Chapter 7

Quality Learning and Teaching Resources and School Library Development - Bringing about Effective Learning

This is one of the series of 15 booklets in the Basic Education Curriculum Guide-Building on Strengths. Its contents are as follows:

7.1

Purpose of the Booklet

7.2

Purpose and Function of Learning and Teaching Resources

7.3

Effective Use of Textbooks and Other Learning and Teaching Resources

7.3.1	Selection of Textbooks and Other Learning and Teaching Resources
7.3.2	Making Effective Use of Textbooks and Other Learning and Teaching Resources
7.3.3	Sharing of Learning and Teaching Resources

7.4

School Library Development and Resources

7.4.1	Functions of the School Library
7.4.2	Operation of a School Library
7.4.3	Role of a Teacher-Librarian
7.4.4	Facilitating Conditions for School Library Development
7.4.5	Effective Functioning of the School Library in Support of Student Learning
7.4.6	Support to Schools in Developing an Effective School Library

7.5

Flexible Use of Other Resources

7.5.1	The Use of Relevant Grants
7.5.2	Learning and Teaching Resources Provided by the Education Department

References

(only Chinese
version is available)

Quality Learning and Teaching Resources and School Library Development - Bringing about Effective Learning

7.1Purpose of the Booklet

This booklet helps to illustrate the importance of selecting and making effective use of quality learning and teaching resources, including textbooks, to enhance student learning. In order to develop students as life-long learners, schools should also recognise the need to improve the school library service towards helping students learning to learn. This booklet could be read in conjunction with Learning to Learn: Support Learning and Teaching through School Library Services (CDI, 2002).

7.2 Purpose and Function of Learning and Teaching Resources

The purpose of learning and teaching resources is to provide a basis for learning experiences for students. Learning resources include not only textbooks, workbooks, and audio-visual teaching aids produced by the Education Department (ED) or other organisations but also web-based learning materials, IT software, the Internet, the media, resources in the natural environment, people, libraries, etc. All of these should be drawn upon to help students to learn, broaden their learning experiences and meet different learning needs. If used effectively, they will help students to construct knowledge for themselves, and develop the learning strategies, generic skills, values and attitudes they need, thus laying a solid foundation for lifelong learning.

http://cd.ed.gov.hk/resourcebank

(Screen captured on 3rd June 2002)

For Reflection and Action

Discuss with your colleagues the following questions:

	What do learning and teaching resources mean to you?

	What kind of learning and teaching resources do you make use of in your school? Do they serve the purposes described above?

7.3

Effective Use of Textbooks and Other Learning and Teaching Resources

7.3.1

Selection of Textbooks and Other Learning and Teaching Resources

The basic considerations in the selection of textbooks and other learning and teaching resources are:

	Textbooks should be written in line with the curriculum aims and contain the core elements of the curriculum.

	They should arouse students� interest and engage them actively in learning tasks.

	They should provide access to knowledge as well as scaffolding to help students to progress in their learning.

	They should cater for students' individual differences by providing learning activities at different levels of difficulty and a variety of different learning experiences.

	Learning resources used in addition to textbooks should promote independent learning by complementing and extending what students have learnt in class.

	Well-designed textbooks and other learning and teaching resources should facilitate discussion and further inquiry.

Some tools to help the selection of textbooks and other learning and teaching resources are listed below:

Tools

Purposes

1. Recommended
Textbook List

It helps school to make an appropriate choice of textbooks and other learning materials.

http://cd.ed.gov.hk/cr_2001/eng/textbook/textbook.htm

(Screen captured on 8th June 2002)

2. Notes on Selection of Textbooks and Other Learning Materials for Use in Schools

This is issued annually through a school circular. It helps to give guidance to schools on textbook selection.

http://cd.ed.gov.hk/cr_2001/commonpdf/SCC1_2002_e.pdf

(Screen captured on 8th June 2002)

3. Selection criteria based on Guiding Principles for Quality Textbooks

Teachers can refer to the criteria in selecting textbooks as well as other learning and teaching resources.

http://cd.ed.gov.hk/cr_2001/eng/textbook/main.htm

(Screen captured on 8th June 2002)

7.3.2

Making Effective Use of Textbooks and Other Learning and Teaching Resources

	Textbooks are only tools to bring about learning. They are not the curriculum itself. Teachers should exercise professional judgement on whether to cover all the materials in the textbook or not.

	Select relevant materials from textbooks to achieve the learning objectives of the curriculum and cover at least the basic elements. Teachers should decide on the use of other supplementary learning and teaching resources to support student learning.

	Teachers should avoid using workbooks / supplementary exercises associated with particular textbooks indiscriminately in order to leave space for students to engage in a range of meaningful learning tasks. They should pick and choose amongst the material provided.

	Adapt textbooks and other learning and teaching resources to meet the needs and abilities of different students.

