For immediate release | September 18, 2020

Study finds journaling strengthens school librarian practice

CHICAGO – New research published in the American Association of School Librarians’ (AASL) peer-reviewed online journal, School Library Research (SLR), explores the use of journaling as a reflective practice of pre-service school librarians. SLR promotes and publishes high-quality original research concerning the management, implementation, and evaluation of school libraries. Articles can be accessed for free at www.ala.org/aasl/slr.

In her study, researcher Elizabeth Burns explores the use of structured dialogic journaling as a pedagogical approach to inform and shape the reflective practice of pre-service school librarians. School librarianship students entering the field can benefit from a reflective approach to learning. However, as library and information science programs revise courses to adapt to online instruction, incorporating innovative pedagogy into library programs can become difficult.

In “Reflective School Library Practitioners: Use of Journaling to Strengthen Practice,” Burns shares her findings that suggest school librarianship students can benefit from journaling as a teaching tool in their library and information studies program when used to promote more-reflective practice. Like their colleagues in teacher preparation programs, The study finds that, when provided with a scaffolded experience in coursework, journaling enables and encourages pre-service school librarians to critically reflect on practice.

School Library Research (ISSN: 2165-1019) is the successor to School Library Media Research (ISSN: 1523-4320) and School Library Media Quarterly Online. The journal is peer-reviewed, indexed by H. W. Wilson's Library Literature and by the ERIC Clearinghouse on Information & Technology and continues to welcome manuscripts that focus on high-quality original research concerning the management, implementation and evaluation of school libraries.

The American Association of School Librarians, www.aasl.org, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), empowers leaders to transform teaching and learning.

Contact:

Jennifer Habley

Manager, Web Communications

American Association of School Librarians (AASL)

jhabley@ala.org

312-280-4383