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The role of the library co-ordinator in secondary schools : the perceptions of principals and library co-ordinators
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Type
Thesis
Author
Goh, Swee Tee
Abstract
Introduction: This study sought to obtain and compare the perceptions of principals and library co-ordinators (i.e. the head teacher-librarian in a school) of the role of the library co-ordinator in secondary schools in Singapore. It also sought the perception of the principals and library co-ordinators of the changes that they would like to see in the school library and the library co-ordinators.
The Context of the Study: The study starts by setting the scenario for the problem. Singapore's main economic resource is her people. Thus education policies were tied to identify economic needs and trends. The development of the school library has always been linked to the focus of education.
In the early years, as education focused on increasing literacy and providing the country with an educated workforce, the school library developed physically. As Singapore developed economically, the focus of education changed to providing the population with skills in acquiring knowledge and an improvement in the quality of life. Thus the emphasis, now, is on the quality of education. The Ministry of Education has stated its with to find out what makes excellence in education.
Excellence is linked to the performance of managers and thus it seemed logical to study this aspect of school librarianship; especially since the government had improved existing school library standards, spent S$27 million on improving book stocks of school libraries and was committed to providing training for library co-ordinators.
The Problem and Significance of the Study: A search of local literature revealed that there was no study of how principals and library co-ordinators perceived the role of the library co-ordinator in a secondary school.
It was believed that the findings of this study would provide valuable insight into secondary school library management from the school's point of view and thus could be the basis from which the role of the library co-ordinator could be defined in Singapore. It was also believed that the findings could help address the differences in perceptions towards this role between the principals and library co-ordinators.
Theoretical Background: The theoretical foundation for this study lay in the social systems theory, the role theory and the change theory.
The social systems and change theories were used not only to set the scenario for the study but a basis for the prediction that there would be a difference in the perceptions between the principals and the library co-ordinators, two crucial components for bringing in any change in the school library. Matching perceptions would ensure an excellent understanding of a role in a work situation and create a work environment that can always be geared to excellence as individual and corporate needs would be met in a progressive climate and culture.
Role, using the role theory and also building from the social systems theory, for this study was defined in two dimensions: role attributes and role performance. Role attributes had sub-scales of personal attributes and capability/aptitude. The sub-scales for role performance were, however, determined using the literature and the working knowledge and experience in school librarianship in Singapore of various professionals working with school libraries. These sub-scales were administrative role, organization role, professional role and co-ordination role.
Design and Methodology: From a study of the Singapore situation and the theoretical foundation, seven research questions were derived. These dealt with seeking and then comparing the perceptions of principals and library co-ordinators with regard to the role of the library co-ordinator using a perception scale; testing to find out if sex, age, major area of study and years of experience of the principals and library co-ordinators affected their perception; and the changes the principals and library co-ordinators would like to see in the school library and library co-ordinator.
Descriptive statistics (i.e. mean, standard deviation and frequency counts), t-test, analysis of variance and multivariate analysis of variance tests were used on the data collected to obtain answers to the research questions.
International literature on school librarianship and an attitude scale developed by Canarie (1980) were heavily relied on and used to obtain items for the instrument as local literature was insufficient. The survey instrument was mailed to the principals and library co-ordinators serving in the 143 secondary schools in Singapore. 53.47% (77) of the principals and 62.28% (89) of the library co-ordinators responded. These made up the sample of the study.
Findings: The findings were that both samples emphasized role performance rather than role attributes and in the dimension of role attributes, they emphasized capability/aptitude rather than personal attributes.
An item-by-item analysis, however, showed that the principal sample agreed that all items except one, a personal attribute item, were relevant to the role of the library co-ordinator in secondary schools. The library co-ordinators who responded to the mail survey disagreed with thirteen items (one in personal attributes, four in administrative role, four in organization role and four in professional role).
As predicted by the three theories which formed the theoretical framework for this study, the perceptions of the principals and library co-ordinators were significantly different statistically at the 0.0005 level.
It was also found that sex, age, major area of study and years of experience did not affect the perceptions of the principals and library co-ordinators who responded.
When it came to what they would to see in the school library, the study showed that principals and library co-ordinators wanted similar changes in the school library. They were concerned about funds for school library, they wanted physical improvements, a library collection that combined print and non-print material, better programmes and the employment of a library helper. The library co-ordinators also wanted the Ministry to train their teacher-librarians.
When it came to changes in the library co-ordinator, the principals concentrated on the role attributes and role performance in services and programmes. The library co-ordinators wanted to be consulted regarding the appointment of teacher-librarians and the types of services they should offer. Both wanted the library co-ordinator to have a better image and status as well as a reduction in teaching and extra-curricular workload; the latter indicating that the multiple roles library co-ordinators had to play was affecting performance and was a source of conflict. What was interesting was that some of the library co-ordinators, however, did not want to train pupil and teacher-librarians, draw up booklists and catalogue books. They wanted other agencies or hired aides to do these desks. This view also reflected in their responses to the instrument.
It should be noted that the responses in this section of the instrument indicated that the principal and library co-ordinator samples perceived that the instrument contained items which constitute the ideal role of the library co-ordinator in a secondary school in Singapore. The problem, according to both samples, was how the library co-ordinator who had a heavy teaching and class administrative workload would find the time to do all that was required to ensure an excellent school library programme.
