Introduction
Since the 1950’s, “the roles of the library media specialists
have been debated, defined, redefined, and the role conflict has been present
throughout the entire process” (Reed, 2009, p.6). Since technology has been available, there
have been people that have been using it and trying to find new ways of
utilizing it in the classroom. The
benefits are countless and can only be limited by the people using these tools. More and more the school librarians have
become the “gateway” between the technology and its implementation in the
schools. American Library Association
states that librarians should “use prior and background knowledge as context
for new learning; read, view, and listen for pleasure and personal growth”
(2007). A great tool for selecting
appropriate and relevant material for this purpose and making some of the
librarians’ tasks easier would be an online database, such as Shelfari that
helps one keep track of all the latest happenings in the book world and
allowing the readers to see what others with similar interests are reading and
recommending.
Body
What one fails to see from the outside is how much of the
responsibility lies on the librarian in the schools today. Before such an advanced technological era,
the librarian was expected to teach the students how to find information needed
in the library. Now, the librarian must
show the students and the faculty how to find this information outside the physical
library environment. “…Librarians have
had not only to master information technology but also to assume a role as
educators who teach the skills of using information technology to obtain access
to information sources” (Sun, 2011, p. 322).
They have become the ultimate connection between the internet and the
inquisitive minds that search for answers every day. There’s no doubt that the librarian role has
changed and is ever evolving, and with new technologies emerging every day,
will continue to be so. “The school
library media program is central to creating lifelong learners, supporting
curriculum, and implementing reliable information access. If the library media center is the umbrella
for the school’s core subjects, then the library media specialist is the
connection between information and diffusion of that information to
students” (Reed, 2009, p. 1).
Many educators in the teaching space today try to move away from
lecturing and more in to the interactive world in education. Lectures are no longer the standard in a
classroom. Hands on research and
technology integration (in many different forms) have become a large part of
the curriculum. For example, countless
educators who once were against video games and such are now constantly trying
to find the latest game that will peak their students attention, and also somehow
tie in the lesson, allowing for greater interest in the subject matter, greater
participation, and therefore greater learning.
Loertscher writes that today’s educators believe that students have a
hard time focusing and paying attention, when the students disagree and say
that it’s time constraints that compel them to multitask, not their lack of
attention spans (2011). A game may be a
great way to capture some of that attention and allow for multitasking that is
required of today’s student.
Online education and the way
students learn is another way that the classic classroom model is being
altered. “Several authors have found
that online tutorials are generally as effective as classroom instruction and
are preferred by most students… Web
tutorials encourage active learning and allow students to respond to what is
taught while self-assessing their own learning” (Sun, 2011, p. 329). The first person that educators usually go to
for help with how to implement these programs is the school library. After all, that is where one would go to get
more information in the past, so why change now?
The International Society for Techno;ogy in Education states that “teachers use their knowledge of subject matter,
teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance
student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual
environments” (2008).
One must be familiar with the items that have been taught in this class
in order to have a shot at becoming fluent in the language of technology that
so many students now speak. Librarians
should have the knowledge to create websites, to get the community involved and
interested in the library and what happens within its walls. In order to comply with the standards,
librarians should “continuously improve their
professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their
school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective
use of digital tools and resources” (International Society for Technology in
Education, 2008). One can successfully
accomplish this task by continuing education, creating a community that works
together and keeps each other up to date on the latest advancements and
technologies.
The reasons why librarians have this
huge responsibility placed on them is partially because librarians usually do
not have a classroom assigned to them, therefore allowing for more scheduling
flexibility, as well as the ability to have contact with all the faculty, staff,
and students in the schools. “Teacher
librarians and teacher technologists are in the best position in the school to
watch the development and impact of technology in the lives of teachers and
students” (Loertscher, 2011, p.46).
Conclusion
“Technology continues to profoundly affect the way we work,
play, collaborate, communicate, learn and succeed. Increasingly, technology skills are critical
to success in almost every arena, and those who are more facile with technology
will advance while those without access or skills will not. The digital divide, once seen as a factor of
wealth, is now seen as a factor of education” (Johnson, Levine, Smith,
& Haywood, 2010, p. 37). Librarians and educators alike must pursue
further education, learning and understanding of the newly emerging
technologies and trends if they want to stay current and have a program that
students and those in the learning community admire and want to learn more
about.
REFERENCE LIST
American
Library Association. (2007). Standards for the twenty-first century learner. Retrieved from
http://www.ala.org/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/standards
International Society for Technology in
Education. (2008). Iste.nets the standards for learning, leading, and
teaching in the digital age.
Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards
Johnson, L. F.,
Levine, A., Smith, R. S., & Haywood, K. (2010). Key emerging technologies
for elementary and secondary education. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, 76(1), 36-40.
Loertscher, D. (2011). Unleash the power of technology in education. Teacher Librarian, 39(1), 46.
Reed, J. (2009).
Diverse roles and challenges for teacher librarians: An albanian case study. International Association of School
Librarianship. Selected Papers from the ... Annual Conference, 1.
Sun, H., Chen, K., Tseng,
C., & Tsai, W. (2011). Role changing for librarians in the new information technology
era. New Library World, 112(7/8), 321-333.
