The Principal-Library The Principal-Library Team Dynamic… Team Dynamic… Powerful partnerships Powerful partnerships

forging information forging information literate school literate school communitiescommunities

The Principal-Library The Principal-Library Team Dynamic… Team Dynamic… Powerful partnerships Powerful partnerships

forging information forging information literate school literate school communitiescommunities

Lyn HayLyn HaySchool of Information StudiesSchool of Information StudiesCharles Sturt UniversityCharles Sturt UniversityWagga Wagga, NSWWagga Wagga, NSW

are togetherare togetherresponsibleresponsible

for establishingfor establishingenvironments forenvironments for

effective effective teachingteaching

and learningand learningto take placeto take place

Principals & teacher Principals & teacher librarianslibrarians

Principals & teacher Principals & teacher librarianslibrarians

whole school information policies &whole school information policies & ICT plan ICT plan

benchmarked information benchmarked information competenciescompetencies & student portfolios & student portfolios

funds for information service funds for information service provisionprovision

members understand TL role as members understand TL role as teacherteacher as well as information expert as well as information expert

An information literate An information literate school community…school community…

An information literate An information literate school community…school community…

teacher in charge of information servicesteacher in charge of information services is qualified TL is qualified TL

teachers as learnersteachers as learners information skills across curriculum/in information skills across curriculum/in contextcontext

process of learning from information – process of learning from information – resource based, problem-solving learning resource based, problem-solving learning

learning contexts varied/wide range of learning contexts varied/wide range of resourcesresources

teaching teams encouragedteaching teams encouraged

student drafts included in assessmentstudent drafts included in assessment

information tasks negotiated with information tasks negotiated with stakeholdersstakeholders social justice issues considered re use ofsocial justice issues considered re use of information process in homework information process in homework

student feedback encouragedstudent feedback encouraged

student records of self-assessmentstudent records of self-assessment

principal expects TL to meet ‘corporate’principal expects TL to meet ‘corporate’ information needs information needs

Creation ofCreation ofanan

information information literateliterateschoolschool

communitycommunity

Inhibitors & enablersInhibitors & enablers

analyse school for primary inhibitors & analyse school for primary inhibitors & basic basic enablers enablers inhibitors – lack of time, confusion of inhibitors – lack of time, confusion of roles, roles, poorly designed assignments poorly designed assignments

basic enablersbasic enablers team approach to teachingteam approach to teaching understanding of constructivist learningunderstanding of constructivist learning commitment to lifelong learningcommitment to lifelong learning competence developing learning strategiescompetence developing learning strategies

(Kuhlthau, 1993)(Kuhlthau, 1993)

Information literacy traitsInformation literacy traits

inventioninvention fluencyfluency supportsupport navigationnavigation searchingsearching selectionselection

questioningquestioning planningplanning interpretationinterpretation deep thinkingdeep thinking commitmentcommitment

(McKenzie, 1998)

If principals and TLs are responsible If principals and TLs are responsible

for establishing environments forfor establishing environments for

effective teaching and learning...effective teaching and learning...

what factors are critical to a successfulwhat factors are critical to a successful

and professional partnership?and professional partnership?

Principals....Principals.... understanding of information literacy understanding of information literacy && encouraged teachers to embrace it encouraged teachers to embrace it

preferred verbal communicationpreferred verbal communication

support TLs as a quasi-senior member support TLs as a quasi-senior member of staff as long as the TL is credible of staff as long as the TL is credible

identified TLs as ‘natural’ ICT leadersidentified TLs as ‘natural’ ICT leaders

rely on TL’s professional judgementrely on TL’s professional judgement

not exposed to TL issues at Principals’ not exposed to TL issues at Principals’ conferences & meetingsconferences & meetings

provide TLs with freedom to ‘do their own provide TLs with freedom to ‘do their own thing’thing’

allow release to plan/teach collaboratively &allow release to plan/teach collaboratively & undertake professional development undertake professional development

support information literacy via major ICT support information literacy via major ICT fundingfunding & ongoing support of collection & ongoing support of collection developmentdevelopment

are uncertain how to evaluate the successare uncertain how to evaluate the success of information literacy programs of information literacy programs

place high value on TL qualifications &place high value on TL qualifications & merit selection for the school’s TL position merit selection for the school’s TL position

Principals....Principals....

Principals have high Principals have high expectations....expectations....

