An evaluation of district school media curriculum programs ...
Proposal for a
Special Project in the field of
Information and Library Science
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For a Master of Library Science Degree
Southern Connecticut State University
Department of Information and Library Science
November 6, 2009
Maureen D’Ascanio
mdascanio@
Anticipated Date of Graduation: May 2010
Special Project Director: Mary E. Brown, Ph.D., Professor and Graduate Faculty
Proposal Review/Action
Approved X Revisions Needed Date
1 Special Project Title
An Assessment of Quality Elements of School Library Media Curricula
2. Introduction and Overview
Research studies have established a significant correlation between student achievement and strong school library media programs. The elements of these programs which contribute to higher learning outcomes will be used to analyze existing school library media curricula in order to determine if a model curriculum exists for school districts which have not yet adopted a formal school library program.
A literature review has indicated which components of successful school library media programs are correlated with student success. Applying these criteria against available district curricula should indicate whether the school library media programs in existence today meet the criteria for a quality school library media curriculum. An online search of school districts indicates that many districts, which have published curricula in content areas, have not yet published a formal school library media curriculum. This scarcity may indicate that school districts need evidence of the value of school library media programs; require an explanation of the elements which contribute to a quality school library media program; or need to gain an understanding of how the school library media curriculum should be integrated into the learning community. The ability of this research project and its findings to provide guidance on “best practices” in these areas should be a valuable resource for all school districts.
A content analysis of existing school library media programs will be conducted to determine whether these criteria for successful programs are met:
1. Does the school library media curriculum contain the elements of a quality school library media program as derived from research studies on the impact of school library programs?
2. Does the curriculum support the information literacy standards put forth in Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning (American Association of School Librarians, 1998)?
The results of this analysis will be used to determine how well existing school library media programs meet the quality standards set forth by school library media programs which have already proven their excellence by achieving higher learning outcomes. It is hoped that a model curriculum will emerge from the analysis which can be readily adapted to the specific needs of school districts.
2.1 Host Agency
N/A.
2.2 Significance and Relevance
The results of this special project will be a valuable resource to the profession of school library media specialists and the districts within which they are employed. There are four potential audiences who will benefit from the findings. School districts which do not currently have a school library media curriculum will have guidelines for the development of a successful curriculum based on the proven characteristics of exemplary school library media curricula and national standards. The content analysis coding sheet used to analyze school library media programs will become a resource for school districts who wish to evaluate their existing curriculum. School media specialists will gain an understanding of the elements of their school library media program which are most significant in achieving higher student learning outcomes. The academic institutions which offer the school media specialist certification program will be able to introduce the best practices model in the classroom before the candidates seek a job in the workforce.
3. Review of Literature
Strong school library media programs contribute significantly to academic success in American schools (Lance, 2004). In several statewide studies, Lance provided empirical evidence indicating that quality school library programs had a positive impact on learning outcomes. The first study to establish the cause and effect relationship of school libraries on student achievement was conducted in Colorado in 1992 (Lance, Hamilton-Pennell & Rodney, 1993). The study indicated that the instructional role of the school media specialist contributed to higher learning outcomes, as did administrative support, but did not shed light on more specific factors. Subsequent studies conducted in the states of Alaska (Lance, Hamilton-Pennell & Rodney, 1999), Pennsylvania (Lance, Rodney & Hamilton-Pennell, 2000a), a second study in Colorado (Lance, Hamilton-Pennell & Rodney, 2000b), Oregon (Lance, Rodney & Hamilton-Pennell, 2001), and Indiana (Lance, Rodney, & Russell, 2007) further investigated the elements of school library programs which lead to higher scores on state standards-based tests. When other influences on student performance were factored in, such as socio-economic status, school size, funding and teacher staffing levels, the results were still conclusive; school library programs are a formidable contributor to student success (Lance, 2004).
The Alaska study was the first to acknowledge the importance of adequate staffing in order to allow time for the school media specialist to provide information literacy instruction (Lance et al., 1999). Instruction was positively correlated with higher achievement on standards-based reading tests. The Pennsylvania impact study shed light on the critical elements of information literacy instruction: integrating information literacy into the school’s curriculum through collaborative teaching; information technology instruction; and providing professional development to teachers (Lance et al., 2000a). Both the second Colorado and Oregon studies concur with the importance of information literacy instruction, technology instruction and access to networked computers in the school. Information literacy skills instruction correlated with higher reading scores. In all studies, it was noted that information literacy instruction and the integration of technology into the curriculum would most likely occur during collaborative teaching (Lance et al., 1999, 2000a, 2000b, 2001). These findings provide guidance for the development of a school library media program and support collaboration as a central tenet of the school library media program.
