Improving Students’ Achievement by Developing School Libraries, by Ornella Papa in collaboration with Rita Marzoli

INTERNATIONAL SEMINAL MEETING ON “THE EVOLVING CONCEPT OF ‘SCHOOL LIBRARY’ AND ITS PROFESSION” – ROME 02/04/2020
Dipartimento di Scienze della Formazione
Department of Education
In collaboration with
Improving Students’ Achievement by Developing School Libraries
ORNELLA PAPA (INVALSI LIBRARY, Rome)
in collaboration with Rita Marzoli
#RomaTrenonsiferma / #RomaTredoesnotstop

Ornella Papa is Researcher at INVALSI Library, Rome.
She specialized in Psychological Evaluation; in INVALSI she
worked on Projects: OECD PISA, Evaluation and Improvement
- contributing to the Self-Assessment Report Questionnaires –
and INVALSITests.
Research interests: educational equity, special educational
needs, school libraries, information literacy.
BIO
02/04/2020
2
O. Papa, Biblioteca INVALSI

ABSTRACT
The Italian students’ results at the OECD PISA and IEA ICILS international surveys 2018, in line with
the results of INVALSI's national surveys, attest to the urgency of identifying interventions to improve
Italian school system. The data collected by INVALSI in the 2014-2015 school year allowed us to
conduct a descriptive research on the relationship between School Library and students’ achievement.
The research is carried out in two studies: the first exploratory on 9896 classes of grades 5, 8 and 10,
the second most in-depth on the 7326 classes for which socio-economic and cultural background was
known. These data, represented by the ESCS index, are calculated on the basis of specific variables
from the Student Questionnaire, administered in grades 5 and 10. Information about the School
Library come from the School Questionnaire compiled by School Principals, as part of the Self-
Assessment Report. The results of the INVALSI Tests are used as indicators of school achievement for
the school grades investigated. The analyses show better performance in schools with well-functioning
School Libraries and large collection size. These results persisted and the differences are accentuated
when the comparison takes place in schools with low and medium-low ESCS.
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OUTLINE
Main topics:
• OECD PISA 2018 Literacy results
• IEA ICILS 2018 results
• Student achievement and school libraries: study on over 9000 schools
• In-depth study on over 7000 schools, in consideration of the socio-economic and
cultural background
Final Remarks
Essential References
Contacts
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INTERNATIONAL SURVEYS IN EDUCATION
Italy took part in two international survey conducted in 2018:
OECD * PISA (Program for International Student Assessment)
IEA ** ICILS (International Computer and Information Literacy Study)
The results confirm already known critical issues about Italian school system
and also detected:
• a decrease in the Reading Literacy score - comparing to previous edition scores;
• alarming results in Information Literacy.
* Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
**International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement
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OECD PISA
The OECD PISA international survey investigates the competences of fifteen-year-old
students in Reading Literacy, Mathematics and Sciences.
Attention is placed on the competences necessary to participate in social and economic life,
that is on the ability to apply the knowledge learned to real-life contexts.
Each cycle focuses on one of the three disciplines as the main area. In the first edition (PISA
2000) the main area was Reading, Literacy as in 2009 and 2018, when involved 79 countries.
It’s very interesting the comparison between the results of different school systems but also
the comparison between the results of the same country in the different editions.
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PISA 2018: ITALIAN STUDENTS’ RESULTS
In PISA 2018 Italy ranked after 23rd place* among the 37 OECD countries
with a score of 476, significantly lower than the OECD average (487).
More specifically, among the Italian students:
77% reach at least the minimum level of competence (same in the international average)
5% are in the "top performers" (9% in the international average)
there is a high percentage of "low performers" above all:
• in some school curricula (Professional and Professional Training> 50%)
• in areas with low GDP (South Italy and Islands between 20% and 40%).
together with Switzerland, Latvia, Hungary, Lithuania, Iceland and Israel
02/04/2020
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COMPARINGTHE RESULTS OF THE PISA CYCLES
Reading Literacy scores of Italian students in PISA 2018
‘decrease' if compared to previous cycles Reading Literacy Scores
- 11 points less than in PISA 2000;
-10 points less than in PISA 2009.
The trend involves:
• all types of schools;
• areas with high GDP (North East-NorthWest).
487 486
476
470
475
480
485
490
495
500
1991 2000 2009 2018 2027
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IDENTIFYING INFORMATION
• The process in which Italian students performed less is Identifying information (score 470);
reading critically and recognizing the correct information is difficult also internationally:
on average only 10% of students effectively evaluate context and source.
• PISA 2018 used specific computerized tests: adaptive tests that, based on the wrong or
right answers of the student, propose more or less easy subsequent questions; while the
editions PISA 2000 and PISA 2009 had tests on paper.
• It cannot be underestimated that the very concept of Literacy in the 21st century is
undergoing an evolution, incorporating new skills related to the expert and aware use of
new technologies.
02/04/2020O. Papa, Biblioteca INVALSI
9

