Blog Post 4: Technology Leadership Role of School Librarians

Technology has dramatically changed the way people work, think, do research, become informed, communicate, and collaborate with each other.  In the article "A voice from the past calls for classroom technology" (Kilfoye, 2013), Kilfoye writes, “Internet technology is the foundation for the next wave of democracy in American Education and the society beyond school walls.”  Fortunately, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) has published a set of learning standards (AASL, 2007) designed to help teacher-librarians prepare students to be successful, contributing members of society in this technology-driven 21st century. The learner-centered standards state that 21st century learners are ones who use an inquiry-based process, accept responsibility for what and how they are learning, and evaluate their learning. Critical thinking, self-discovery, collaboration, and presentation are all significant 21st century skills valued in the workforce. Each standard addresses these skills with multiple indicators that provide a framework for implementation. 

The school librarian is in a perfect position to implement technology instruction onto a campus.  Librarians are already considered resource specialists and they typically have community and professional connections. Successful libraries are the hub of the community; why not become the hub of technology integration as well? The Quakertown Community School District has become a model for successful technology integration. On this campus, the librarian was dually classified as the technology-integration coach. Her responsibilities included providing professional development on the integration of technology, building access to online content and resources, and teaching the students digital citizenship, copyright laws and appropriate use, and how to evaluate sources.  Outside of the library walls, the librarian continued the ever important role of advocacy. Collaborating with outside entities such as the public library, the police department, and the chamber of commerce to keep the community aware of what students are able to access. Of equal importance was educating parents on how to be involved in their children's online presence. These steps are important in building community support and in building awareness for what students are able to share as part of their 21st century education. 

Although the future cannot be predicted, technology is guaranteed to continue to change and evolve. By considering the guidelines set forth by the AASL’s Standards for 21st Century Learners, librarians can position themselves to design a library program that prepares students for learning now and into the future. 

Sources:

American Association of School Librarians (AASL). (2007). Standards for the 21st century learner.   Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/AASL_LearningStandards.pdf 

Kilfoye, C. (2013). A voice from the past calls for classroom technology. Phi Delta Kappan, 94(7), 53-56.

Kuzo, J. (2015). School librarians: Key to technology integration. Knowledge Quest, 44(1), 74-76.