	Use other learning and teaching resources, such as reference books, multimedia resources, web-based materials, etc., to bring real world problems into the classroom, and help students to see the relevance of what they are learning and achieve a wider understanding of the related issues.

	Do not just use information obtained from reference books, the Internet, people and / or the media, etc. for students to summarise. Such resources should be used to encourage students to define problems or issues, conduct research, and create a product that reflects their learning.

For Reflection and Action

Are there any clearly laid-down principles on the selection of textbooks and other learning and teaching resources in your school?

	Are textbooks the only tool used in student learning in your school? Has the content of textbooks been adapted to cater for the needs of students?

	Has the use of workbooks been put under review in your school?

	What criteria do you use in the selection of learning and teaching resources? What role(s) should resources play in bringing about student learning?

	Is there a prescribed list of references or supporting materials for students in your school? Have students and parents provided any feedback on these? Are the intended purposes of these resources achieved?

7.3.3

Sharing of Learning and Teaching Resources

Schools should make arrangements and provide the following opportunities:

	Teachers and students share learning and teaching resources through the Intranet or other means within the school.

	Teachers might reflect on their teaching when using different types of learning and teaching resources, and form professional development groups for the exchange of experiences.

	Teacher-librarians and different Key Learning Area / subject teachers might collaborate in implementing resource-based learning to break the textbook-driven culture.

	Put some copies of reference materials or story books in classrooms or the school library for rotational use by students. The costs can be shared among students, where appropriate.

A web-based discussion platform called "Textbook World" has been set up in HKeducationCITY for teachers to share their experiences on the use of individual textbooks. They can comment on the content, learning and teaching, language and design of textbooks.

http://iworld.hkedcity.net/textbook

screen capture
(Screens captured on 3rd June 2002)

For Reflection and Action

	Have the teachers or students of your school developed a culture of sharing learning and teaching resources? How can you provide facilitating factors to encourage the development of this culture?

	What collaborative efforts have been made between the teacher-librarian and the subject teachers in implementing resource-based learning?

	Are students encouraged to build up a class collection of reading materials? How can this be achieved?

Have you used any channel to exchange views with colleagues or other teachers on textbooks? Do you think this is useful in raising teachers' awareness of the quality of textbooks and other learning and teaching materials as well as the need to select them carefully?

7.4

School Library Development and Resources

Facilitating access to knowledge and information is pivotal to the successful development of independent, life-long learners. The school library plays a significant role in this.

7.4.1

Functions of the School Library

Through purposeful provision of a diverse reading and learning resource collection, the school library provides opportunities for students to take pleasure and make meaning out of reading, and enables them to learn how to deal confidently and competently with the plethora of information available. The core functions of a school library are to provide:

	a resource centre where students and teachers read, share, learn and grow through interacting systematically with ample information in a variety of formats

	a conducive physical environment, equipped with traditional, technological and human resources, for students to engage in enjoyable reading and the development of critical reflection and purposeful learning

	a virtual dimension in which to conduct inquiry, use information technology to navigate for information and create knowledge independently or collaboratively

7.4.2

Operation of a School Library

With the introduction of information technology and the Internet to schools, the school library can provide learning opportunities beyond the traditional services of book purchasing and lending. Teacher-librarians, through careful planning with principals and teachers, will ensure the successful implementation of the following:

1.	Resources

	Ready-to-use learning and teaching references and reading materials managed through an automated library system on the Intranet / Internet and maintained with the support of students / parent volunteers and / or clerical staff

	Multimedia resources focused on the overall school curriculum and the varied needs, reading levels and interests of students

2.	Programmes

	Independent programmes or collaborative teaching projects developed with subject teachers to equip students with study and information skills

	Reading programmes for different purposes, such as story-telling, shared reading, reading for projects across the curriculum, reading schemes, etc.

3.	Human Resource Management

	Conduct training for student-librarians, parent volunteers, supporting staff who assist in the operation and activities of the school library

	Hold / participate in professional sharing with teachers and fellow teacher-librarians

4.	Technical Management

	Annual plan including budget planning, operational planning, scheduling, collaborative planning with teachers and parents

	Collection building including collection development policy, sourcing and selection of library resources, cataloguing

	Collection maintenance including library automation, IT facilities and application, lending and usage policy, collection and usage assessment

	Marketing and publicity such as signs, posters, notices, campaigns, communication with teachers and parents, user feedback and survey

7.4.3

Role of a Teacher-Librarian

The role of a teacher-librarian has evolved from that of "keeper of the books" to "information specialist". A teacher-librarian, besides planning and managing the daily operations of the school library, plays the key role as a:

	reading resource and programme coordinator: coordinating and managing reading materials and curriculum-related resources to support the development of reading and of learning through reading

	information and media specialist: developing students' information skills and attitudes in using information from all formats and contexts appropriately and ethically

	teaching partner: supporting the studies in Key Learning Areas, teaching and assessment

	curriculum facilitator: working with teachers to identify student needs, required curriculum content, appropriate information resources to develop school-based curriculum strategies such as project learning and life-wide learning activities

The following diagram illustrates how the enhancement of school library services facilitates learning to learn.