The more recent Indiana study further investigated the value of the information literacy instruction component. Key findings indicated that students performed better on standards-based tests when the teachers and school media specialists were familiar with the research correlating information literacy and academic achievement; and, the two parties initiated collaborative instruction in order to teach information literacy (Lance et al., 2007). Mirroring the many studies conducted by Lance, a study on student achievement in California schools focused on the relationship between curriculum-integrated information literacy instruction and student scores on the English Language Arts section of the state standards-based test (Achterman, 2008). Of the fourteen library staff services surveyed, instruction in information literacy had one of the strongest correlations to exemplary scores at both elementary benchmark grades tested. An important directive of the school library media curriculum is derived from these studies: the curriculum must teach information literacy and incorporate technology instruction and collaboration (Lance, 2004; Loertscher, 2008). Student perception of their school library programs in Ohio supports the empirical evidence in the state studies; students believe that their school libraries, and instruction that they receive there, have made them better lifelong learners (Todd, Kuhlthau and OELMA, 2004).
The need for quality school library media curricula is supported not only by empirical evidence, but directed by national concerns. The mission statement of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), “to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information” (AASL & Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), 1998) reinforces the instructional role of the school library specialist and provides information literacy standards for student learning. Similarly, No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)(U.S. Department of Education, 2001) emphasizes the value of the school library in supporting greater student learning outcomes. While the qualities of an effective school library are indicated in the state impact studies, schools must introduce a curriculum with information literacy assessments to meet the standards of accountability under NCLB. Noteworthy national and international groups have made a strong case for information literacy instruction to become a core principle of K-20 education (International Federation of Library Associations, 2007; Partnership for 21st Century Skills, n.d.) and have called for continuity of instruction from one grade to the next are necessary elements of an effective school library media curriculum (Nichols, Spang & Padron (2005).
The expansion of available information and the modes of delivery in the twenty-first century will require even greater information literacy skills in which learners are able to use information creatively, critically and constructively (Loertscher, 2008; Scott, 2007; Todd, 1998). Yet, studies of information skills among higher education students reveal that information literacy instruction is inadequately, and inconsistently, taught in the current K-12 education realm (Gross, 2005). Findings by the Educational Testing Service indicate that only thirteen percent of students entering college possess sufficient information skills (Foster, 2006). These students lack the ability to access, analyze, and judge bias and reliability of information retrieved online. Gross and Latham (2007) correlated the level of information literacy skills of entering freshmen to high school GPA and SAT/ACT scores. Students in the top twenty-five percent of their entering class scored significantly higher on an information literacy test than the bottom-quartile of entering students. A survey of all students correlated both student academic performance and literacy skills to the frequency of formal information literacy instruction received in the school media center, classroom or public before entering college. Only fifty-five percent of the research sample tested as information literate. While these studies indicate a lack of information literacy instruction prior to entering higher education, there is a gap in available literature as to what percentage of public schools currently embrace a formal school media curriculum. A search of Connecticut school districts revealed that many districts publish curriculum for content areas online. Yet, no district in this sample provided a school media curriculum online. A search of resources for school libraries and librarians resulted in fewer than two dozen published district-level curricula, although most states have published information literacy and technology standards. Further, the literature provides us with no indication that these curricula incorporate the qualities of an effective school library media curriculum as determined from the literature review. This research will analyze the content of these curricula for the inclusion of essential elements and determine which available curriculum serves as the best model for school districts which need to adopt a formal school library media curriculum.
4 Research Methods
The goal of this research is to determine whether existing school library media curricula contain the quality elements which have been correlated to greater student achievement. A specific objective of this project is to identify a curriculum which best meets the standards for a quality school library media curriculum and can be adapted to the needs of local school districts. A model school library media program must meet the following two criteria:
1. The “best practices” characteristics for an exemplary school library media curriculum as derived from research studies on the impact of school library programs and educational oversight entities.
2. The information literacy standards for student learning and the indicators for each standard as listed in Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning (AASL, 1998).
An analysis of district level school library media curricula will be performed. To date, eighteen different school media curricula have been found online. A sample of ten curricula will be considered sufficient for analysis. A curriculum will be included in the research sample if they meet specificity requirements which allow each to be analyzed against the set of established criteria; establish skills and competencies at elementary and middle school levels; and are representative of public schools within the United States. The sample curricula must list required skills and competencies by grade level so that they may be judged against the quality criteria identified in the literature review of continuity, comprehensiveness, collaboration, and technology integration.
After determining the selection of school library media curriculum to be studied, a quantitative and qualitative content analysis will be performed (Appendix A). The units of analysis will include the information literacy standards and indicators, and the qualitative indicators of excellent school library media programs governed by curriculum. The focus and methodologies of existing school library media curriculum will be noted as factors which may also contribute to the success of such programs. A coding sheet will be used to quantify the degree to which each of the school library media programs meets the established criteria. As the lead researcher will be the coder for each of the curriculum studied, a reliability test with a second coder will be performed to validate the coding scheme.
