Westminster Studies in Education, Vol. 25, No.

2, 2002

School, Home and Community: an examination of

their impact on childrens resource-based learning

T. GHELANI, M. SHOOLBRED, S. MCNICOL & C. NANKIVELL, University of

Central England, Birmingham, UK

The Centre for Information and Research at the University of Central

England in Birmingham is carrying out research investigating the relationship between
different learning cultures and resource-based learning in children. The research
examines the ways in which childrens access to learning resources and support in using
them affects their learning. The aim is to produce recommendations for local agencies
on how they can work together more effectively to create better learning opportunities
for children across a community. The article outlines the aims and methodology of the
research and identi es the factors said to affect learning, based on a review of existing
literature. This research is timely as there is a national government focus on lifelong
learning and widening participation; the focus has been mainly on adult education and
there is a need for an examination of the ways in which children are equipped with the
skills to become lifelong learners. It takes place in a context in which learning in schools
has moved towards project work, requiring children to nd their own information
through using research and information searching skills. The research also re ects
current government concerns about narrowing the existing gap between families and
individuals who have access to a broad range of learning support tools and those
without this support. The article highlights the value of an interagency approach to
identify gaps and to ensure community-wide support for childrens learning within
speci c localities.
ABSTRACT

Research Background
The study described below focuses on resource-based learning; the generic term used to
describe differing approaches to learning which foster involvement of the child in his or
her own learning and require them to carry out a degree of research. Resource-based
learning is a phrase used in education and heavily used in Further Education (see
glossary) in particular, where its meaning will alter slightly from its use in a primary or
secondary school context (see glossary). Independent learning or research-based
learning are terms sometimes interchangeable with resource-based learning. Resourcebased learning is one result of the move from teacher-led delivery towards a more
pupil-led delivery, frequently involving project work that sends children on fact- nding
missions of their own, both in and out of school.
ISSN 0140-672 8 print; 1470-135 9 online/02/020103-2 2
DOI: 10.1080/014067202200002914 0

2002 Taylor & Francis Ltd

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T. Ghelani et al.

However, concern has been expressed by teachers and librarians that resource-based
learning may perpetuate existing inequalities. Resource-based learning requires children
to access and use learning materials on their own. Those who are already disadvantaged
through their lack of access to resource materials inside and outside of schools, or who
receive less learning support than their peers, will arguably be further disadvantaged by
the expectations resource-based learning makes of them.
As a result of the concerns expressed by teachers and librarians, the Centre for
Information and Research (CIRT) at the University of Central England in Birmingham
has been carrying out a research project funded by Resource (the Council for Libraries,
Museums and Archives). The aim of the project is to investigate the relationship between
childrens access to different learning resources and circumstances and their ability to
carry out resource-based learning. The research focuses on the delivery of the National
Curriculum (see glossary) in secondary schools.
The project aims to deliver a greater understanding of the way that children carry out
resource-based learning work, and produce recommendations to ensure that children are
not further disadvantaged through such learning methods. Practical bene ts include
recommendations of ways in which families and local agencies involved in childrens
learning can cooperate to ensure better provision and guidance for children.
This article outlines the project being carried out by CIRT, some of the background
reading that has informed this research and the subsequent approach taken, as well as the
outcomes that the research will produce.

Recent Educational Reforms

Since the introduction of the National Curriculum in England in 1989, the most
consistent factor in English education has been the steady stream of reforms by
successive governments, often working towards opposing aims (Hodgson, 2000). One
constant has been that childrens schooling has been moving away from examinations
and taught classroom-based exercises towards coursework and project work (Henry,
2000; Moon & Mayes, 1995) requiring resource-based learning skills.
The current governments education reforms have many facets but the strongest and
most public emphasis has been on the desire to increase access to learning (Hodgson,
2000). To transform policy into practice the approach taken has been to de ne learning
within a broader framework through an emphasis on exible, non-traditional and lifelong
learning. The Green Paper (Department for Education and Employment, 2001) is the
latest in a series of documents, strategies and programmes designed to advance the
concept of lifelong learning; others include the National Year of Reading (see glossary)
and the National Grid for Learning (see glossary). Projects designed to make learning
accessible for those returning to it in later life include learndirect, Individual Learning
Accounts and the University for Industry (UFI) (see glossary). These all demonstrate
governmental concerns that adult learners should make the most of the learning
opportunities available to them (Hodgson, 2000).
In both areas of policy reforms described above, there is an emphasis on informationsearching skills and learning to use resources effectively. Government-led initiatives
such as Surestart (see glossary) would appear to suggest that to instil a desire and the
skills for lifelong learning in adults, people need to be able to utilise the information they
gain through an effective use of resources from childhood onwards, otherwise further
generations of adults will continue to lack basic learning skills. However, the mecha-