The Enhancement of School Library Services and
Learning To Learn

diagram

The roles to be played by different school members in the promotion of effective library services are as follows:

The Principal

	Appreciate the importance of school library services to student reading and learning

	Appoint a trained and full-time teacher-librarian if applicable

	Ensure a team-built library collection based on the school-based curriculum and student needs

	Provide a technology-rich environment, including networks, hardware, software and technical support, for applying and using information in diverse formats and in a wide range of content areas

	Allocate time and resources to encourage and support collaborative planning and teaching among teachers and the teacher-librarian

The Teachers

	Integrate reading tasks and the use of authentic information in regular learning activities and project learning

	Work in partnership with the teacher-librarian to develop student's information skills, select and provide access to resources, and engage in collaborative teaching and curriculum development

	Jointly plan and develop strategies with the teacher-librarian for promoting reading interest among students and their use of diverse source of information

	Be a role-model: read regularly and use diverse information resources for teaching, personal and social purposes

The Teacher-librarian

	Maintain a flexible attitude and attend to the individual needs and differences of students and teachers

	Develop a collaborative relationship with principals, teaching colleagues and parents

	Extend the network / communication channels and professional development opportunities

	Review the strengths and weaknesses of the existing library services and programmes, and prepare enhancement plans

	Discuss with and seek advice from colleagues, principals, fellow librarians and parents

	Be a role-model: extend information skills and generic skills for personal development and life-long learning

7.4.4

Facilitating Conditions for School Library Development

(1)	Schools with a central library

	Build on strengths

	Maximise the use of the library funds and other relevant funding for updating equipment, resources and IT facilities

	Set up a library team to develop collections and programmes

	Ensure that teachers and the teacher-librarian attend relevant professional development programmes

	Create time and space

	Involve the teacher-librarian in planning and coordinating reading programmes, developing students' information and generic skills, and collaborative teaching

	Provide training for and delegate meaningful responsibilities to student-librarians and library support staff

	Invite parents' participation in student learning activities, explore and use their expertise in enriching student learning, provide training for them in supporting library operations and activities

	Choose the appropriate cut-in points

	Review the outcomes of the latest library programmes and activities

	Revise the next library annual plan and focus on manageable goals that enhance student learning

	Refer to the experience of other school libraries, seek advice from the Education Department

Set priorities, such as: renovate the physical / IT infrastructure, enhance the collections, train student-librarians / parents / library staff, plan reading promotion strategies, integrate generic/information skills and reading tasks into the learning activities across the curriculum

(2)	Schools without a library

	Schools without a library should start a reading room / corner where reading and learning activities can be held and shared. Amassing quality reading materials in classroom reading corners is one way of starting up a central library. Reading funds can be pulled together for acquiring new reading resources based on the needs of students and the content of the curriculum. The use of information technology facilities maximises book-lending and increases access to information for students. Making use of the collections or Block Loan service from public libraries and the mobile library project also provides additional resources. Planning for a central library through School Improvement Project or other means is another option. Many of the facilitating conditions mentioned above for "Schools with a central library" can be used.

7.4.5

Effective Functioning of the School Library in Support of Student Learning

The functioning of the school library to support student learning is enhanced when:

	The school head leads and provides resources to develop quality library services for effective learning.

	A collaborative culture between the teacher-librarian and teachers is established, and partnership with public libraries and community organisations to enhance information access and reading habits among students is brought about.

The school library provides supports to implement the Four Key Tasks

	Moral and Civic Education Students recognise the importance of being a responsible and ethical user of learning and reading resources. They express respect for intellectual property by observing copyright, acknowledging sources of information and compiling a reference bibliography when necessary.

	Reading to Learn Learning is supported and achieved through the availability of reading and information from diverse sources and formats in the library.

	Project Learning Students master and apply information skills in finding, selecting, analysing and synthesising information from diverse sources and formats in project learning.

	Information Technology for Interactive Learning Students know how to find the information they need from the library automated catalogue and the Internet.

7.4.6

Support to Schools in Developing an Effective School Library

	The Education Department has published references for teacher-librarians on how to develop effective library services. Resource packages have also been developed for principals and teachers illustrating the support that library services can provide in enhancing learning and promoting reading.

	The Education Department organises regular seminars, workshops and sharing sessions for teacher-librarians and teachers on how to develop / make use of effective library services and promote reading among students.

	A collaborative research and development project is being undertaken to explore strategies and practices to enhance information skills and reading habits of students through collaborative teaching supported by teacher-librarians.

