Discussion 7.1 Write your opinion on the coverage of the role of the TL as presented by Valenza, and the importance of lobbying activities such as this one. 

I think people would be surprised by the list provided in this video of all that the school library provides students. On reflection, it would seem necessary for students to have at least one scheduled session in the library a week. I especially liked the observation that the school library is ‘A place where they (students) do not get graded’ (Valenza, 2023). This in itself I believe would create a conducive atmosphere to foster deep learning, which is argued to depend on the development of intrinsic learning motivation: learning driven by the joy and satisfaction of learning itself (Muñoz & Ramirez, 2015) in contrast to its opposite, extrinsic motivation, with subcategories of identified, introjected and external regulations in descending order of self-determination (Bakar et al., 2010). 

I am surprised that one report I read divided schools into Catholic, Government and Independent schools (Softlink, 2022) so there is clearly a major difference in the library facilities of the three groups. However, the report also has a section describing the typical Australian school which states that the majority of school libraries are understaffed with inadequate budget. 

Clearly there is a need for some level of equality between school libraries in different institutions, as a school library is described as critical to the literacy of a school’s students (Hughes el al, 2013). 

References: 

Bakar, K.A., Sulaiman, N.F., & Rafaai, Z.A.M. (2010). Self-determination theory and motivational orientations of Arabic learners: A principal component analysis. Journal of Language Studies, 10(1), 71-86. 

Hughes, H., Bozorgian, H., Allan, C., & Dicinoski, M. (2013) School libraries, teacher-librarians and their contribution to student literacy development in Gold Coast schools: Research report. School Library Association of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Australia. 

Muñoz, A., & Ramirez, M. (2015). Teachers’ conceptions of motivation and motivating practices in second-language learning: A self-determination theory perspective. Theory and Research in Education, 13(2), 198-220. https://doi.org/10.1177/1477878515593885 

Softlink. (2022). The 2022 Softlink Australian and New Zealand School Library Survey Report. In softlinkint.com. Retrieved January 7, 2024, from https://www.softlinkint.com/downloads/2022_Softlink_School_Library_Survey_Australian_NewZealand_Report.pdf?vgo_ee=hVuZR6EDQ0QrPaN%2BdBEnPtiIL90AS4DyPEKfIJOsKAnzdA8%3D%3AoSro1%2BpcnUnolBTlJQt1jdBaskjyz3dM  

Valenza, J. (2023, October 18). School Library story [Video]. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/82208025