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nisms underpinning childrens learning development and adult lifelong learning have
rarely been made explicit in government policy.
Both Government ministers and educationalists would argue that all children should
be given an equal chance to become equipped with the skills to become lifelong learners.
However, learning environments outside the school affect childrens access to resources
and their opportunities to use them.
Review of the Literature
The notion that children may be disadvantaged in the educational system by different
cultural epistemology was exempli ed by Bourdieu through his theory of cultural capital
(Bourdieu & Passeron, 1997; Grenfell & James, 1998). He argued that the educational
system is biased towards the middle class, therefore children from such a background
were culturally advantaged. It has been argued since in numerous studies following
Bourdieu that children from middle-class backgrounds have values, attitudes and
linguistic codes that chime with the educational system (Bourdieu & Passeron, 1997;
Willis, 1997). Others have argued that the role of cultural capital has been over-stressed
by Bourdieu above the more important material factors (for example income, transport
and personal resources such as books, shelves and workspace) in educational success
(ODonnell, 1992; Halsey, 1986). Halsey has argued, through the use of numerous
studies and examples, that material factors have a greater impact on childrens achievements in the educational system than cultural factors (such as language, community,
class, parents education and parental support and interest). In reality, material and
cultural factors are clearly inextricably linked in society and children are likely to be
advantaged or disadvantaged by both: however the impact of material disadvantage can
be easier to measure and can be used to support signs of cultural disadvantage. An
examination of relevant literature reveals that there is no shortage of research concerned
with learning within the school, and a vast array of research exploring family in uences
on childrens learning (Cuckle, 1996; Edwards & Aldred, 2000; Marjoribanks, 1994;
West et al., 1998). However, there is far less material that takes into account out-ofschool access to learning resources and its impact on effective learning: therefore, the
main focus here is on material factors through an examination of learning resources.
The current Governments approach has been about broadening participation in
learning. Creating Learning CulturesNext Steps in Achieving the Learning Age, the
second report from the National Advisory Group for Continuing Education and Lifelong
Learning (NAGCELL, 1999) was pivotal in moving the government towards creating a
national strategy for learning. The NAGCELL report identi ed the need for cultural
changes in the way that learning is perceived but also recognised the dif culty in
achieving that change. As the report explains:
Far too many people are still locked in a culture, which regards lifelong
learning as either unnecessary, unappealing, uninteresting or unavailable.
(NAGCELL, 1999, p. 8)
In order to achieve the desired changes, broad and popular support needs to be elicited
and motivation and commitment to learning need to be increased (NAGCELL, 1999,
p. 11). This enthusiasm is best activated at an early age and the report recognises that
it is not just adults who need to be opened up to lifelong learning opportunities.
Among schoolchildren, fostering a love of learning, the skill of learning to

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learn and a practical understanding of the ways in which educational achievement connects with their future lives will also help instil a commitment to
lifelong learning. (NAGCELL, 1999, p. 21)

The NAGCELL report endorses the view already taken by the United Nations Educational, Scienti c and Cultural Organisation:
School should impart both the desire for, and pleasure in learning, the ability
to learn how to learn, and intellectual curiosity education should enable
everyone to gather information and to select, arrange, manage and use it.
(UNESCO, 1996, p. 19)
Resource-based learning is a method appropriate to these aims of learning to learn
because it gives children responsibility for their own project, for which they have to use
information-searching and research skills. It aims to challenge and engage children in
their own schoolwork (Cohen, 1995). Resource-based learning is a pupil-centred
approach that encourages pupils to learn by doing, enabling them to become creative
problem-solvers. It has been argued that information literacy is a means of personal
empowerment (Queens University Library Training Document, 2000). Resource-based
learning allows exibility in terms of learning styles and subject areas, giving pupils a
sense of ownership of their learning that leads to increased self-con dence. This can be
seen in the greater emphasis on project-based work in schools, requiring children to learn
through searching for and using resources (Kinnell & Heeks, 1996; Cohen, 1995).
Through independent work, children can develop a sense of ownership of their learning,
which can instil a greater desire for knowledge. The NAGCELL report clari es that this
responsibility for their own learning is especially important if social inclusion and
lifelong learning are to become self-sustaining and locally embedded (NAGCELL,
1999, p. 13). However, the CIRT research suggests that in order for resource-based
learning to have its desired effect, certain preconditions need to be in place. Children
require the resources and the enabling environment, not only within school but at home
and within the community at large. Therefore, the implications of this move towards
more project-based work need to be fully explored.
The educational reforms of the 1960s called for recognition of the fact that children
do not all share a starting line but begin schooling with different learning experiences
and patterns (ODonnell, 1992). This led to a wider acceptance that childrens backgrounds and home lives will signi cantly impact on their schooling. This has been
recognised by Government through the introduction of baseline assessment (see glossary). Families in particular play an extensive role throughout childrens learning.
According to Alexander and Clyne (1995, p. 15), between birth and the age of 16,
children spend less than 15% of their waking life in school, so it can reasonably be
claimed that home background is the single most signi cant factor in educational
achievement at school and in later life (Alexander & Clyne, 1995, p. 8). However, as
the range and extent of learning within families varies greatly, depending on family
traditions, opportunities and encouragement (Alexander & Clyne, 1995, p. 7), childrens
chances of successful resource-based learning vary depending on the material and
cultural factors at home. The evidence suggests that if the home (which is central to their
early learning experience) has an emphasis on learning and motivation, children are more
likely to do well (Marjoribanks, 1994). Hannon (1995) has expanded this idea in an
article on the family and community as partners, stating:
The familys literacy values and practices will shape the course of the childs

