| The American Association for School Libraries and the Association for Educational Communications and Technology support flexible scheduling in school libraries. Support is based on the constructivist theory of learning and posits increased learning, collaboration, and visitation by classes, small groups, and individuals to availability of resources during the time of need, yet there is no direct evidence to support flexible scheduling. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between media center scheduling on students' academic achievement, teacher and media specialist collaboration, and class visitation in an elementary school. Using a experimental posttest-only control group design, a point-biserial correlation was utilized to identify any relationship between the independent variable, flexible schedule (treatment group) and fixed schedule (control group), and the dependent variables (Georgia Criterion Referenced Test scores, collaboration, and visitation). No significant relationship was found between scheduling patterns, student achievement, and collaboration. However, the research did support increased class visitation for teachers coming to the media center on a fixed schedule. This study addresses social change through the adoption of district and state policies that mandate flexible scheduling in media centers across all grade levels. The needs of elementary students and teachers are not identical to the needs of middle and high school students and teachers. If teachers are required to bring their classes to the media center and collaborate with the media specialist for integration of information literacy skills, students can be exposed to the vast number of resources available. Knowing how to identify, locate, access, and utilize information is key to achievement. |