ConclusionThe dissertation ended with suggestions on further research in school librarianship based on findings and conclusions drawn from the study.
The Context of the Study: The study starts by setting the scenario for the problem. Singapore's main economic resource is her people. Thus education policies were tied to identify economic needs and trends. The development of the school library has always been linked to the focus of education.
In the early years, as education focused on increasing literacy and providing the country with an educated workforce, the school library developed physically. As Singapore developed economically, the focus of education changed to providing the population with skills in acquiring knowledge and an improvement in the quality of life. Thus the emphasis, now, is on the quality of education. The Ministry of Education has stated its with to find out what makes excellence in education.
Excellence is linked to the performance of managers and thus it seemed logical to study this aspect of school librarianship; especially since the government had improved existing school library standards, spent S$27 million on improving book stocks of school libraries and was committed to providing training for library co-ordinators.
The Problem and Significance of the Study: A search of local literature revealed that there was no study of how principals and library co-ordinators perceived the role of the library co-ordinator in a secondary school.
It was believed that the findings of this study would provide valuable insight into secondary school library management from the school's point of view and thus could be the basis from which the role of the library co-ordinator could be defined in Singapore. It was also believed that the findings could help address the differences in perceptions towards this role between the principals and library co-ordinators.
Theoretical Background: The theoretical foundation for this study lay in the social systems theory, the role theory and the change theory.
The social systems and change theories were used not only to set the scenario for the study but a basis for the prediction that there would be a difference in the perceptions between the principals and the library co-ordinators, two crucial components for bringing in any change in the school library. Matching perceptions would ensure an excellent understanding of a role in a work situation and create a work environment that can always be geared to excellence as individual and corporate needs would be met in a progressive climate and culture.
Role, using the role theory and also building from the social systems theory, for this study was defined in two dimensions: role attributes and role performance. Role attributes had sub-scales of personal attributes and capability/aptitude. The sub-scales for role performance were, however, determined using the literature and the working knowledge and experience in school librarianship in Singapore of various professionals working with school libraries. These sub-scales were administrative role, organization role, professional role and co-ordination role.
Design and Methodology: From a study of the Singapore situation and the theoretical foundation, seven research questions were derived. These dealt with seeking and then comparing the perceptions of principals and library co-ordinators with regard to the role of the library co-ordinator using a perception scale; testing to find out if sex, age, major area of study and years of experience of the principals and library co-ordinators affected their perception; and the changes the principals and library co-ordinators would like to see in the school library and library co-ordinator.
Descriptive statistics (i.e. mean, standard deviation and frequency counts), t-test, analysis of variance and multivariate analysis of variance tests were used on the data collected to obtain answers to the research questions.
International literature on school librarianship and an attitude scale developed by Canarie (1980) were heavily relied on and used to obtain items for the instrument as local literature was insufficient. The survey instrument was mailed to the principals and library co-ordinators serving in the 143 secondary schools in Singapore. 53.47% (77) of the principals and 62.28% (89) of the library co-ordinators responded. These made up the sample of the study.
Findings: The findings were that both samples emphasized role performance rather than role attributes and in the dimension of role attributes, they emphasized capability/aptitude rather than personal attributes.
An item-by-item analysis, however, showed that the principal sample agreed that all items except one, a personal attribute item, were relevant to the role of the library co-ordinator in secondary schools. The library co-ordinators who responded to the mail survey disagreed with thirteen items (one in personal attributes, four in administrative role, four in organization role and four in professional role).
As predicted by the three theories which formed the theoretical framework for this study, the perceptions of the principals and library co-ordinators were significantly different statistically at the 0.0005 level.
It was also found that sex, age, major area of study and years of experience did not affect the perceptions of the principals and library co-ordinators who responded.
When it came to what they would to see in the school library, the study showed that principals and library co-ordinators wanted similar changes in the school library. They were concerned about funds for school library, they wanted physical improvements, a library collection that combined print and non-print material, better programmes and the employment of a library helper. The library co-ordinators also wanted the Ministry to train their teacher-librarians.
When it came to changes in the library co-ordinator, the principals concentrated on the role attributes and role performance in services and programmes. The library co-ordinators wanted to be consulted regarding the appointment of teacher-librarians and the types of services they should offer. Both wanted the library co-ordinator to have a better image and status as well as a reduction in teaching and extra-curricular workload; the latter indicating that the multiple roles library co-ordinators had to play was affecting performance and was a source of conflict. What was interesting was that some of the library co-ordinators, however, did not want to train pupil and teacher-librarians, draw up booklists and catalogue books. They wanted other agencies or hired aides to do these desks. This view also reflected in their responses to the instrument.
It should be noted that the responses in this section of the instrument indicated that the principal and library co-ordinator samples perceived that the instrument contained items which constitute the ideal role of the library co-ordinator in a secondary school in Singapore. The problem, according to both samples, was how the library co-ordinator who had a heavy teaching and class administrative workload would find the time to do all that was required to ensure an excellent school library programme.
ConclusionThe dissertation ended with suggestions on further research in school librarianship based on findings and conclusions drawn from the study.
Date Issued
1993
Call Number
Z675.S3 Goh
Date Submitted
1993