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literacy development in terms of the opportunities, recognition, interaction and

models available to them. (Hannon, 1995, p. 104)
This has been accepted by central government with a variety of national programmes
emerging to encourage parental involvement. These schemes range from National
Curriculum packs for parents to various programmes set up around the notion of family
learning, for example Keeping up with the Kids, A Little Reading Goes a Long Way
and Reaching Parents [1]. There has also been a good deal of activity at a local level,
for example parents workshops and paired reading schemes. Parental involvement in
childrens education has been institutionalised in the School Standards and Framework
Act (1998) in which parents are asked to abide by a set of principles agreed between
them and the schools. However, despite the intention of these attempts, it is still clear
that:
There are still relatively few schools where genuine reciprocal partnerships
have been developed between home, school and communities. (Hannon, 1995,
p. 170)
Elsewhere, Cairney et al. (1995, p. 170) have shown that:
Relationships between home and school are still very much centred on
marshalling parents and community members to support school agendas.
There is undoubtedly scope for a fresh examination of how mutually cooperative
partnerships between schools and parents can be brought about. If childrens schoolwork
increasingly involves the need to procure information, then they will require support.
However, the work itself may not take account of the learning support available to the
child after he or she has walked through the school gates at the end of lessons.
Impetus for the Research
When examining factors outside the school, the CIRT research does not only refer to the
home, but examines resource provision and support at a community-wide level. As
Cairney has concluded, There is a need for a signi cant shift in understanding of the
type of relationship possible with their communities (Cairney, 2000, p. 171). The
literature provides relatively few examples of cross-sectoral approaches to supporting
children in their development as resourceful lifelong learners. One of the aims of this
research is to begin to address this shortcoming. It builds on existing research from a
range of disciplines, to suggest ways in which all those involved in childrens learning
development, such as schools, teachers, librarians, library services, families and Local
Education Authorities (LEAs), can work together to support children in their experience
of resource-based learning.
The impetus behind the research came from a Resource Centre manager employed in
School 1 who was concerned about the disadvantages that children from impoverished
(materially and information-impoverished) families faced when conducting project work.
Plans for the research were developed in the course of conversations between the
practitioners and researchers. The research team decided to continue this approach by
involving staff at each of the schools (see below for more details) in devising the
methodology and the direction of the research. The research was consolidated by the
involvement of experts from the academic elds of education and information studies,
and experts from the eld of school libraries, childrens and youth services.

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Research Outline
Heads of schools were informed about the research through the LEA, and out of those
schools that volunteered, four were selected in order to include children from a broad
range of backgrounds, within distinctly differing localities.
School 1 is located in a mainly rural area of generally low deprivation. It is a large
school of nearly 1800 pupils. Although GCSE (see glossary) results are above the
national average, the attainment of the Year 7 (see glossary) intake is broadly in line
with national gures.
School 2 is a City Technology College in an urban area. It is independent of the LEA,

FIG. 1. Map of the school locations.

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TABLE I. Data demographic s

School 1

School 2

School 3

School 4

No. of pupil
participants:

24

24

23

23

Gender (%):
Male
Female

46
54

54
46

52
48

39
61

Percentage (%)
of ethnic minorities

13

38

Percentage (%)
per income bracket:
under 9999
10,00019,999
20,00029,999
30,000 1

9
23
14
54

9
14
50
27

0
30
20
50

9
41
23
27

(which means it is one of the few schools that are funded through central Government
and in control of its own budget). The 1060 pupils are drawn from all areas of the city.
The school is consistently oversubscribed. Achievement at GCSE is well above the
national average.
School 3, a community high school, is located in a built-up suburban area close to two
major conurbations, Manchester and Liverpool. It is a mixed area in socio-economic
terms. The school has around 1200 pupils in Years 7 to 13. Attainment at GCSE is
broadly in line with national gures (Department for Education and Employment, 2000).
School 4 is a small community school of just under 600 pupils in an isolated, rural
area with high levels of unemployment. The school serves a wide area and many
children travel relatively long distances to school. The catchment area is economically
mixed and performance at GCSE is above average. Fig. 1 shows the school locations.
A class of Year 7 children (aged 11 and 12) in each school was chosen to participate
in the research whilst they carried out a project that involved them learning through
using a range of resources. This year group was deemed suitable for the research as
individuals are arriving at an age where they are learning how to learn according to
Piagets formal operational stage (Taylor & Wright, 1970, p. 509). It is approximately at
age 11 that the child becomes capable of general, propositional thinking [2], i.e. they
are developing an awareness of the process of learning. Year 7 children were also chosen
for the practical reason that parental involvement carried over from junior school is still
active before interest wanes or is minimised to allow children their independence.
Permission from the participants was obtained through the school.
A vast range of data collection methods was used and therefore, a Table is included
here to summarise this range (see Table I).
Within each school, the children were asked to keep a weekly log to record the
resources they were using for their piece of project work. The children were then given
a chance to detail their views on the resources they used, in a nal log. This allowed the
research team to monitor the resources children had used to carry out their project work.
Subsequently, interviews were carried out with the children on the use of resources

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TABLE II. Summary of the data collection methods used