Grading of the special project proposal and special project report will be determined by the assessment rubrics provided by Dr. Brown in the project description. All of the research and content analysis will be completed by the end of February 2010. A final report will be submitted for final review in March 2010.
4.1 Ethics Governing the Project
This research is committed to observing common ethical values and abiding by the professional standards of ethical practice in regards to research as described by the Office of Research Integrity at Southern Connecticut State University.
4.2 Author’s Qualifications
The author is a graduate student in the Department of Information and Library Science, having completed 51 credits toward the Master of Library Science degree with School Media Certification. The author is currently enrolled in ILS 580 Research in Information and Library Science, the special project proposal course for the MLS program, under the direction of Dr. Mary Brown, Professor and Graduate Faculty. The author successfully completed the NIH Web-based training course “Protecting Human Research Participants” on September 16, 2009, Certification Number 291194, housed at .
5 References
Achterman, Douglas L. (2008). Haves, halves, and have-nots: school libraries and student achievement in California. (Doctoral dissertation, University of North Texas, 2008). Retrieved from
American Association of School Librarians & Association of Educational Communications and Technology. (1998). Information power: Building partnerships for learning. Chicago: American Library Association.
Foster, Andrea L. (2006). Students fall short on ‘information literacy,’ Educational Testing Service’s study finds. Chronicle of Higher Education, 53(10).
Gross, Melissa. (2005). The impact of low-level skills on information-seeking behavior: implications of competency theory for research and practice, Reference & User Services Quarterly, 45(2), 155-163.
Gross, Melissa and Don Latham. (2007). Attaining information literacy: an investigation of the relationship between skill level, self-estimates of skill, and library anxiety. Library & Information Science Research, 29, 332-353.
doi: 10.1016/j.lisr.2007.04.012
International Federation of Library Associations. (2007). Information literacy; an international state-of-the-art report, second draft, UNESCO. Retrieved from .
Lance, Keith Curry. (2004, Winter). Libraries and student achievement: the importance of school libraries for improving student test scores,” Threshold, 8-9. Retrieved from &p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=null&p_p_col_pos=0&p_p_col_count=0&_3_str uts_action=%2Fsearch%2Fsearch.
Lance, Keith Curry, Christine Hamilton-Pennell, and Marcia J. Rodney. (1993). Impact of school library media centers on academic achievement. Castle Rock, Colorado: Hi Willow Research and Publishing. Retrieved from .
Lance, Keith Curry, Christine Hamilton-Pennell, and Marcia J. Rodney. (1999). Information empowered: the school librarian as an agent of academic achievement in Alaska schools. Juneau: Alaska State Library. Retrieved from .
Lance, Keith Curry, Christine Hamilton-Pennell, and Marcia J. Rodney. (2000a). Measuring up to standards: The impact of school library programs and information literacy in Pennsylvania schools. Greensburg: Pennsylvania Citizens for Better Libraries. Retrieved from .
Lance, Keith Curry, Christine Hamilton-Pennell, and Marcia J. Rodney. (2000b). How school librarians help kids achieve standards: the second Colorado study. Denver: Colorado State University. Retrieved from .
Lance, Keith Curry, Christine Hamilton-Pennell, and Marcia J. Rodney. (2001). Good schools have good librarians: Oregon school librarians collaborate to improve academic achievement. Portland: Oregon Educational Media Association. Retrieved from .
Lance, Keith Curry, Marcia J. Rodney, and Becky Russell. (2007). How students, teachers, and principals benefit from strong school libraries: the Indiana study. Indianapolis: Indiana State Library. Retrieved from .
Loertscher, David. (2008). Information literacy: 20 years later, Teacher Librarian, 35(5).
Nichols, Janet W., Spang, Lothar, and Kristy Padron. (2005). Building a foundation for collaboration: K-20 partnerships in information literacy, Resource Sharing and Information Networks 18(1/2), 5-12. doi: 10.1300/J121v18n01_02
O’Grady, Alice. (1999). Information Literacy Skills and the Senior Project. Education Leadership, 57(2), 61-62.
Partnership for 21st Century Skills. Learning for the 21st century (n.d.). Retrieved from
Scott, Kristen J., and Plourde, Lee A. (2007). School libraries and increased student achievement: What’s the big idea? Education, 127(3).
Todd, Ross (1998). WWW, critical literacies and learning outcomes. Teacher Librarian, 26(2).
Todd, R.J.. Kuhlthau, C.C., & OELMA (2004). Student learning through Ohio school libraries: the Ohio research study. Columbus, OH: Ohio Educational Library Media Association. Retrieved from .
U.S. Department of Education. (2001). No child left behind act of 2001, Pub. L. No. 107- 110. Retrieved from
6 Appendix
See Separate Attachment, Appendix A.
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