IEA ICILS
Since 2013 the IEA promotes ICILS Study which detects digital and information skills on 13
and a half year old students, with the aim of encouraging the development of programs
suitable for the transformations taking place.
Italy took part - only - to ICILS 2018 edition and ranked 11th among the 14 participating
countries with an average of 461 (international average of 500.)
Denmark, where the School Library (SL) is mandatory, ranks 1st.
The general results are alarming: on the international average, only 2% of students have no
difficulty in critically evaluating information.
02/04/2020
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ICILS 2018 RESULTS
From the numerous data collected, the IEA concludes that:
digital natives do not have sophisticated digital skills;
providing schools with ITC equipment is not enough to improve students' digital and
information competences;
the differences in student scores within countries are greater than between countries;
 there is a gap associated with the socio-economic status of students; students from
disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds have significantly lower scores (<30 points on
average).
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SCHOOL LIBRARY AND STUDENTS’ACHIEVEMENT
The positive relationship between school library and student achievement,
demonstrated by numerous international studies,
was confirmed by recent studies conducted on INVALSI data of the 2014-2015 school year:
• a first exploratory study on over 9000 classes;
• a second in-depth study on over 7000 classes, including a socio-economic and cultural
background index.
02/04/2020
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SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND BASIC SERVICES
The data* on School Libraries reveal the SL presence in 90% of schools
but also the lack of human resources and equipment for adequate functioning:
• 30% do not have a library teacher referent;
• 18% do not have a consultation room;
• 19% do not practice Loan service.
*from the Questionnaire for School Principals in the context of the Self-Assessment Reportal
Referent and Services SL Percentage
Library referent 70%
Consultation room 82%
oan service 81%
02/04/2020
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SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND ADEQUATE RESOURCES
14
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
23%
10% 8%
NETWORK
OPAC
INTERLIBRARY
LOAN
School Libraries with adequate resources and services are a small percentage:
- 23% have an online catalog;
- 10% are part of a library network;
- 8% practice interlibrary loan.
We created a functioning index of the SL
using variables on presence, resources and services available.

SCHOOL LIBRARY FUNCTIONING
Resources and services contribute to understand the functioning of a SL,
therefore an operating index has been created divided into 3 levels
(in brackets the occurrence percentages among SL):
• Adequate Functioning (16%)
• Basic Functioning (69%)
• Absent Functioning (15%)
The "Absent" level of service refers to cases in which the SL is not present (10%) or has
no library referent person and no service (5%).
The Functioning levels of the SL is related to the scores of the students in INVALSI tests.
02/04/2020
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SL FUNCTIONING AND READING LITERACY
Reading Literacy scores in the INVALSI tests increase with the increase in the functioning of
the SL in all the school grades investigated.
Reading Literacy scores in schools with different SL Functioning
02/04/2020
16
63
65
64
61
64
60
60
63
58
50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68
Grade 5
Grade 8
Grade 10
FUNCTIONING
Absent
Basic
Adequate

LIBRARY HERITAGE AND READING LITERACY
The same relationship exists between the library heritage and the results in Reading
Literacy , higher in schools where the school library has a greater number of volumes.
Reading Literacy scores in schools with different Library heritage
02/04/2020
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63
66
64
62
64
59
60
63
54
50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68
Grade 5
Grade 8
Grade 10
< 500 volumes 500-5000 volumes >5000 volumesLIBRARY HERITAGE