Method

Participant

Aim of the methodolog y

Weekly log

Year 7 schoolchildre n

To record resources used in project work

Final log

Year 7 schoolchildre n

To ascertain views on resources used in project work

Questionnaire

Parents of Year 7
schoolchildren

To gather demographi c detail, resources available in

home and related issues

Interviews
Interviews

Year 7 schoolchildre n
Parents of year 7
schoolchildren

To gather detailed comments on resources used

To gather detailed information on home learning
environment s and support

Interviews

School staff

Document collection

Local Education Authority

including Library Service

To gain information on resource-base d learning

context
To collect information on learning provision and
local partnerships

Interviews

Local Authority staff

To ascertain the roles of key agencies

within school, within the home, and within their locality, the help and supervision they
received and their interests and activities. This was designed to gather detailed information to give a rounded picture of the resources used and the pattern of use, as well
as contextual information. In parallel with the childrens log-keeping, a questionnaire
was completed by the parents [3] of the sample classes of children. This sought basic
demographic details as well as the resources available within the home, and related
issues such as transport (which can limit access to resources) and family interests (which
can expand a childs resource base). The response rate to these questionnaires was a high
79%. Interviews of approximately half an hour in length were recorded and transcribed
with most of these parents to discover the support children received at home, the
resources available to them and used by them, and the parents understanding of the
process involved in their childs use of resources. This was designed to support the
information provided by the children and give further information on the childrens
learning environments. The interviews were also useful for corroborating childrens
responses, thus ensuring greater validity. Furthermore, observation in school sites also
helped to verify the use of resources.
According to previous research, social class is a variable that plays a major role in
learning but is particularly dif cult to measure successfully. In recent years, measurements of social class have been called into question (e.g. Goldthorpe et al., 1969;
Marshall et al., 1993; Marshall, 1997). Factors such as income, occupation, educational
attainment, and cultural values have all been used as measurements of social class to
varying degrees and the problems with each have been extensively monitored. Within the
research, the team collected data on all of the above factors: nonetheless, these have all
been used as indicators of social class rather than clear social categories.
Towards the end of the childrens project work, assessment reports of the project work
were obtained from the subject tutor to measure how effectively children had carried out
the work. Interviews were undertaken with the key staff members (subject teachers, head
teachers, librarians) at each of the schools to gather information on resources provision

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as well as the signi cance and deployment of resource-based learning within each school
and authority. In addition, documents and interviews were collected from the LEA.
Through interviews with parents and children, the research team discovered the importance of certain key agencies such as mosque schools, homework clubs and community
initiatives (see glossary) (see Table II).
The above methodology was employed to examine childrens ability to use resources
effectively and to assess how this was affected by various material and cultural factors.
The Four Factors Affecting Resource-based Learning
Using the literature and some of the previous studies, the following four factors were
identi ed by the research team as key in uences on a childs effective use of learning
resources:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Availability of resources
Access to resources
Familiarity with resources
Guidance in using resources

Each of these raised its own set of questions that needed to be explored through the
research.
1. Availability of Resources
The availability of resources refers to the resources that children have within reach;
whether children own key resources and whether there are resources available to borrow.
It also takes into account the locations in which these are available to children, for
example: the home; the local library; school; youth clubs and religious organisations.
Availability also indicates whether the children are aware of the resources that are
available to them; for example, knowledge of the existence of CD-ROMs must be a
precursor to accessing them.
2. Access to Resources
A childs access to resources will be affected by the permission they have to use these
resources, and when they can be used. For example, the school library may only permit
the use of computers at lunchtimes and not after school or a child may only be able to
use the computer at home supervised. It will also refer to whether resources are within
reach, in the most literal sense (how high are the local library shelves?), to whether they
can locate the required resources (transport, distance and permission to travel are some
of the factors that will affect this).
3. Familiarity with Resources
Con dence in using resources is linked to familiarity with those resources. The
frequency with which children use a resource, the format in which they access and,
again, ownership are likely to affect the degree of familiarity they feel with a resource
(Denham et al., 1999). This will in turn in uence their skills in making effective use of
resources.

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4. Guidance in Using Resources

The help they receive will have a bearing upon a childs con dence and ability to make
the best use of a resource. This will include whether there was guidance given on where
to start with information-gathering, whether there was anyone available to help in a
given location and whether this help also included guidance as to appropriateness of a
resource. For example, are the required resources well-directed and easy to nd; is the
library clearly signposted?
Some of the factors in these four categories are easier to measure than others. It is a
straightforward matter to discover the times at which resources are available to the child,
the location of the resources and the ownership of resources. Other questions, for
instance how often children use the resources available to them, and who is available to
help, require more subtle exploration. Consequently, data collection, designed to give a
full and detailed picture of resource provision and use within the community, consists of
both quantitative and qualitative methods. The ndings emerging from this are detailed
below.
Examining the data according to these four factors, the research team found that
material factors, such as quality of school provision, family income, space and resources
in the home, local levels of provision and deprivation were hugely signi cant. Cultural
factors, such as family support and guidance, childrens experiences of project work and
resource use were also important determinants.

