Submission to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission's national inquiry into rural and remote education

National inquiry into rural and remote education

September 1999

Introduction

'Australian education has acknowledged the challenge that students face as learners in an age of information. It is a world leader in recognising that well-resourced library resource centres are central to the development of information-literate students, and also in affirming that access to resources and information technologies, and the skills to make effective use of them, are matters of equity and social justice' (Learning for the future: developing information services in Australian schools, 1993:48)

This submission focusses on the second term of reference - the quality of educational services including technological support services. It addresses the central role of school libraries and librarians in ensuring that all students have an opportunity to access and are able to use a broad range of resources to enable them to participate fully in the educational process and to develop life long learning skills. This role becomes even more important in remote communities which have limited access to appropriate resources, skills and technologies. The submission highlights essential components of an effective school library information service and identifies issues which place school libraries in rural and remote Australia at a disadvantage in this context.

School libraries remain essential to the acquisition of information literacy for students thus preparing them for lifelong learning. Access to information both print and electronic is pivotal, as is the acquisition of information skills. School libraries, adequately funded and effectively staffed, provide students with an opportunity to maximise their chance of success. Available data indicates that school libraries make a significant difference to student learning outcomes. Although little investigation has been done specifically into the adequacy of library services in rural and remote communities, it is acknowledged that there are significant issues of funding and staffing which contribute to the disadvantages experienced with inadequate library services. Evidence suggests that library services are being progressively diminished and that the disparity between rural and urban is heightened. Anecdotal evidence indicates that school libraries in remote areas fall well short of the guidelines recommended in Learning for the future: developing information services in Australian schools, which since 1993 has been the benchmark for library services in schools.

Background

There has been a steady decline in the funding and staffing of school libraries since the 1980s. Statistics are scanty about what is actually happening nationally, and the picture does vary between states. Georgia Phillips in her overview (1998) states that although her survey was not meant to be definitive:

... a troubling pattern seems to emerge ... In many states, the notable exception being the ACT, staffing of school libraries is being downgraded, either in terms of flexibility or qualifications or both (1998; p34)

There is a great need to document the situation accurately and to look at the funding, staffing and teaching issues which this raises. Teacher librarians have argued, and it has been demonstrated in overseas research, that there is a strong relationship between vibrant school library programs and academic achievement. Pre-eminent amongst these is the so-called Colorado study, The impact of school library media centers on academic achievement (Lance, KC: 1994) which showed a direct connection between higher student achievement and well-resourced school libraries with well-trained staff regardless of the demographic and economic makeup of the community: particularly family income, parents' level of education, overall school spending, and teacher-pupil ratio. It found that increased library funding leads to more professionally trained and active library media specialists and larger and more diverse collections, and these factors in turn lead to higher student test scores. The more time library media specialists and classroom teachers spend working together, the better students perform on tests. Students whose teacher-librarians played an active instructional role tended to achieve higher average test scores. The study is to be extended in 1999 with the aim of confirming earlier findings with standards-based test scores, demonstrating the valuable role of information technology in library programs, and providing more specific guidance about how library media specialists and classroom teachers can collaborate to foster high academic achievement. There has been little research in this area in Australia and a similar investigation with an Australian focus would inform this inquiry by providing data on which to make judgements about the impact of school libraries and their role in equity and social justice. The Australian Library and Information Association, in partnership with a major educational research organisation is seeking funds to conduct a similar study in Australia and would welcome the support of this inquiry for such a project.

Educational role of school libraries

The vital role of school libraries is outlined in the UNESCO School Library Manifesto:

It has been demonstrated that when librarians and teachers work together, students achieve higher levels of literacy, reading, learning, problem-solving and information and communication technology skills.

This has been supported by Learning for the future which identifies the teacher librarian and the services of the school library resource centres as key factors in the attainment of the goals of education, the delivery of the agreed national curriculum outcomes and the development of key competencies. 'When the library's resources and information services are integrated into school life the use of information by teachers and students becomes the very fabric of the process of being informed'. (Learning for the future: developing information services in Australian schools, 1993: 3)

School libraries are the training ground for information literacy, research skills and lifelong learning. Teacher librarians collaborate with teachers in the development of resource-based learning programs and in curriculum planning, implementation and review. They provide resources which meet the educational recreational and cultural needs of the school community thus ensuring that staff and students have access to the resources they need. They plan, teach and evaluate co-operatively with teachers to ensure the effective integration of information resources and technology into student learning. Without the expertise of the teacher librarian resources available through information networks may be ill- or under-used.

