Projects
Online programs in school library education: Future perspectives
This project will examine online graduate-level programs in school library education through the perspectives of educators engaged in this work in Canada, Australia and the United States. The research will focus on online programming of school library education: (a) history and development; (b) ongoing successes and challenges; and (c) perspectives on future developments. The findings of the research will support the ongoing development of Canada’s only online program in teacher-librarianship.
Canadian children's literature in classrooms and school libraries
This study explored teachers' knowledge of Canadian children's literature and the extent to which teachers are supported by consultants and the school district in their selection of Canadian materials for use in their classrooms and school libraries. A web-based survey of teachers in one Alberta school district, followed by interviews with grade two and grade five teachers, teacher-librarians and consultants, provided the data for the study. With Dr Joyce Bainbridge (pi) and Dr Mike Carbonaro.
Internet use in Canadian schools
This three-year study, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, explored Internet use in Canadian schools. The study had a three-part focus: 1) an assessment of the overall national picture of Internet use in Canadian schools, 2) a Canada-wide survey of schools in the provinces and territories; and 3) case studies of Internet use in three school districts, each in a different province. With Dr Sue Gibson (pi).
School culture and the implementation of school library programs
This program of research has examined the implementation of school library programs, the impact of school culture, and the roles of district and school administrators, teachers and teacher-librarians. This research culminated in an international study related to how principals and teacher-librarians work together to build information literate schools.
School library program evaluation
This policy-relevant research has been conducted in relation to ten school and district library programs in Alberta. Work in this area has also been conducted in the U.S. under the auspices of the National Program Evaluation of Library Power (evaluation of a $43 million project of the DeWitt-Wallace Reader's Digest Fund to improve school library programs in 20 U.S. centers).