Findings
The project work undertaken by pupils was enormously varied. In School 1, the Year 7
class completed a project on the 1980s, the decade of their birth, but they could select
the events and topic they chose to write about within that format. In School 2, the project
was also based in the English department, but the children had a free choice of topics.
The topics chosen ranged from David Beckham to spontaneous combustion. At
School 3, the Year 7 class carried out a much more structured project within Personal
and Social Education (PSE), in which they were asked to complete a project about
bullying through a variety of set tasks. At School 4, children had a free choice of
topics, but this time the project was based in Information and CommunicationsTechnology (ICT) so they were given the option to present the project in PowerPoint. Topics
included childrens interests such as BMXs, dogs and Egypt.

Use of Resources
Childrens use of resources was mainly based on the guidance they received from their
subject teachers. Speci c library and classroom sessions were planned as part of the
project work and these also helped to determine the resources that children used, which
varied within each case study. For some children this was their rst experience of
lengthy project work and many commented that it was better to use a wide range of
resources to obtain more information.
The resources used by the children to complete their projects were established through
logs and later veri ed in interviews with them. Their use of resources across all of the
schools are presented in the chart below (see Fig. 2).
The use of ICT resources was mentioned far more than books. The Internet was

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FIG. 2. Resources used, as mentioned in interviews.

spoken of speci cally in 61% of interviews. Many children saw the computer as an
easily accessible source of endless information. However for some, ICT had not proved
useful due to lack of experience and the inappropriateness of certain resources for their
chosen topic. Despite this, many children still enjoyed using ICT. Their experience of
using the Internet, particularly in the home, determined how useful children considered
it as a resource.
As children at School 4 were taught in an ICT classroom, not surprisingly they made
greater use of the Internet than children at the other schools; however all the children
used this at some point in their project.
In nearly half of all interviews (45%), children referred to the school library. This was
partly due to library sessions being built into the project work structure by teachers at
three of the schools, but also because many of the children saw the library as central to
project work. Fig. 3 demonstrates this.
The importance of having people around them to help was clear; 56% of children
interviewed stated that people who helped them were a useful resource. Out of these, the
majority were family or other relatives, although a few children mentioned friends or
library staff.
In the second week of the project, although a number of children at all schools
continued to rely mainly on school resources, a signi cant number transferred their
attentions to resources at home and in the community. Children also started to make
greater use of the library in preference to resources found in the classroom.
Books were the resource children most commonly mentioned using at home; they
featured in 91% of interviews, with the percentages not differing greatly between the
four schools. Eighty-one per cent of parents claimed their child used a computer at home.
The problems encountered by children working at home focused on a lack of suitable
resources. Several said they would like a computer or Internet access and some also
wanted more books.
Most families saw hobbies and family activities as bene cial to learning; however, a
lack of time was a problem for 31% of parents. The cost of transport and the activities
themselves were seen as a barrier by 30% of parents.

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FIG. 3. Percentage of children using the school library for project work out of lesson time.

Children occasionally used community resources from museums, religious organisations, parents workplaces and people in the community. Children relied on parents to
take the initiative to make visits or use resources from most of these locations. However,
use of resources in the locality consisted mainly of use of the local library. One-quarter
of children used a public library for their project research. Most families and most
children had tickets for their local public libraries. Fig. 4 shows this information.
Other studies have found that, with regard to libraries, the needs of children and young
people revolve around access (Dunne, 2000); key issues being social exclusion,
opening hours and awareness of the range of resources available. The following point
was borne out by the research.
Teachers sometimes assume children have access to the Internet; not all the
local libraries have Internet access. [School 3 parent]
Factors 1 and 2: access and availability
The ways in which childrens use of resources was shaped by the four key factors
identi ed by the research team are examined below. The resources accessed by the
children were clearly constrained by the types of resources available.
School Learning Provision
The table below outlines the resources available in each of the schools as well as some
of the factors that affected access to them, such as opening hours and guidance available
(see Table III).
The school library in School 1 is managed by the Project Coordinator for Resourcebased Learning Development, a post supported by the authoritys Education, Libraries
and Heritage Department. It is well resourced and there is a strong emphasis on
individual learning. At the library, a multicultural study support club and a Books over
Breakfast scheme operates.
School 2 library is also well resourced and generously staffed as can be seen from
Table III. There is a high number of IT resources within the library as well as across the
school. As a City Technology College, School 2 is fairly self-suf cient and there are few
formal links with other agencies.

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FIG. 4. Childrens public library membership.

The library at School 3 is fairly small, having suf cient study spaces to seat one class
group. This means that different years are allocated particular days of the week for
library access during lunch breaks. The library is reasonably well resourced in terms of
both printed and electronic materials. However, staf ng levels are low.
The library at School 4 is not particularly well resourced and much of the available
stock is old and worn. Although it is not staffed by a professional librarian, the current
holder of the part-time post has a Postgraduate Certi cate in Education (a course of
professional study undertaken by all teachers prior to taking up their rst teaching post)
and teaching experience. Pupils have open access to the ICT classrooms before and after
school and at breaks and lunchtimes, when material may be printed freely.
Home Learning Provision
All the children involved in the research had at least one book at home; every home had
a dictionary. Storybooks were the next most common printed resource. Ninety-seven per
cent of children had ction books in their home. This gure was highest at School 4,
where all homes had storybooks ; the other schools all had gures close to 95%.
Ninety-three per cent of homes had information books of some description.
Overall, most (95%) parents claimed they bought books to help their child with
schoolwork. Almost as many parents, 93%, bought other materials to help their child
with schoolwork. It is perhaps signi cant that ve out of the six parents who did not buy
other materials to help their children to learn had a household income of less than
20,000. (The average income is 24,000 a year according to the most recent data (BBC,
2001).)
Most children (92%) had a space to work at in their home; there was very little
difference observed between the schools in this respect. However, the ways in which
children used their space and resources effectively depended on the value given by the
parents and by the children. In the rural setting of School 4, children tended to use home
resources, including encyclopaedias, other books and the Internet more frequently than
at the other schools.
Local Provision
The resources accessed by the children at all of the schools were clearly constrained by

