Hot Issues in School Libraries

Hot Issues in Hot Issues in School Libraries School Libraries

OLA Super ConferenceOLA Super Conference

Session 413Session 413

February 1, 2007February 1, 2007

Michael Rosettis President, Ontario School Library

Association

OverviewOverview

Research StudyResearch Study AdvocacyAdvocacy Knowledge OntarioKnowledge Ontario Ministry Curriculum & InitiativesMinistry Curriculum & Initiatives Ministry Meeting: OSLA, TALCO & Ministry Meeting: OSLA, TALCO &

OLAOLA Discussion/Focus GroupsDiscussion/Focus Groups Future DirectionFuture Direction

PerspectivePerspective

“ “The government recognizes the critical The government recognizes the critical role that school libraries play in role that school libraries play in improving student achievement ... improving student achievement ... Libraries have a powerful influence on Libraries have a powerful influence on stimulating interest in reading and stimulating interest in reading and strengthening research and critical strengthening research and critical thinking skills.” thinking skills.”

(Avis Glaze, Chief Student Achievement Officer, (Avis Glaze, Chief Student Achievement Officer, The Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat, and Kit The Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat, and Kit Rankin, Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Rankin, Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Secondary and Elementary Strategic Planning Secondary and Elementary Strategic Planning Division, Ontario Ministry of Education, 2005) Division, Ontario Ministry of Education, 2005)

Research Study: Research Study: Phase 1Phase 1 Presence of teacher-librarian the strongest predictor Presence of teacher-librarian the strongest predictor

of reading enjoyment for grade 3 and 6 students of reading enjoyment for grade 3 and 6 students

Schools with TLs tended to have reading enjoyment Schools with TLs tended to have reading enjoyment scores up to 8 percentile points higher than average scores up to 8 percentile points higher than average

Reading enjoyment strongly/positively linked to Reading enjoyment strongly/positively linked to student achievement student achievement

Schools with professionally-trained school library staff could Schools with professionally-trained school library staff could be expected to have reading achievement scores that were be expected to have reading achievement scores that were higher (~ 5.5 percentile points in grade 6 EQAO higher (~ 5.5 percentile points in grade 6 EQAO results)results)

Schools without trained library staff tend to have lower Schools without trained library staff tend to have lower achievement on grade 3 and 6 EQAO reading testsachievement on grade 3 and 6 EQAO reading tests

Eastern and Northern regions of province particularly Eastern and Northern regions of province particularly disadvantageddisadvantaged

Research Study: Research Study: Phase 2Phase 2

Data collection: March-June 2007Data collection: March-June 2007 Data Analysis and Preliminary Report: Data Analysis and Preliminary Report:

July to September 2007 July to September 2007 Release of preliminary findings: October 2007Release of preliminary findings: October 2007 Data collection: November 2007 to June 2008Data collection: November 2007 to June 2008 Data Analysis and Final Report preparation: July Data Analysis and Final Report preparation: July

to September 2008to September 2008 Release of final report findings: October 2008Release of final report findings: October 2008

Research Study: Research Study: Phase 2 Phase 2 Possible Research DirectionsPossible Research Directions

Research impact of exemplary libraries and Research impact of exemplary libraries and library programs on student attitude and library programs on student attitude and achievementachievement

Extension of the use of EQAO data resultsExtension of the use of EQAO data results Use of School Library data from People for Use of School Library data from People for

Education Annual Survey (2006)Education Annual Survey (2006) Identification of exemplary school library Identification of exemplary school library

programsprograms Sampling of schools from across the Sampling of schools from across the

provinceprovince Initial emphasis for Phase 2: Elementary Initial emphasis for Phase 2: Elementary

schools; rural vs. urban; small vs. large schools; rural vs. urban; small vs. large schoolsschools

Research Study: Research Study: Phase 2 Phase 2 Possible Research DirectionsPossible Research Directions

Case study approach: observation and Case study approach: observation and analysis of varied staffing models; analysis of varied staffing models; qualitative research designqualitative research design

Measuring learning transfer (re: Measuring learning transfer (re: Interdisciplinary Skills learned through Interdisciplinary Skills learned through school library program – e.g., note-taking, school library program – e.g., note-taking, evaluating content, accessing print and evaluating content, accessing print and digital resources, etc.)digital resources, etc.)

