21st Century Learning & The Future of School Libraries

Keith Curry Lance

Outline• 21st Century Learner Skills &

school libraries• How much do libraries matter?

(quantitative studies of academic achievement)

• How do libraries matter? (qualitative studies of student learning)

• Further research needs

AASL’s 21st Century Learner Standards

• Inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge.

• Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations, and create new knowledge.

• Share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society.

• Pursue personal and aesthetic growth.

How much do libraries matter? Quantitative Studies

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Quantitative Studies Timeline

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AKPA1

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[FL]MI IL IN

IDCO3 SLJ

CO4

PA2

’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ‘12

MA TX MN1 [FL]MONC

MN2 ON1

WICANY

ON2

Other Researchers

Related Events

Library Predictors of Academic Achievement

• Hours & scheduling• Staffing• Information resources• Visits• Expenditures

Flexible Scheduling

Definition• Library has no set daily or

weekly schedule for classes to visit.

• Classes scheduled as result of collaborative planning to integrate classroom & library activities.

• Library as classroom; provides access to resources and teaching of 21st Century Learner skills.

Related Issues• School schedule• Planning time for teachers• Collaboration between

librarians & classroom teachers

Exce

llent

Less

than

ex

celle

nt

Exce

llent

Less

than

ex

celle

nt

ICT Literacy Teaching Social Responsibility Teach-ing

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

42%

59%

35%

65%

21%

79%

15%

85%

ID Administrator Assessments of ICT Standards by Flexible Scheduling

EssentialLess than essential

Reading Language arts0%

10%

20%

30%

40%35%

18%

27%

12%

Advanced Percent of HS Students by ID Administrator Value on Flex Scheduling

Essential

Less than essential

School Library Staffing

Key Staff Variables• State-certified school

librarians (aka teacher librarians)

• Support staff• Selected staff activities

Related Issues• Librarians lacking

librarian certification• Support staff in place of

librarians—certified or not

• Impact of librarian’s certification status on interaction with teachers

1 FTE+ < 1FTE 1 FTE+ < 1FTEEndorsed librarian Non-endorsed library assistant

0%

5%

10%

15%

8%

6%5% 5%

9%11%

12%11%

CSAP Reading Scores by Library Staffing, 2011

AdvancedUnsatisfactory

Fixed vs flex schedule

Teachers join students in library

Librarian provides resources

Teacher asks for resources

Librarian invites to learn new skills

Teacher asks to learn new skills

Librarian initiates collaboration

Teacher initiates collaboration

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

59%

49%

37%

36%

12%

12%

10%

8%

83%

41%

30%

22%

3%

4%

3%

2%

How ID Librarians & Teachers Interact Differently Based on Librarian's Certification Status

Not certified

Certified

Percent of Librarians Reporting Activity At Least weekly

Librarian 2011, not '05

Librarian 2005 & '11

No librarian 2011, librarian

'05No librarian 2005

& '110%

25%

50%

75%

100%

49.1% 44.9%33.3% 29.2%

18.2% 20.0%

14.7% 17.8%

14.5% 12.3%

18.6% 14.6%

18.2% 22.8%33.3% 38.5%

CO Public Schools by Advanced Reading Levels by Endorsed Librarian Trends, 2005-2011

Lower scores, lower increase Lower scores, higher increaseHigher scores, lower increase Higher scores, higher increase

All students Poor students

Black students

Hispanic students

English Language Learners

-4.0%

-2.0%

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

1.5%2.0%

2.8%

1.7%

0.0%0.5% 0.5%

1.8%

0.2%

-2.8%

Percent Change in 4th Grade NAEP Reading Scores by State, 2004-05 to 2008-09

More librariansFewer librarians

Library Information Resources

Research To Date• Print collections• Computers in library

and elsewhere providing access to Internet & licensed databases

Rapidly Evolving Environment• Smartphones• Tablets• Apps & widgets• Social networking• E-books, other e-

documents, & e-readers• Remote & Wifi access

Print volumes/100 students

Subscriptions/100 students

Average copyright date

0%

25%

50%

75% 71% 71% 71%67% 66% 66%

IL 5th Graders Meeting / Exceeding Reading Standards by Size & Age of Print Collection