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TABLE III. Learning provision in schools

School 1

School 2

School 3

School 4

1800 pupils

1060 pupils

1200 pupils

600 pupils

Staf ng

1 professional
librarian 1 1.6
part-time assistants

2 professional
librarians 1 2
part-time assistants

1 full-time librarian 1 part-time librarian

Books

10,600 non- ction

4200 ction
1000 reference

12,000 non- ction

4000 ction
330 reference

9500 non- ction

1000 ction
700 reference

ICT resources

16 Internet and
13 Internet machines 6 Internet and
CD-ROM machines 4 CD-ROM machines CD-ROM
50 CD-ROMs
machines, 40
CD-ROMs

3 Internet and CDROM machines, 12

CD-ROMs

Other resources

3 newspapers,
videos, CDs,
micro che,
CDs, audio tapes

6 newspapers
46 magazines
Videos, lea ets

3 newspapers
Audio tapes

36.25 hours
8.45 a.m. to
4.00 p.m.

45 hours
40 hours
8.00 a.m. to
8.00 a.m. to
9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. 4.00 p.m.

35 hours
9.00 a.m. to
5.00 p.m.

Library-based
clubs/activities

Multicultural
study support
Books over
Breakfast

Homework club
Book club

Library club

No clubs, but
pupils librarians

Space

96 places

110 places

32 places

38 places

Information skills Integrated into

teaching
English curriculum
taught by resource
centre staff

Discrete lessons
taught by
library staff

Library-wise
programme
taught by Personal
and Social
Education teacher

Introduction
to ction
books as
part of English
curriculum, taught by
librarian. Induction to
non- ction only for
those pupils not doing
Resource-Based
Learning project

Resources
elsewhere in
school

25 PCs in IT gallery
50 PCs in Minerva Centre

Approx.
school
population

Opening hours
per week

20 PCs, but not

available outside
lessons

2 newspapers
12 magazines

4300 non- ction

3200 ction
250 reference

the types of resources available. A few local museums were visited and it seemed that many
families had made trips to visit museums in nearby London.
Within the city of School 2, the Central Library in the city centre is viewed as a regional

Childrens Resource-based Learning

117

resource centre, having a large book stock and a high number of active borrowers. It is
open 60 hours per week though opening hours in the LEA have been in decline. There
are several key branch libraries that were used by many of the children. Other key
agencies in the LEA include the Interfaith Education Centre, supplementary schools, adult
education facilities and local museums. Of the many museums within the city, the
National Museum of Photography, Film and Television has the most developed education
service.
Within the LEA in which School 3 is located, the libraries are not particularly well
used and the population per service point is greater than average. The book stock per
thousand population is low.
School 4s Schools Library Service is geared towards primary schools; there are no
resources for secondary schools. To try to compensate for this gap in provision, librarians
have set up their own Library Assistants Support Group. Two-thirds of the local
population were active borrowers, though less so in rural areas. Staf ng has recently
suffered.
School 4s LEA had the worst access to trains or buses in the locality, which could
explain the poor use of libraries in that case study area.
From the data, it was clear that the provision of learning resources is signi cantly
affected by the community in which children live as well as their personal home
circumstances. One child described the dif culties she experienced when trying to use
the library:
I used to go, but not any more because it is dark. I cant get transport and my
parents dont drive. [School 2 child]
Factor 3: guidance
The importance of having people around them to help was clear; 56% of children
stated that people who helped them were a useful resource. Out of these, the majority
(37%) were relatives. 15% of children mentioned friends and 4% mentioned library
staff.
Fifty-seven per cent of children claimed that their mother helped with homework and
54% of parents reported the same. The number of pupils who mentioned fathers as being
helpful with homework was 44%, and 38% of parents also reported this. Parents generally
gave themselves less recognition than they were awarded by children; this was particularly
true for fathers. This may be because parents take the help they give for granted or do
not realise how important it is to their child.
Rather stereotypically, fathers were the most popular choices for design and technology
and science but were also thought to be useful for maths, English, languages, art, religious
education (RE) and history. Mothers were more important for English and spelling, but
they also helped with maths, languages, art, RE, history, science and geography.
If your mum and dad can explain it, you dont have to go to the teacher and
you can go over and over it and spend as much time as you need on it. [School
2 child]
Its really important because they give better information. Internet and books,
its got its own language and sometimes I dont understand it, but when my
parents explain, I understand it more. [School 2 child]
Children felt it was quicker, easier and more comprehensible if they asked their parents
for information rather than researching it themselves.