Use of EQAO data to identify higher scoring Use of EQAO data to identify higher scoring schools, and analysis of common factorsschools, and analysis of common factors

Survey tool development of local and web-Survey tool development of local and web-based usebased use

(Cont’d)

Quotes: Quotes: The Importance of School The Importance of School

LibrariesLibraries

Conference Board of CanadaConference Board of Canada Ministry StatementsMinistry Statements Statistics CanadaStatistics Canada Teacher Federation Teacher Federation

Statements & Policy Statements & Policy CPCOCPCO Dr. David BoothDr. David Booth Time, Globe and MailTime, Globe and Mail

OSLA Website RenewalOSLA Website Renewal

Teacher FederationsTeacher Federations– OSSTFOSSTF– ETFOETFO– OECTAOECTA

Ministry of EducationMinistry of Education– Education MinisterEducation Minister– Curriculum and Assessment Policy Curriculum and Assessment Policy

Branch (CAPB)Branch (CAPB)– Literacy and Numeracy SecretariatLiteracy and Numeracy Secretariat

Advocacy: Advocacy: Provincial Level LobbyingProvincial Level Lobbying

NetworkingNetworking– TALCOTALCO– Leaders TodayLeaders Today– Knowledge OntarioKnowledge Ontario– Education InstituteEducation Institute

ResearchResearch– Queen’s UniversityQueen’s University– People for EducationPeople for Education

Advocacy: Advocacy: Professional Networking Professional Networking

ConferencesConferences– Ontario Principal’s Council (OPC)Ontario Principal’s Council (OPC)– OECTA New Teacher’sOECTA New Teacher’s– Teacher Federation AGMsTeacher Federation AGMs

OTF Curriculum Forum & OTF Curriculum Forum & Ministry Subject Association Ministry Subject Association MeetingsMeetings

Advocacy: Advocacy: Professional Networking Professional Networking

Federation SupportFederation Support

Federation Policy Statements Federation Policy Statements – OSSTFOSSTF– ETFOETFO– OECTAOECTA

Federation ActionFederation Action– International School Library Day, ETFOInternational School Library Day, ETFO– January 2007 January 2007 Education WatchEducation Watch, OSSTF, OSSTF– Open Letter to NDP Delegates, ETFOOpen Letter to NDP Delegates, ETFO

OSLA CorrespondenceOSLA Correspondence

OSSTF: OSSTF: International School Library International School Library

DayDay

OSSTF: OSSTF: Education WatchEducation Watch

ETFO: ETFO: Open Letter Open Letter to NDP to NDP DelegatesDelegates

Knowledge OntarioKnowledge Ontario

Resource Ontario:Resource Ontario: Equity of access across provinceEquity of access across province Product selectionProduct selection KO Board of DirectorsKO Board of Directors Procuring sustained Procuring sustained

funding funding OSLA RepOSLA Rep Listserv Listserv



Ministry Curriculum & Ministry Curriculum & InitiativesInitiatives

The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8: The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8: Language, 2006 Language, 2006

Many Roots, Many Voices: Supporting Many Roots, Many Voices: Supporting English Language Learners in Every English Language Learners in Every ClassroomClassroom

The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8: The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8: Science, Draft (2007)Science, Draft (2007)

The Ontario Curriculum, Grades The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9-12: English, Draft (2007) 9-12: English, Draft (2007)

Ministry Curriculum & Ministry Curriculum & InitiativesInitiatives

Ministry Meeting: Jan. 2007Ministry Meeting: Jan. 2007


Our Vision:Our Vision:

Ministry leadership regarding policy and program Ministry leadership regarding policy and program direction for school libraries and school library direction for school libraries and school library programsprograms

Equitable staffing for school libraries across Equitable staffing for school libraries across Ontario by qualified teacher-librarians and Ontario by qualified teacher-librarians and support staffsupport staff

Board accountability for school library funding: Board accountability for school library funding: staffing, resources and facilities.staffing, resources and facilities.

