ALIA 2004: Challenging ideas Concurrent Session B Wednesday 22/9/04

Sandra Ryan Santa Maria College Information Literacy: evidence that school libraries can lead the way

Information literacy “if research over the past five or six decades has consistently shown a positive relationship between student achievement and school libraries, then why does the “case” for libraries still need to be put?” Lonsdale 2003, p.33

Information literacy Is it possible to apply overseas research in the Australian setting? Is there evidence that the research has been applied?

Information literacy In terms of learning outcomes, research demonstrates the benefits of: Improvement in resources: human and/or material is useful for lobbying at the national level. Improvement in practice: is useful at the local level for lobbying within the school community.

Information literacy Macro research usually looks at the relationship between libraries and learning outcomes and is large scale broad based studies involving large samples

Information literacy Micro research usually small groups of students in local settings with the focus on a range of specific information and learning situations

Information literacy Macro research Best known: Keith Curry Lance and associates at Colorado Dept of Education Number of statewide studies completed: Colorado, Alaska, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Oregon and Texas

Information literacy Summary: three major points about effects of school library media centres on academic achievement. First: Students at schools with better funded Libraries tend to achieve higher average reading scores, irrespective of socio economic status and education level of parents

Information literacy Second: Amount of staffing and size of the collection are factors that influence reading test scores Third: Students where library staff played an instructional role tended to achieve higher average test scores

Information literacy Findings relate to funding, staffing levels and instructional intervention. Funding and staffing levels have local application however they are national, big picture issues for school libraries. Australia does not have current national system or sector data about funding and staffing.

Information literacy Comparisons with national benchmarks cannot be made. Lobbying at the national level for improvements in funding and staffing will be ineffectual because the requested increase cannot be quantified.

Information literacy There is evidence that when data on staffing and collection size is available then effective lobbying for increases can take place. Example of Victoria in the late 80s to late 90s. Data from the Catholic sector was available and staffing and collection sizes increased as a result of lobbying by library advisers

Information literacy We need national data on school libraries. This data would allow studies similar to those of Keith Curry Lance to be made. At the macro level, research about funding and staffing has been carried out overseas and cannot be applied to the Australian situation because of lack of appropriate data.

Information literacy The benefit of instructional intervention was the other finding from the Colorado studies. At the micro level many Australian practitioners may have applied these research findings. It is only where programmes have been designed for accountability that there will be evidence of the benefits.

Information literacy Evidence based practice Todd explains that evidence based practice happens where teacher librarians are able to demonstrate that their day to day practice contributes to the school’s learning goals.

Information literacy Information Literacy Project at Santa Maria College is an example of how evidence based practice can be used to demonstrate positive learning outcomes for students. Instructional intervention is used by teacher librarians and evidence is gathered about the effectiveness of the intervention.

Information literacy: evidence that school libraries can lead the way Profile of Santa Maria College Catholic, low fees Northcote, inner suburban Melbourne Student population: 930 girls 54 different nationalities

Information literacy Features of the Project style of leadership educational philosophies and teaching strategies that reflect global, national and local trends

Information literacy Features of the Project continued principles of project management documentation data collection

Information Literacy Background Evidence based practice or the Information Literacy Project at SMC commenced in 2000 with the Year 7 intake. Prior to this, in November 1999, the Curriculum Committee had agreed to trial the Project for one year. Appointment of Vicki Hudson as Information Literacy Coordinator in December 1999.

Information Literacy Information Literacy Project 2000 Each KLA was to plan a unit of work with the Library team. Need to demonstrate that the Project made a difference to student learning outcomes.

Information literacy Educational philosophies underpinning the Project: Constructivist view of learning Bloom’s Taxonomy Process approach to Information Literacy Explicit teaching of the Information Literacy process.

Information literacy Developments during 2000 Style Manual for setting assignments would assist staff to embed information literacy and cognitive skills in assignments. The Style Manual was ready for the beginning of 2001.

Information literacy Developments during 2000 By the end of 2000, Curriculum Committee had agreed that the Project was to be maintained and extended until it covered Years 7-10.

Information literacy 2003 Units of work had been developed and implemented in all or most KLAs at the Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 levels. Our original Year intake were in Year 10. We have 4 years of data on the development of their information literacy skills.

Information literacy 2003 We also have 3 years of information literacy data for the 7: 2001 cohort, 2 years for the 7:2002 cohort, and one year for the 7:2003 group. We are able to demonstrate the progress of 4 year levels as independent learners during the time that we have worked with them.

Information literacy Reports 2000, 2001, 2002,2003. Annual reports on student learning outcomes have been prepared for the Principal, Curriculum Committee, Year Level Coordinators, Subject teachers and Homeroom teachers. Progress reports have been given to students during class and parents via the newsletter.

Information literacy

Benefits: for teacher librarians Professional standing and credibility enhanced by attention to student learning outcomes. Principal and leadership team are attentive to initiatives. Teachers see us as colleagues and collaborative partners. Students know we are teachers.

Information literacy Benefits: programme structure The College has a sequential Information Literacy Curriculum that consists of: – Units of work for Years 7 – 10 – Assessment tools – A documentation and reporting process.

Information literacy Benefits: programme structure The College has an Information Literacy data collection and analysis process that provides: – A diagnostic tool – Evidence of student progress or otherwise – The ability to adjust the Information Literacy program to suit the needs and skills of different cohorts of students.

Information literacy Benefits: for students learners are supported with notetaking and literacy scaffolds assignments contain logical steps and achievable tasks thinking skills: higher level thinking learning process explicitly modeled

Information literacy Evidence based practice has given teacher librarians a way to put the “case” for the school library at the local level. This has lead to the development of a well staffed and resourced library.