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He does ask a lot but he does know where to look. Its just easier to ask than
to look isnt it? [School 3 parent]

Some felt that the dif culties of using a computer, for example the time it can take to
nd appropriate information, were often ignored by teachers and children. Parents
pointed out that a computer was little use in improving basic skills such as reading,
writing, spelling and problem-solving.
Many parents admitted that they were unable to control their childrens Internet use
as much as they might like to because their children understood more about computers
than they did.
Several parents said that they had helped their children when they were younger, but
now they were at secondary school, they felt they did not have the knowledge or skills
to support them.
Her schoolworks a bit beyond us. We never did computers or anything like
that. [School 4 parent]
Some parents were uncertain of their role in their childs project work and expressed
concern about the lack of guidance they felt able to give. A proportion of these parents
called for more information from the schools about what their child was studying and
what they were expected to do at home.
Project work, its a bit alien to us. [School 1 parent]
Factor 4: familiarity
Of the children interviewed, 20% said their chosen topics were the best thing about the
project. These comments came mainly from children at School 2 and School 4 where
they had free choice. Having a choice, a chance to bring their hobby to their schoolwork
and learning a speci c piece of information were all deemed important. They were often
keen to share a fact about their chosen topic.
I enjoyed learning about Shakespeares life because it was interesting. Shocking things kept coming up, like he married a lady eight years older than him.
[School 2 child]
Others now had an insight into the resources that were available to them, and were able
to make judgements about their appropriateness to the task.
I wouldnt pick a project that is so recent. So I could have more resources and
more books and that. [School 4 child]
Children seemed to have increased con dence in using resources if they had previous
experience of project work. Having previous experience of project work induced some
children to choose a similar topic; as one interviewee explained:
I knew what I would be looking for. [School 3 child]
Childrens experience of using the Internet depended to a large extent on whether it was
available at home:

Childrens Resource-based Learning

119

Im not very good at the Internet because we dont have it at home. [School
1 child]
I didnt use the Internet much, I dont know why. I dont usually go on the
Internet. [School 2 child]
Nonetheless, some children for whom the Internet was a new experience enjoyed
exploring this new medium.
Being able to go on the Internet and go in the library and actually look
properly. At my old school they didnt really have a library properly and you
couldnt go on the Internet. So, its like, good to nd things. [School 2 child]
Other electronic resources included television and video. Sixteen per cent of children
said they used the television and 14% said they used video; many of these were used in
class, especially at School 3. For many children it was the rst time they had explored
using new resources. Using resources that they were familiar with but had never
considered as a learning resource previously was exciting for most children, though a
few found it frustrating.
Conclusion
Through the framework of these four factors one could clearly see the different ways in
which children were constrained or empowered in the resources they used and their skills
in using them. Childrens access to a particular resource outside school tended to make
them effective users of that resource within school. The support they received with
schoolwork within the home was valued by the children and contributed substantially to
their ability to gather and, in particular, process information. Community institutions and
activities also played a key role in childrens use of a range of resources and their ability
to bring their own individual skills to their work.
In his paper Beyond the Classroom Walls, Cairney argues for schools to address the
diverse cultural resources of families (Cairney, 2000, p. 172). The research supports that
view but goes further to argue that there is a need for all the agencies involved in
childrens learning to be aware of the diversity of families cultural and material
resources and act to ensure better local provision.
This research addresses important issues based on the much-researched premise that
the learning culture in which children grow up and the learning resources available to
them can bene t and disadvantage them in subtle and unpredictable ways (Willis, 1997;
Halsey, 1986; Rosen, 1972; Bourdieu & Passeron, 1997). For instance:
How do material and cultural factors impact upon childrens ability to carry out
project work effectively?
What are the factors that in uence effective resource-based learning?
Are some children disadvantaged by resource-based learning approaches?
The research team found that to answer some of these questions through research, a
community-wide approach to assess childrens access to learning resources needs to be
taken.
Curriculum co-ordinators should be aware of the central in uence of the home on a
childs ability to access and use resources. Coleman (1987) has suggested that school
cannot compensate for any lack in terms of support or resources at home. He states
that:

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As the social capital in the home and neighbourhoo d shrinks, school achievement and other growth will not be increased by replacing these with more
school-like resources but by replacing them with resources that interact
with the ones provided by the school. (p. 38)
The suggestion that schools cannot be expected to provide the same range of resources
as the local community can is hugely signi cant, especially in areas of high deprivation
or where the school as an institution has been demoralised. Therefore it is necessary to
build on the provisions that are already available in the wider locality as well as the
home. Additional provision of resources within the community can help to redress the
balance where there is minimal resource provision in the home.
The Government has highlighted the social and economic need for exible, nonformal and lifelong learning. Resource-based learning has a contribution to make to these
processes. However, this has not been accompanied by suf cient emphasis on the
provision of resources to support these new forms of learning and the initiatives that
accompany them.
Resource-based learning is taken to be an educationally sound strategy for providing
children with a mode of learning that they can continue to use and develop, beyond their
time in compulsory education [4]. The research suggests that a need for better provision
of resources and more equality of access to such resources across childrens learning
environments needs to follow. We would argue that this requires the creation of better
cross-agency links so that childrens learning can take place across home, school and
elsewhere, without inequalities being perpetuated.
Glossary of Terms
Baseline Assessment
When children start school, either in reception class or Year 1, teachers assess what each
child knows, understands and can do. This is known as baseline assessment. It normally
takes place as part of everyday classroom activities. (Quali cations and Curriculum
Authority, 2001). This helps teachers to tailor learning to individual childrens needs.
From 1998 baseline assessment became a statutory requirement at primary school level.
Further Education
Further education (FE) is for people over compulsory school age (currently 16 in
England) which does not take place in secondary school. It may be in a sixth-form
college, a further education college or a higher education institution.
General Certi cate for Secondary Education (GCSE)
The General Certi cate for Secondary Education is a programme of study that forms part
of the national curriculum for 1416-year-olds. It is the nal stage of compulsory
education. The Certi cate was introduced in 1988 replacing O levels and CSEs to create
a comprehensive quali cation that tested children in different ways.
Higher Education
Higher Education (HE) takes place in universities or HE colleges. Courses are generally
above the standard of GCE A levels or National Vocational Quali cation (NVQ) Level
3. They include degree courses, postgraduate courses and higher national diplomas.

