How to define a successful Library program?
The final assignment for our course asks that we make a comprehensive plan to improve our Library Learning Commons. I found it easy to come up with a project I'm excited about, and I really enjoyed laying out the steps and timeline for my initiative. Where I got hung up, was to "explain how [I] will determine the success of the plan."
I think it's essential to check in with our users, and this comes organically: did they use the resource, was it easy to use, did kids enjoy it, did it answer their questions. "Determining success," though, feels like I should have some hard data. I went running back to the old standard SMART framework, thinking: what can I measure here? Luckily, I also found this video by Shelley Moore:
Yes! Images, videos, student work, and the behaviours we observe give examples that triangulate to show us if our project is successful. Rather than a tally page, a growing sense of competency among learners can confirm our success.
After all, with students at the centre of our program and our practice, it is a feeling that's paramount, as Maya Angelou famously says. When kids experience agency, accomplishment, and joy in our Library Learning Commons, our plans are doing their job.
Improving reference services can make a huge impact for kids. Knowing that you are a skilled user of information, that you can find out reliable material that answers your questions, is a great feeling.
Works Cited
Joseph, Jim. "People Will Never Forget How You Made Them Feel." August 31, 2021. https://www.jimjoseph.com/jimjosephexp/2021/6/3/maya-people-will-remember-how-you-make-them-feel.
Moore, Shelley. "See Ya Later S.M.A.R.T. Goals." May 6, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OrntS8NrUY.
Oxley, Kristie. "Assignment 3." January 2023. https://canvas.ubc.ca/courses/115685/assignments/1432125?confetti=true.
Megan, you have made some great comments and I love the video. I will share it with some of my teachers and use it myself. I had not thought of it before, but your point about building confidence at finding reliable materials and therefore information is empowering for any age. I agree it can have a huge impact on all kids by providing a safe and fun place to explore and learn.
ReplyDeleteHi Megan,
ReplyDeleteGreat post- the video on SMART goals is awesome. I love the humor but also the serious message behind it about different ways to "measure" success. I think growing learner competencies is a great way to think about whether or not you're meeting your goals. In my own assignment 3, I actually included a section in it about how I would want to put out student surveys that gave them an opportunity to notice their own growth in digital literacy skills and digital reference resource use as a part of my measurement of success for my plan.
I agree that having kids feel confident, safe, and successful are excellent measures of success and just as valid as the "hard data" pieces that we track :) Everyone's growth is different!