TLs being ICT literate & having a TLs being ICT literate & having a visionvision of the future development of of the future development of informationinformation services in the school services in the school

what the TL should achieve in & what the TL should achieve in & beyondbeyond the library the library

the TL as information advisor to thethe TL as information advisor to the Principal Principal

They have high expectations They have high expectations of....of....

principals gave TLs ‘what they principals gave TLs ‘what they wanted‘wanted‘ because they believed the TL would because they believed the TL would onlyonly make ‘legitimate’ demands make ‘legitimate’ demands

TLs tended to be ‘conservative’ in TLs tended to be ‘conservative’ in theirtheir requests – did not abuse the requests – did not abuse the principal’sprincipal’s trust trust

TRUSTTRUST

Principal-TL relationshipPrincipal-TL relationship

SHARED VISIONSHARED VISION

Development of an ILSC could only be achievedDevelopment of an ILSC could only be achievedthrough an integrated school library program:through an integrated school library program:

close alignment between the TL’s &close alignment between the TL’s & principal’s vision was essential principal’s vision was essential

TL had to be credible & act as a changeTL had to be credible & act as a change agent agent

TL needed broad based support & not TL needed broad based support & not seenseen as part of factional politics as part of factional politics

understanding & believing in a understanding & believing in a collaborativecollaborative school library program school library program recognising the importance of the TLrecognising the importance of the TL

ensuring collaborative planning time & ensuring collaborative planning time & otherother program resources program resources

providing appropriate staff developmentproviding appropriate staff development

monitoring implementation of a monitoring implementation of a collaborativecollaborative school library program school library program

Themes of principal Themes of principal support....support....

measuring measuring perceptions identifying the level of attention given identifying the level of attention given atat present & in future present & in future

measuring beliefsmeasuring beliefs indicate strength of alignment indicate strength of alignment betweenbetween P & TL P & TL

open-ended questionsopen-ended questions identify barriers & support, P & TL identify barriers & support, P & TL rolesroles and contributions and contributions

Level of principal Level of principal support....support....

Ps & TLs demonstrated close affinity acrossPs & TLs demonstrated close affinity across perceptions & beliefs perceptions & beliefs

Ps viewed themselves as spending less timePs viewed themselves as spending less time on critical matters than their TLs thought on critical matters than their TLs thought theythey did did

Ps perceived current allocation of time on Ps perceived current allocation of time on information literacy support as all they information literacy support as all they couldcould give give

Ps needed to increase support in 5 areasPs needed to increase support in 5 areas

TLs disagreed with some belief statementsTLs disagreed with some belief statements

FindingsFindings

Ps and TLs differed in 3 beliefs about TLPs and TLs differed in 3 beliefs about TL absence, credibility & professional absence, credibility & professional competence competence

Ps & TLs viewed TL critical contributions Ps & TLs viewed TL critical contributions to to quality teaching & learning as: quality teaching & learning as:

professional development of teaching professional development of teaching staffstaff collegialitycollegiality collection managementcollection management process orientationprocess orientation ICT expertiseICT expertise

FindingsFindings

Ps & TLs strongly agreed barriers Ps & TLs strongly agreed barriers hindering IL hindering IL across curriculum were: across curriculum were:

fundingfunding teacher knowledge & beliefsteacher knowledge & beliefs teachers desireteachers desire planning timeplanning time credentialscredentials

TLs saw lack of top-down support as TLs saw lack of top-down support as majormajor impediment in ability to influence impediment in ability to influence curriculumcurriculum

FindingsFindings

Follow these 8

‘Guiding Principles’...

What do we need to do?What do we need to do?

1.1. Communicate regularly Communicate regularly

2.2. Don’t assume anything. Keep Don’t assume anything. Keep yourselfyourself & your partner informed & your partner informed

3.3. TL must be visible TL must be visible

4.4. TL must seek alliances TL must seek alliances

5.5. Ensure a balance in TL duties Ensure a balance in TL duties

6.6. Lead by example as information Lead by example as information usersusers

7.7. Work & learn together Work & learn together

Guiding principlesGuiding principles

emerging emerging developing developing proficient proficient advancedadvanced

Indicators Existence of an information policyExistence of an information policy ICT plan in placeICT plan in place Information skills taught & learned in context, Information skills taught & learned in context, acrossacross the curriculum the curriculum Authentic assessment enabling information skills Authentic assessment enabling information skills integration integration School-wide appreciation of TL roleSchool-wide appreciation of TL role Learning contexts varied, available in variety of Learning contexts varied, available in variety of formatsformats Mechanisms to support professional development Mechanisms to support professional development of of teachers for information literacy teachers for information literacy

Develop an ILSC blueprintDevelop an ILSC blueprint

“We can’t impart something we can’t live, we can’t teach something we

don’t know, andwe can’t expect something

we cannot model.That’s why we need to

clearly identify our paradigms and choose

principles we want to guide us…

“We can’t impart something we can’t live, we can’t teach something we

don’t know, andwe can’t expect something

we cannot model.That’s why we need to

clearly identify our paradigms and choose

principles we want to guide us…

“And it’s also why we can’t afford to leave anyone behind in this process

because, if we do, we’ll inevitably do the same with

our students.”

“And it’s also why we can’t afford to leave anyone behind in this process

because, if we do, we’ll inevitably do the same with

our students.”

The Principal-Library The Principal-Library Team Dynamic… Team Dynamic… Powerful partnerships Powerful partnerships

forging information forging information literate school literate school communitiescommunities

The Principal-Library The Principal-Library Team Dynamic… Team Dynamic… Powerful partnerships Powerful partnerships

forging information forging information literate school literate school communitiescommunities

Lyn HayLyn HaySchool of Information StudiesSchool of Information StudiesCharles Sturt UniversityCharles Sturt UniversityWagga Wagga, NSWWagga Wagga, NSW