Childrens Resource-based Learning

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Homework Clubs
Homework clubs are usually held after school, mainly in schools and public libraries.
These are clubs in which children are given assistance with their homework by adult
supervisors.
Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs)
The Individual Learning Account programme was launched in September 2000 to enable
learners to access Government-subsidised learning. An Individual Learning Account
could be created by the potential learner to help fund learning outside the mainstream
education system; for example, evening courses. However, misuse and allegations of
fraud has led to a suspension of the programme. (Information from the DfES web site,
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/ila, accessed February 2002.)
learndirect
learndirect is operated by the University for Industry (UFI) to help bring about a learning
society. learndirect provide computer-based courses in centres such as libraries, to help
provide exible learning for adults wanting to upgrade skills. (Information from the
learndirect web site, http://www.learndirect.co.uk/, accessed February 2002.)
Mosque School
This is Islamic education and training, usually provided by a local mosque and attended
out of school hours by some Muslim children.
National Curriculum
The National Curriculum sets out a clear, full and statutory entitlement to learning for
all pupils. It determines the content of what will be taught, and sets attainment targets
for learning. The curriculum also determines how performance will be assessed and
reported, thereby establishing standards and promoting continuity and coherence. (Information from the National Curriculum web site, http://www.nc.uk.net/what is.html,
accessed December 2001.)
National Grid for Learning
The National Grid for Learning (NGfL) is a Government initiative to help learners and
educators in the UK bene t from Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
Launched in 1998, it provides a gateway for educational resources available on the
Internet. (Information from the British Educational Communications and Technology
Agency web site, http://www.becta.org.uk/technology/infosheets/html/ng .html, accessed August 2001.)
Primary Education
Primary education refers to compulsory education that takes place between the ages of
5 and 11. It comprises Key Stages One and Two of the National Curriculum.

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Secondary Education
Secondary education refers to compulsory schooling that takes place between the ages
of 11 and 16. It comprises Key Stages Three and Four of the National Curriculum.
SureStart
SureStart is a Government-funde d programme to work with parents-to-be, parents and
children to promote the physical, intellectual and social development of babies and
young children. Part of this scheme has been to distribute learning materials to families
and encourage library membership for babies and young children. (Information from
the SureStart web site, http://www.surestart.gov.uk/aboutWhatis.cfm?section 5 2#2,
accessed November 2001.)
Year 7
Year 7 is the rst academic year of secondary school education for children aged 1112.
Year of Reading
The Year of Reading was a key part in the Governments promotion of lifelong learning.
The idea was to engage communities nationally to attempt to raise literacy standards.
The idea was to promote reading as a pleasurable as well as a learning activity.
(Information from the Literacy Trust web site, www.literacytrust.org.uk/reading, accessed September 2001.)
Correspondence: Sarah McNicol, Centre for Information Research, Dawson Building
Level 3, University of Central England in Birmingham, Perry Barr, Birmingham B42
2SU, UK; e-mail: sarah.mcnicol@uce.ac.uk
NOTES
[1] A Little Reading Goes a Long Way, a programme assisting parents in helping their children with
reading. [Available from: http://www.dfes.gov.uk /read, accessed October 2001.] Keeping up with the
Kids A course funded by Basic Skills Agency and designed to help improve parents con dence in
supporting childrens learning. [Available from http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/Pubs/Goodall.html,
accessed October 2001.]
Reaching Parents, a programme that aimed to take libraries outside and reach parents and children
through partnerships with commercial organisations. [Available from: http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/
Pubs/blanch eld.html, accessed October 2001.]
[2] The stage of Formal Operations: It is not until puberty and after that the child begins to free his
operational thinking from its roots in particular experiences . The child becomes capable of general,
prepositional thinking; he can solve problems by hypothesizin g factors and deducing consequences
(Taylor & Wright, 1970, p. 509). See also Inhelder and Piaget (1958).
[3] Parents is used throughout this article as shorthand for Parent/parents or Guardian.
[4] The government s Quali cations and Curriculum Authority Chief has spoken of the need to give
prominence to project work in schools, as it helps pupils develop the skills they will need in the
knowledge economy (Henry, 2000).

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