LIBRARY HERITAGE AND READING LITERACY-
LYCEUMS
Reading Literacy scores in Lyceums with different Library Heritage
Library Heritage Average scores
>5000 volumes 64
500 - 5000 volumes 59
< 500 volumes 54
Are the differences in grade 10 attributable only to the different school curricula?
The hypothesis was verified with analyzes limited to a single school address (Lyceum);
the results confirmed the association between Library heritage and student results
within a type of school.
02/04/2020
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ESCS: ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL STATUS
Calculated on indicative information* of a socio-economic and cultural background
favorable to learning, the ESCS Index allowed to divide the schools by ESCS of the
catchment area:
Schools with Medium high or High ((henceforth M. HIGH) ESCS;
Schools with Medium low or Low (henceforth M. LOW) ESCS .
The analyzes carried out on the two groups separately confirm the importance of SL
within each group but notice a particular relevance in schools with M. LOW ESCS.
*taken from the Student Questionnaire administered in grades 5 and 10
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SL FUNCTIONING AND READING LITERACY -
MEDIUM LOW ESCS
In the schools with M.LOW ESCS Scores in Schools with M.LOW ESCS
even more the results are better
if the functioning of the SL increases.
The difference is higher between schools
in which the functioning of the SL is absent
rather than adequate.
63
61
61
57
60
55
50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64
Grado 5
Grado 10
FUNZIONAMENTO
Assente
Minimo
Adeguato
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LIBRARY HERITAGE AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT –
MEDIUM LOW ESCS
Reading Literacy results of schools with M. LOW ESCS are better if they have a SL with a
wider book heritage.
Reading Literacy scores in schools with different Library Heritage – M.LOW ESCS
Library Heritage Avarage scores - Grade 5 Average score - Grade 10
>5000 volumes 63 61
500 - 5000 volumes 61 57
< 500 volumes 60 51
02/04/2020
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SL FUNCTIONING AND LIBRARY HERITAGE - PER ESCS
In schools with M. LOW ESCS the Library functions adequately in 15% of cases and
the book heritage exceeds 5000 volumes only in 27% of cases.
In schools with M. HIGH ESCS
the Library functions adequately in 21% of cases
and 40% of SL exceeds 5000 volumes.
02/04/2020
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M. Low ESCS
M. High ESCS
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Wide collection Adequate
functioning
27%
15%
40%
21%

Analyzes conducted show:
• positive relationship between School Library and student achievement in all schools;
• particular importance of School Libraries for schools with M. LOW ESCS.
• less Library functioning and Heritage size in schools where are principally students
with disadvantaged ESCS.
23 RESULTS

FINAL REMARKS
• The School Library could become the place where Information Literacy is delivered.
• The School Library functioning and the Book Heritage make the difference for all
schools but especially for those with socio economic and cultural disadvantaged
students.
• Developing School libraries could be a valid intervention to overcome the educational
gaps, compared to other countries but also within the Italian School
System.
24

ESSENTIAL REFERENCES
Fraillon & al. (2019). Preparing for Life in a DigitalWorld. Amsterdam,The Netherlands: International
Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA).
https://www.iea.nl/studies/iea/icils/2018
INVALSI (2020). OCSE PISA 2018: i risultati degli studenti italiani in lettura, matematica e scienze.
https://www.invalsiopen.it/risultati-ocse-pisa-2018/
Marzoli, R, Papa, O. (2019). La biblioteca scolastica e il rendimento degli studenti: una relazione da
approfondire. In Patrizia Falzetti (a cura di) Uno Sguardo sulla scuola. II seminario "I dati Invalsi: uno
strumento per la ricerca" (57-72). Milano: Franco Angeli. Disponibile in accesso aperto:
https://ojs.francoangeli.it/_omp/index.php/oa/catalog/book/372
Marzoli, R., Papa, O. (2019). Quando la biblioteca scolastica fa la differenza. Biblioteche oggi, 37(1), 28-36.
http://www.bibliotecheoggi.it/rivista/article/view/895
02/04/2020
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CONTACTS
ornella.papa@invalsi.it
rita.marzoli@invalsi.it
biblioteca@invalsi.it
02/04/2020
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Improving Students’ Achievement by Developing School Libraries, by Ornella Papa in collaboration with Rita Marzoli

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