology patrons feel will be adequate 21st century resources.