Clear connections between school libraries and Clear connections between school libraries and Ministry literacy and curricular initiatives Ministry literacy and curricular initiatives

The school library becomes a learning commons The school library becomes a learning commons for the entire school communityfor the entire school community


Revitalised school library programs can:Revitalised school library programs can:

help teachers and students meet provincial help teachers and students meet provincial expectations;expectations;

increase student achievement levels;increase student achievement levels;

integrate a wide range of vital cross-curricular integrate a wide range of vital cross-curricular knowledge, skills, and technologies;knowledge, skills, and technologies;

improve teaching and learning, especially literacy and improve teaching and learning, especially literacy and research skills;research skills;

develop the love of reading for learning develop the love of reading for learning and pleasure; and pleasure;

provide learning environments that are provide learning environments that are safe, nurturing, positive, and respectful; safe, nurturing, positive, and respectful;

serve entire school communities.serve entire school communities.


The development of comprehensive content and The development of comprehensive content and professional standardsprofessional standards, print and electronic, , print and electronic, for school libraries in Ontario that: for school libraries in Ontario that:

scaffold knowledge and skills with specific teaching scaffold knowledge and skills with specific teaching and learning strategies, activities, and templates to and learning strategies, activities, and templates to support:support:– research process;research process;– reading literacy and independent reading;reading literacy and independent reading;– Information literacy;Information literacy;– media literacy;media literacy;– communication and presentation skills;communication and presentation skills;– character education;character education;– ICT and other innovative technological literacies.ICT and other innovative technological literacies.– collect best practices, activities, and templates to support the collect best practices, activities, and templates to support the

collaboration of teachers and teacher-librarians in collaboration of teachers and teacher-librarians in implementing:implementing:


To address the issues of To address the issues of equity and equity and accountabilityaccountability, the , the funding formulafunding formula must must recognize that school library programs need recognize that school library programs need Ministry policy, direction, standards and targeted Ministry policy, direction, standards and targeted funding rather than local school board and school funding rather than local school board and school independence.independence.

There are large disparities and inequities in the There are large disparities and inequities in the resource budgets of school libraries and in the resource budgets of school libraries and in the quality of school library collections. quality of school library collections.

Our most disadvantaged students continue Our most disadvantaged students continue to be disadvantaged if school library to be disadvantaged if school library resource budgets are resource budgets are inadequate. inadequate.


Ministry Meeting: Jan. ‘07Ministry Meeting: Jan. ‘07

“Recommendations: …That the Ministry of Education reinstate adequate funding for qualified teacher-librarians and library resources.”(CPCO Submission on Education Funding 2006)

New Ministry Leadership New Ministry Leadership

“Effective school library programs can … help promote the development of information literacy skills among all students by supporting and coordinating the collaborative planning and implementation of reading programs, inquiry and research tasks, and independent study.” (Ontario Ministry of Education, The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 to 12: Program Planning and Assessment, 2000)

OSLA Discussion/Focus OSLA Discussion/Focus GroupsGroups

Advocacy: School Library Programs/ Role of Teacher-librarian

AQ Courses, Library Faculties of Education Pre-service Federation Advocacy Fundraising in Libraries Global Citizenship Libraries & Literacy School Library Budgets/Funding

Dedicated listserv

Regular e-mail Wiki Interaction Teleconferences In-person meeting dialogue planning further action

OSLA Discussion/Focus OSLA Discussion/Focus GroupsGroups

InterestedInterested??

Please join the Please join the discussion!discussion!

Sign up before Sign up before you leaveyou leave

Future Direction ???Future Direction ???

Research: School Libraries in OntarioResearch: School Libraries in Ontario Targeted Action: Targeted Action:

– Principals: OPC, CPCOPrincipals: OPC, CPCO– Federations: OTF, EFTO, OECTA, OSSTFFederations: OTF, EFTO, OECTA, OSSTF

Ministry DialogueMinistry Dialogue– Literacy & Numeracy SecretariatLiteracy & Numeracy Secretariat– Curriclum & Assessment Policy BranchCurriclum & Assessment Policy Branch– Minister of EducationMinister of Education

Other Ideas???Other Ideas???

Action is Paramount!Action is Paramount!

“ “School libraries are places where School libraries are places where students can develop a passion students can develop a passion for reading and learning … [and] for reading and learning … [and] inspire our students and help inspire our students and help them succeed”them succeed”

(Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario, 2006)(Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario, 2006)

Hot Issues in Hot Issues in School Libraries School Libraries

February 1, 2007February 1, 2007

Michael Rosettis

[email protected]

Documents

Hot Issues in School Libraries