Students in secondary schools are not experts at the research process; they need consistent, constructive guidance to make the experience enjoyable, engaging, enriching, and meaningful. When they are made aware that a research process exists and that each stage of the process is characterized by particular activities, thoughts, and feelings, they will be more comfortable moving through the process.
Do students learn when they write research papers? How can teacher-librarians ensure that the experience goes beyond the (often word-for-word) reproduction of knowledge to become in real learning event? A model of thinking developed through a qualitative Canadian study demonstrates, among other things, the relationship between the complexity of student thinking and the process or product orientation of these students. The article discusses how one-on-one interaction between teacher-librarians and students can turn library research projects into positive experiences in which students use a process of constructing knowledge for themselves rather than producing knowledge they find in information sources.
This study investigated flexible scheduling in United States elementary libraries that had received no funding to implement the change. The larger study examined many elements of the implementation, but this article looks specifically at the role of the principal in the implementation of flexible scheduling in the six schools involved. Principals' beliefs and behaviors were described by principals, librarians, and teachers in regard to their role in implementation. Principals supported flexible scheduling because they believed it would have a positive impact on student learning. They were willing to take risks because they trusted their librarians to be leaders in the implementation process. Librarians depended on their principals to be strong advocates for the change to flexible scheduling and found that the change was facilitated by the principal's support.
Flexible scheduling in school libraries can provide a mechanism for achieving the learning goals and objectives of both the school library program and the curriculum by making information available at the point of need and by promoting use of the library and its services at a relevant moment instead of on a predetermined schedule. This study examined the successful implementation of flexible scheduling in six elementary schools where no funding was received to support implementation. Telephone interviews with librarians, principals, and teachers provided the data. The preliminary results indicate that, in those schools with successful implementations, flexible scheduling was only a tool to achieve another internal curricular objective, such as curriculum integration or literacy improvement. In addition, education of stakeholders is essential; and it must emphasize strategies for effective use of the programs supported by flexible scheduling and their potential learning outcomes rather than simply provide information on how flexible scheduling works.
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