Blog Post 4: Technology Leadership Role of School Librarians

     More and more, librarians are the technology liaison on the school campus. This means the librarian needs to know how to fix the computer monitor if it suddenly goes blank and how to help the Language Arts teacher integrate technology into her lesson plans. In order to help librarians and teachers with the task of integrating technology into the classroom and effectively teaching it to students, the American Association of School Libraries (AASL) developed the “Standards for the 21st-Century Learner” (2011) as a guide for educators to navigate this new technological world. With nine foundational common beliefs and four standards, this guideline is supposed to instruct librarians and teachers as they navigate the world of teaching technology. These standards remind educators that technology is a beneficial tool to edify the curriculum and the students, not merely an educational outcome. 

      In his article, 9 Wrong and 8 Right Ways Students Should Use Technology, J. Dunn (2013) claims, “technology is a tool in the classroom and not meant to be the focus of attention. It’s meant to enable, not overwhelm. It’s meant to enhance learning, not box it in.” He makes a valid point that educators should be teaching students how to find answers, how to make a difference, how to change minds. The tools used to reach these goals have become more technological in the past few years, but the purpose of teaching is still the same: to educate children. With the world of Web 2.0, integrating technology into the classroom, or the library, is easier than ever. There seems to be a technology tool for every aspect of teaching. 

      While the AASL standards are a guideline for librarians to follow, Berger and Trexler (2010) list some action steps for librarians to follow: 
      1. Articulate a clear vision of technology, curriculum integration, and the use of Web 2.0 tools. 
      2. Revisit information literacy skills curriculum, especially in light of the new AASL “Standards for            the 21st-Century Learner.” 
      3. Keep teachers and administrators informed on the latest tools and best practices in the use and integration of Web 2.0 tools. 
      4. Support professional development in twenty-first-century skills for teachers, administrators, and parents. 
      5. Increase personal Web 2.0 literacy- Embrace emerging technologies! (p. 17, 18) 

      Using technology is more than using a device. It is carrying out a lesson plan in a new format, with the end goal still being the education of the student. Several technology tools include blogs, slide show websites, modified search engines, and simple web page building programs. Along with teaching students about technology comes the responsibility to teach them to use it wisely. And along with teaching students responsibility, teachers and librarians must use technology responsibly. Having students sit in front of a computer everyday in order to play word games is not the best, nor the most responsible, use of technology.

References 

 American Association of School Libraries (2011). Standards for the 21st-century learner. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/learning-standards 

Berger, P., & Trexler, S. (2010). Choosing web 2.0 tools for learning and teaching in a digital world. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited. 

Dunn, J. (2013). 9 wrong and 8 right ways students should use technology. Retrieved from http://edudemic.com/2013/07/9-wrong-and-8-right-ways-students-should-use- technology/