Curriculum change and libraries in independent schools in Scotland.

The purpose of this research was to assess the current level of library provision in independent schools in Scotland and to discover the effect recent developments in the curriculum have had on library provision. In order to do this, the curriculum was examined and the skills and resource implications identified. Recommended standards of library provision were highlighted and compared with standards of provision in libraries in independent schools. For this comparison, all independent schools in Scotland were surveyed and four secondary schools and one junior school selected for in-depth study in order to identify the ability of the libraries to support the needs of the new curriculum. The research focused on staffing, funding and attitudes towards libraries. A representative sample of pupils from each of the secondary schools were surveyed to identify pupil attitudes to the library. Principal teachers were surveyed across the curriculum and the principal teachers of chemistry and history interviewed to identify teacher attitudes to the library and to establish whether or not there had been any changes as a result of changes to the curriculum. The head teacher in the junior school selected for in-depth study was interviewed and the problems peculiar to small independent junior schools struggling in isolation to establish a library were identified. Findings from the survey and the case studies are discussed separately, and in the final chapter, all the results are discussed in detail. The conclusions which have resulted from this study are that those secondary schools where there is no professional staff in the library have been slow to introduce new technology and to offer formal instruction in information skills. Another result of the lack of professional library staff, is the development of departmental libraries in preference to central libraries and teaching being classroom based with little emphasis on a multi-disciplinary resource rich environment, independent research, etc. A further conclusion is that there is a lack of understanding of independent learning both by teachers and librarians. For independent junior school libraries, it was concluded that they suffer greatly from lack of professional support. The conclusions point to the wider implications for the future development of library resource centres in the support of learning in independent schools in Scotland.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Robert Gordon University

Year dc:date.issued

1995

Author dc:creator

• Morrison, Shonagh Elizabeth

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• D. Williams

• Independent schools
• Curriculum change: Library provision
• Professional library staff
• Pupil and teacher attitudes
• Information skills
• Scotland

Language dc:language

en

Identifier

oai:rgu-repository.worktribe.com:2807495
https://doi.org/10.48526/rgu-wt-2807495

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:rgu-repository.worktribe.com:2807495