Susan Woods's List: Ross Todd

• information and critical  literacies with emphasis on digital information   environments; information  technology and learning; cognitive information   utilization and knowledge  construction; how school libraries and the role of   teacher-librarians may more  effectively empower student learning; and knowledge   management and building schools  as effective information-knowledge sharing   communities
• information and critical literacies with emphasis on digital information  environments; information technology and learning; cognitive information  utilization and knowledge construction; how school libraries and the role of  teacher-librarians may more effectively empower student learning; and knowledge  management and building schools as effective information-knowledge sharing  communities.
• examining the impact of implementing an inquiry-based approach to learning  centering on the Information Search Process developed by Professor Carol  Kuhlthau on student learning outcomes; understanding more fully the cognitive  dynamics of adolescent information seeking and use, with particular emphasis on  changing information intents and patterns of knowledge construction; and  developing an Evidence-Based Practice framework for school librarians.

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• The answer to this question lies in student outcomes—specifically, what  school librarians can do in their instructional practices to ensure those  outcomes. This, in turn, raises some interesting questions:

   
   
  • How do school libraries impact student learning? How do they help students  learn?
   
  • Do students who have been taught information skills perform better  academically?
   
  • How do we ensure that our school libraries are sustainable and  accountable—in infrastructure, personnel, resources, and instructional  processes—so that optimal student outcomes are achieved?
   
  • How do we spread the word about the impact of school libraries on student  achievement and demonstrate their educational, social, and cultural  value?

• According to Dr. Ross Todd, "two key dimensions of  evidence-based practice are conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current  best research findings in making decisions about the performance of the  day-to-day role, and where day-to-day  professional work is directed towards demonstrating the tangible impacts and  outcomes of sound decision making and implementation of organizational goals and  objectives."

   

  Dr. Todd continues by stating "you will know when you have  achieved evidence-based practice when you are able to provide convincing  evidence that answers these questions:

   

  "What differences do my school library and its learning  initiatives make to student learning outcomes? and

   

  "What are the differences, the tangible learning  outcomes and learning benefits, of my school library?"