RMC Research has completed its final report for the four-year What's the BIG Idea? program. The goal of this program was to help librarians transform the programming they already do to include mathematics and science concepts, skills, vocabulary and activities. According to RMC, evaluations showed that librarians changed their practices in statistically significant ways. The original cohort of librarians from Houston, Delaware, New York and Vermont acquired specific knowledge and skills and confidence in their abilities to provide children with activities and vocabulary related to math and science. They implemented the program with varying degrees of fidelity, and those with the strongest fidelity to the What's the BIG Idea? Librarian Manual had the strongest impacts on children.

With this success, demand for training increased and a training-of-trainers approach was then developed and piloted in seven states (Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas and Washington). Librarians in this pilot received professional development to deliver programs to young children and to train other librarians. Level One cohort trainers returned to their states and trained the Level Two cohort. After that, trainers from each cohort trained a group of librarians (Level Three) who subsequently delivered the programming in their libraries.

Here are some highlights from the RMC full report of What's the BIG Idea? Training of Trainers project. Let us know if you'd like to receive a copy of this report.

All of the trainers surveyed reported that they followed the basic sequence and approach originally provided. In their introductions, trainers reported emphasizing the standards and terminology, asking open-ended questions and conveying that the approach was not "rocket science." Several also said that they provided hands-on activities when reviewing the concepts.

The majority of both Level One and Level Two trainers stated that they relied heavily on the What's the BIG Idea? Librarian Manual during their trainings. Some said:

"The manual is absolutely fabulous. It's a great source to jump off with."
"We showed them how they can work with what they already have in existence and how [this programming is] an asset to their current programming."
"We just followed the manual. We stayed with what we know works."

Librarians reported a significant change in their current story hour practices as an immediate result of their participation in the project. They were significantly more likely to offer mathematics and science content in their programming than before they attended the training. After conducting programming for children and families in their libraries, here are some librarians' observations:

"The program has really fostered and increased an excitement of science and mathematics in the parents of young children. It's been inspiring."
"Our children love it and enjoy it so much. You don't have to spend a lot of money. It's bringing kids to the library, it's building relationships between adult and child, and you're teaching them something."
"A light came on for them. It fits with programs and what we are doing and gives us a way to validate the education that a library can provide. The library does have a place in the education of kids."

In summary, according to RMC's report, "These results once again demonstrate that the What's the BIG Idea? training is likely to have an impact whether the training is presented by VCB [Mother Goose Programs] or by others who have participated in the training-of-trainers approach."

What's the BIG Idea? was funded by the National Science Foundation.

RMC Research of Denver is an educational organization that conducts research and evaluation and provides professional development nationally.

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