To achieve a high level of integration and use of information resources into the school curriculum, and to develop adequate information literacy skills in students, libraries need to be well equipped and resourced and need to be staffed by trained teacher librarians. In many rural and remote communities resources are scarce and they have neither adequate library resources nor qualified staff in their libraries. Also these communities often do not have access to an adequately-resourced public library service. The complementary roles of the school and public libraries in supporting education are well recognised. For rural communities it may be more appropriate to combine the public and school library functions in a joint-use facility.

ALIA supports the establishment of joint-use libraries where it is considered that such services will equal or better the level of service which would be given in separate facilities.

Recommendation 1
The importance of well resourced and adequately staffed school libraries to the educational outcomes in rural and remote schools should be recognised by school funding authorities in their planning and funding policies.

Recommendation 2
Relevant authorities should be encouraged to pool their resources to develop joint-use libraries in communities where their establishment would enable a better service provision for the benefit of the whole community.

Social and empowering role of libraries

Libraries are societies great equalisers. They have a long and strong tradition of supporting democracy by upholding free access to information for all regardless of a person's economic or social status, ethnicity, political or religious beliefs. Further they have a fine reputation for being proactive in the provision of information to minorities and those disadvantaged by disabilities. Both school and public libraries foster the cultural development of their communities through the provision of library materials in many formats and by creating a focal point for activities.

A recent study conducted in the United Kingdom which has used social auditing methodologies to measure the value of public libraries has shown that libraries also promote a strong sense of community and have an impact which is far-reaching, distinctive and irreplaceable.

These strengths are particularly relevant in rural and isolated communities where opportunities to access information are limited and where the disadvantaged have access to fewer social support mechanisms. Rural and remote communities often have a strong sense of identity but do not always have ready access to a physical focal point equally accessible to all.

A student's achievements are inextricably linked to the well-being of the family and, in small communities, to the health of the whole community. The empowering role of a library would benefit the whole community, not just the student. This strong connection is aptly summarised in the quote below:

Lifelong learning is a continuum from the youngest of age to the oldest. If children are to benefit then it is important that their parents and grandparents share their learning experiences and have access to similar resources in public libraries, further and higher education institutions. The Library Association (UK)

Recommendation 3
That the important role of libraries as enablers of individual empowerment and promoters of social identity and cohesion in a society be recognised and promoted to relevant authorities.

Library resourcing

Rural and remote school libraries may require additional funding. Learning for the future: developing information services in Australian schools, (1993) outlines recommended collection sizes and lists many factors which define requirements for additional funding. The following factors should be taken into account when determining funding for these schools.

• distance and isolation from major centres and access to supplementary resources from other agencies such as public libraries;
• existing quality of the school's resource collections;
• special populations of students with particular language, cognitive, cultural or other needs and abilities, and related resource needs;
• establishment costs of new collections for at least the first five years; and
• upgrading technology (approximately twenty per cent per annum).

In addition to traditional library materials school libraries also need to be resourced to purchase access to quality electronic content.

Recommendation 4
So that students are not disadvantaged, schools authorities need to provide resources which are suited to the location and are appropriate for developing the learning and literacy skills of students.

Information technology

Rural and remote schools and students have the potential to benefit greatly from the advances in information technology which make it possible - at least in theory - to have access to a vast array of resources from around the world. These same technologies also have the potential to put communities in touch with each other regardless of distance or language and thus provide an ideal mechanism for maintaining cultural links. Further the advances in distance learning technologies now make it possible for remote students to have access to a much broader range of educational opportunities through distance education courses. Learning technologies make it possible to deliver student-centred and resource-based learning into rural and remote areas. However for students to be able to benefit from these, they need to be information literate and have access to the technologies. Libraries and librarians impart information literacy skills.