	A webiography is developed to suggest up-to-date well-written books and researches on the development of effective school library services for reference <http://cd.ed.gov.hk/lib>

http://cd.ed.gov.hk/lib/school_lib/index.htm

Screens capture

(Screens captured on 10th May 2002)

7.5

Flexible Use of Other Resources

7.5.1

The Use of Relevant Grants

Schools should make good use of the different types of curriculum grants, subject grants and the funds under the Operating Expenses Block Grant (OEBG) / Subject and Curriculum Block Grant to purchase learning and teaching materials which are in line with the aims of the school curriculum. Everyday authentic materials such as newspapers, magazines and pamphlets should be made available, so that students and teachers can flexibly complement textbook materials with these for learning and teaching.

7.5.2

Learning and Teaching Resources Provided by the Education Department

The following resources are provided to support school:

Multimedia packages for different subject curricula

	Educational Television programmes and other multimedia developments

	Learning resources on HKeducationCITY website

	Curriculum Resource Bank

	Moral and Civic Education database

	Life-wide Learning database

	Exemplars of Curriculum Development in Schools

	Database of learning resources

	Guidebook / Tool Kits on different key tasks and themes

	Web-based Curriculum Planner

	Self-access learning materials for teachers on specific issues

	Action Research publications (e.g. school-based collaborative action research)

	Reports on research and development projects

For Reflection and Action

	Are you aware of the above resources? What use has been made in your school of the various grants available to acquire relevant resources for learning and teaching?

	How far have you integrated various resource packages into your teaching?

References

The following references are by no means exhaustive. They are listed as examples for readers' convenient referral.

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American Association of School Libraries, and Association for Educational Communications and Technology. Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning. Chicago: American Library Association, 1998.

Australian School Library Association, Australian Library and Information Association. Learning for the Future: Developing Information Services in Schools. Carlton: Curriculum Corporation, 2001.

Creaser, Claire. A Survey of Library Services to Schools and Children in the UK 1998-99. Loughborough: Loughborough University, 1999.

Kearney, Carol A. Curriculum Partner: Redefining the Role of the Library Media Specialist. Westport: Greenwood, 2000.

Lockwood, F. Activities in Self-instructional Texts. London: Kogan Page, 1992.

Marzano, R. J. [et al.]. Dimensions of Thinking: A Framework for
Curriculum and Instruction. Alexandria, Va.: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1988.

Moore, P. J., R. A. Telfer, and J. J. Scevak. "A Checklist for Improving Training Manuals." Aviation Training: Learners, Instruction and Organization. Ed. R. Telfer and P. J. Moore. Aldershot: Avebury Aviation, 1997. 236-245.

Public Education Network, and American Association of School Librarians. The Information-Powered School. Ed. Sandra Hughes-Hassell and Anne Wheelock. Chicago: American Library Association, 2001.

Stripling, Barbara K. Learning and Libraries in an Information Age: Principles and Practice. Englewood: Libraries Unlimited, 1999.

Sykes, Judith A. Action Research: A Practical Guide for Transforming your School Library. Greenwood Village: Library Unlimited, 2002.

Tilke, Anthony, ed. Library Association Guidelines for Secondary School Libraries. London: Library Association Publishing, 1998.

Wilson, Patricia Jane, and Josette Anne Lyders. Leadership for Today's School Library: A Handbook for the Library Media Specialist and the School Principal. Westport: Greenwood, 2001.

Websites

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<http://lib.shes.tp.edu.tw/main.htm>

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<http://cd.ed.gov.hk/lib>

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<http://cu.ncl.edu.tw>

"Curriculum Information Service (CIS) and School Libraries: An Overview (1999)." Research Summaries. [1999]. National Library of New Zealand. 26 Mar. 2002
<http://www.natlib.govt.nz/en/about/research/summaries/#curriculum>

"Partner in Learning: The School Library Media Center." Kids & Libraries. 3 Feb. 1997. Chicago: American Library Association. 26 Mar. 2002
<http://www.ala.org/parentspage/kal.html#schlib>

Information Power: the Nine Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning. 15 Jan. 2002. Chicago: American Association of School Librarians, ALA. 26 Mar. 2002
<http://www.ala.org/aasl/ip_nine.html>

Information Studies: Kindergarten to Grade 12. 1998. Ontario School Library Association. 26 Mar. 2002
<http://www.accessola.org/action/positions/info_studies/>

Office of Library Information Services: Online Procedures Manual. 2001. Towson: Library Information Services, Baltimore County Public Schools. 26 Mar. 2002
<http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/office/>

School Library in Teaching and Learning for All IFLA/UNESCO School Library Manifesto. 16 Feb. 2000. Section of School Libraries and Resource Centres, International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. 26 Mar. 2002
<http://www.ifla.org/VII/s11/pubs/manifest.htm>