Median + < median

Library computers per 100 students

Other computers per 100 students

0%

25%

50%

75% 70% 70%65% 66%

IL 8th Graders Meeting / Exceeding Reading Standards by Access to Networked Computers

Median +< median

Library Visits

• Whole-class instruction– Librarian & teacher co-

teach, 21st Century skills integrated

– Librarian works alone, 21st Century skills coordinated with classroom curriculum

• Individual, pair, and small-group activities– Book talks– Homework help– Reading partners– Scavenger hunts – Self-guided library tours– Self-selected reading– Study partners / small

groups– Tutoring

Monthly + < monthly0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

72%64%

IN 3rd Grade Combined Passing Results by Teacher Reports of Class Visits on Flex Schedule

Median + < median0%

25%

50%

75%

0%

5%

10%

15%71%67%

11%

13%

CO3 3rd & 5th Reading Scores by Individual Library Visits per Week

Proficient or advancedUnsatisfactory

School Library Expenditures

School Library Expenditures• Usually include:

– Books– Periodicals– Licensed databases– DVDs, audio books– Computers– Supplies

Issues• Accounting for school

library spending• Overlaps between

library & technology programs

• School overhead costs

Reading Writing0%

25%

50%

75% 71%64%65%

57%

IL 8th Graders Meeting / Exceeding Read-ing Standards by Library Expenditures

Median +< median

3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

72%68%

72%66%

62%67%

10%9%

10%

14%

12%

14%

CO Reading Performance by School Library Expenditures

Proficient or advanced : median or above Proficient or advanced : below median

Unsatisfactory : median or above Unsatisfactory : below median

Per

cen

t sc

ori

ng

pro

fici

ent

or

adva

nce

dP

erc

en

t sc

orin

g u

ns

atis

fac

tory

Control Variables

• Community characteristics– Poverty (% students eligible

for Free & Reduced-price Meals program)

– Racial/ethnic demographics (% students per group)

• School characteristics– Per pupil spending– Teacher-pupil ratio

Why Do Libraries Matter So Much?

• Poverty highly correlated with other control variables.

• Library programs not highly correlated with poverty.

• Quality of library programs depends on:– Quality of librarian– Principals & site-based management – Teacher background & experience

with school libraries

How do libraries matter?(Qualitative studies of student learning)

• Ohio (2003)• New Jersey (2005)• Delaware (2006)

CISSL Impact Study Model

Surveys• Students• Faculty

Help Scale• Most helpful• Quite helpful• Some help• A little help• No help

Kinds of Help• Getting needed info• Using info to complete school

work• With school work generally• Using computers (library,

school, home)• With general reading interests• When not at school

Know steps in finding / using

info

Find different sources

Feel good about asking

for help

0%

25%

50%

75%

100% 88% 88% 84%

Teachers Identifying Ways Library Helps Students Get Info They Need

Know research takes work

Know how to use different

sources

Become more interested in

topics

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%86% 83% 81%

Teachers Identifying Ways Library Helps Students Use Info to Complete School Work

0%

25%

50%

75%

100% 90%82%

72%

Teachers Identifying Ways Library Helps Students with School Work Generally

Do school work better

Find info in / out library

Search Internet better

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%86% 86% 85%

Teachers Identifying Ways Library Helps Students Use Computers in Library, at School, and at Home

Find stories they like

Read more Enjoy reading more

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%81% 80% 78%

Teachers Identifying Ways Library Helps Students with General Reading Interests

Discover in-teresting top-

ics

Use public library

Use library website

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%82%

67%54%

Teachers Identifying Ways Library Helps Students When Not at School

Supporting Infrastructure Needs of 21st Century School Library Programs

• Latest PA study, funded by IMLS• First quantitative study to address 21st Century

Learner standards and Common Core Standards

• Also includes qualitative research with administrators, teachers, and librarians

• Findings to include estimated costs of funding 21st Century school library programs

What Else?

• What else do we need to know about how and how much school libraries matter?

For More About School Library Impact Studies

• Library Research Service’s School Library Impact Studies page http://www.LRS.org/impact.php

• Mansfield University’s School Library Impact Studies Project http://library.mansfield.edu/impact.asp

• Rutgers’ Center for International Scholarship in School Libraries’s Impact Studies page http://cissl.rutgers.edu/joomla-license/impact-studies