Report on the Impact of School Libraries on Student Achievement

5.3 Broader learning

The studies that focus on broader aspects of student learning, such as student motivation or the ability to undertake independent research, tend to make use of qualitative research and to be smaller in scale than those that focus on academic achievement as measured by test performance.

In their study of the impact of the school library on learning in a selection of secondary schools in Scotland, Williams and Wavell (2001a, 2001b) consider learning in its broadest sense. The first part of the project used focus group discussions with teachers and students and interviews with librarians to identify participants' perceptions of how school libraries contribute to learning, whereas the second phase of the study used case studies to identify whether these expectations were being fulfilled in practice. The potential impact of the school library on learning was judged by teachers in terms of their broad expectations rather than according to observations of actual learning impact.

The study looked at the contribution of the school library to student learning in the four areas of motivation, progression, independence and interaction. One of the difficulties with such a study is that some aspects of learning are more difficult to monitor and assess than others. For each of the four areas Williams and Wavell identified indicators that would enable them to determine whether these learning experiences had actually taken place. Evidence of motivation, for example, included students' verbal and written expression of enthusiasm; willingness to take part in the prescribed activity; degree of absorption in the task; student willingness to continue their work either by returning to the school library or at home; and a change in attitude towards work over time (Williams and Wavell 2001b). The study did not attempt to isolate the impact on learning of the school library from other variables affecting learning but sought to monitor the learning experiences within the school library of the selected schools over a short period of time, seeing the process of monitoring impact as important as the evidence of actual impact. Monitoring was carried out through observation, discussion with staff and students, and examination of written work and reader records. The study found that the school library 'does have an impact on a broad range of learning', but that 'if the learning potential is to be fully maximised' there is a need for greater dialogue between librarian and teachers (Williams and Wavell 2001a, p. 126). The study found evidence to support the view that school libraries can contribute to the development of a variety of information skills in students, encourage the 'disposition' of students towards social and individual responsibility, and enhance the learning opportunities for those who already have the skills to become independent learners. However, use of the school library in itself did not motivate students to learn, Williams and Wavell found, and students with poor information handling skills need additional support to make their use of the library more effective.

Kinnell (1994) looked at the ways in which good school libraries meet the needs of students and teachers in a small group of secondary schools in England that were identified as exemplifying good practice. The study took place over four terms and involved a case study investigation of six schools and action research by the librarians themselves in another six schools. Data was gathered via interviews, observation, school documentation and survey questionnaires of 150 teachers and more than 800 students. The study found that the school library played a significant role in developing cross-curricular skills, such as communication, numeracy, study, problem-solving, personal and social, and use of information technology; that it helped to bridge the gap between primary and secondary schools; and that it helped in the development of information technology skills. The questionnaires showed that although textbooks and worksheets still made up around two-thirds of their teaching resources, library books and software were also significant resources.

In their review of the literature on the benefits of library use in schools, Information Management Associates (2002) refer to early United Kingdom library research that identifies eight key areas in which the school library could have a positive effect on teaching and learning. This early research suggests that the school library can help to shape the learning environment; provide a variety of learning experiences; support systematic skills development and research; provide access to a wider world of information; encourage and support learning; facilitate differentiation/equal access to the curriculum; enhance self-esteem and independent learning; and offer careers guidance. More recent research by Williams and Wavell (2001a) highlights the school library's role in motivating learning, teaching specific skills, fostering independent learning and encouraging collaborative learning.

Todd's work on the impact of integrated skills instruction on students in Australian secondary schools shows a positive correlation between mastery of information seeking skills and learning outcomes, such as improved test scores, better recall and concentration, and improved reflective thinking (Todd 1995). The 1995 study also suggests a link between information literacy (that is, information seeking skills) and positive attitudes towards learning, self-esteem and school. In this study Todd defines 'information skills' as the ability to use information purposefully and effectively.

Todd's 1995 study builds on his earlier work in which a group of low-achieving Year 9 students who undertook a science program based on the integrated skills approach showed improved mastery of content (Sivanesarajah et al. 1993). As part of the same study, data were also collected subsequently from Years 7 and 11 students, which provide further evidence to support the contention that an integrated information skills approach can have a positive impact on learning outcomes (Todd 1993). In this case the improvement was noted in test scores, recall, increased concentration and focus on the task, and improved reflective thinking.

In his 1995 study Todd looked again at the impact of an integrated content and information skills program on learning and on student attitudes in Year 7 science classes at one school. Two classes in the control group received the prescribed science content without any integration of information skills instruction. Teachers of these two classes worked independently of the school library staff. The two treatment classes on the other hand were given formal instruction in information skills as part of an integrated curriculum approach with the science teachers working collaboratively with library professionals. The study found that 'integrated information skills instruction has a positive impact on students' abilities to identify information-handling strategies to solve their information needs in a particular curriculum content area' (p. 8). One apparently anomalous finding, not consistent with the 1992 study, was that below-average students did not appear to make any improvement in their science scores through integrated information skills instruction, suggesting that the effect of information skills instruction was not consistent across ability levels. One explanation suggested by Todd is that in the earlier study the Year 7 students were not in a mixed ability class.

Todd concludes that information skills instruction appears to have had a significant positive impact on students' mastery of prescribed science content and on their ability to use a range of information skills to solve particular problems. Todd points out that current understandings of the impact of integrated information skills instruction on student learning are based mainly on anecdotal evidence rather than on a systematic investigation. In the absence of other studies, he suggests, it is difficult to make generalisations, and further research is needed to test the conclusions of his 1995 research.

Kuhlthau's (1993) case study of a junior high school in New York, carried out over four years and using a range of qualitative data, identified four 'enablers' or features of a successfully implemented process approach to information skills: a collaborative approach to teaching; a constructivist approach to learning; a commitment to developing lifelong skills; and competence in designing activities to improve student learning. Although the study mainly focuses on the implementation of a process approach to information skills from the point of view of the staff involved, it is clear that students also gained. The study shows that in this particular school student engagement in learning 'was clearly evident', that students were 'on task' and working cooperatively alongside others of differing abilities and learning from each other, and that students had 'an emotional attachment' to the problem they were investigating. The collaborative approach between school library professionals and teachers and the commitment to helping students take responsibility for their own learning led to identifiable improvements in student engagement and achievement.

One of the few studies to find no association between frequent use of school libraries and student academic achievement was a longitudinal study of trainee teachers in South Africa (Olėn 1995). Carried out in 1990 when the students commenced their teacher training and again in 1993 when they were in their final year, the study used cross-tabulations of students' academic achievement to determine whether there was any association 'between the frequency and type of use and academic success or failure during the period of initial teacher education'. The study also showed that the library was mainly used for projects and to consult reference books. Although two earlier studies had similar findings, Olėn suggests that the results of her study are not generalisable as it was focused on a specific population of students entering teacher education. She also points out that her study and the earlier ones were both quantitative and that there is a need for more qualitative research into the impact of the information skills programs of school libraries on tertiary-level achievement.