| Summary: | Significant changes to the British Columbia's educational system have been caused by new
curriculums that are based on a resource-based learning and teaching model. The Ministry of
Education evaluates learning resources and allocates funding to support the acquisition of learning
resources at the district and school level. Learning resources selected for classroom use are to
support the Principles of Learning:
• learning requires the active participation of the student;
• people learn in a variety of ways and at different rates;
• learning is both an individual and a group process.
The Ministry recommends that schools have a Learning Resource Committee to develop a school
vision for learning resources, evaluate current school resources, establish selection priorities,
evaluate resources and make recommendations for purchase, and identify learning resource
management systems. A survey of Vancouver elementary and secondary schools indicates that
41% of the schools have Learning Resource Committees, but that their activities rarely include all
the recommendations of the Ministry. The survey shows that only 25% of the Committees have
an established procedure for selecting learning resources. This study includes an analysis of
Learning Resources Committees at two secondary and one elementary school where interviews
were done with administrators, teacher-librarians, teachers and staff assistants provide a picture of
how learning resources are selected and managed and their impact on resource-based learning and
teaching. This study found that systems for selecting and managing learning resources are in the
developmental stage as teachers move from primarily print formats to a broad range of print and
non-print learning resources.
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