Rural and remote communities are far from being able to fully exploit the potential of the technology. Whilst State and Federal government programs link schools and provide funds for hardware and software, there remain significant support and training, network access and content issues which make it difficult to use the technologies as required. Inadequate bandwidth and the expense of connectivity, in particular, disadvantage rural and remote schools. Where a city school may be online permanently, costs in rural areas can mean that students rarely have the time to really explore and consolidate their learning using these technologies.

For the full potential of the technology to be exploited to reduce the disadvantages suffered by rural and remote schools it is essential that adequate access be provided not only to equipment and facilities, but to content, connectivity, technical support, and staff with qualifications to exploit these technologies. For rural and remote schools to adequately integrate information technology into the curriculum it is necessary for the connectivity and technical support to be provided at affordable prices.

Recommendation 5
As a strategy for achieving equity in access, in funding remote and rural schools connectivity, sufficient funds must be allocated to provide adequate bandwidth at affordable prices and for purchasing electronic content.

Staffing

With the rapid advent and integration of information technologies in all spheres of education, libraries and qualified teacher librarians are essential to the development of an information literate school community.

With the proliferation of information available electronically, the information retrieval and evaluative skills of librarians are required to seek out and make available the relevant sources. Teacher librarians play a vital role in developing the ability of students to become discerning information users with the skills to research and evaluate information. For students in rural and remote communities, the skills they gain through the school library are all the more important as they do not have ready access to other resources.

Often it is the school librarian who supports the implementation and access to information technology. The organisation and service knowledge of librarians is critical to the successful adoption of these technologies. As outlined in the attached submission from the Rural and Isolated Special Interest Group of ALIA, there are concerns that rural and remote schools cannot attract appropriately qualified staff. And where rural and remote schools have attracted qualified library staff, these staff face difficulties in participating in continuing professional development activities and training in new technologies.

Information technology changes at a rapid rate and continuous training of staff is critical to ensure that skills are maintained. The technologies themselves provide a partial solution to the problem, allowing staff to remotely access training materials. However, without staff release and careful timetabling, participation in these activities still remains difficult.

Recommendation 6
That any funding initiatives by governments to improve access to technologies should recognise the central role of an adequately resourced library, qualified library staff, and adequate professional development programs, as a cost-effective solution to improving the educational opportunities and outcomes of rural and remote communities.

This submission has been prepared by the Australian and Library and Information Association (ALIA) and incorporates the submission of the committee of the National Schools Section of ALIA. As the professional association for the Australian library and information services sector, ALIA represents the interests of libraries and librarians. The Association was established in 1937 and has 6500 personal members and 1500 institutional members and represents the interests of libraries and librarians in all sectors including school, public and TAFE libraries.

References

Abell, J (1999). The impact of the use of school libraries on student achievement. Access 13(3):21-23

Australian Council of Educational Research. (1997). Mapping literacy achievement: Results of the 1996 National School English Literacy Survey. Canberra: DEETYA

Australian School Library Association and Australian Library and Information Association. (1993). Learning for the future: Developing information services in Australian schools. Carlton, Vic.: Curriculum Corporation.

Heuzenroeder, A.(1996). Whatever next?: a five-year perspective from the country. Learning resourcefully: challenges for teacher librarians in the information age, ed. Maureen Nimon, Adelaide. Auslib 106-115.

International Association of School Librarianship. (1993). IASL policy statement on school libraries Available 16/9/99 at http://www.hi.is/~anne/policysl.html

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions: Section of School Libraries and Resource Centres. The School Library in Teaching and Learning for All: UNESCO School Library Manifesto. Available 16/9/99 at http://www.ifla.org/VII/s11/pubs/manifest.htm

Lance, KC (1996) The impact of school library media centers on academic achievement, in Sustaining the vision: a collection of articles and papers on research in school librarianship, edited by Dr Laurel Anne Clyde, for the International Association of School Librarianship, Hi Willow Research and Publishing, Castle Rock, Colorado, 25-34. [http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/staff/F1.0/F1.4/scan/index.htm]

The Library Association (n.d.) Professional Issues, Public, A declaration from the library information community [Online, accessed 13/8/99] http://www.la-hq.org.uk/directory/prof_issues/declar.html

The status of teacher librarians in Australia: an unofficial overview (1998) compiled by Phillips, G. Access: 12(1) 29-34

Usherwood, B and Linley, R New measures for the new library: A social audit of public libraries British Library Board, Sheffield, 1998