Abstract
As K-12 schools increase the presence of and access to technology, the role of school librarians is changing. Many librarians have not been prepared by their colleges and universities for the changes demanded by their jobs. In this article, we discuss the skills that 47 school librarians reported having learned on the job as opposed to in librarian preparation programs. More than half indicated that they had to develop technological skills while on the job. This can be explained by technology’s influence on society, librarians being early adopters and leaders of technology and technology’s ability to enable learning. Because of these technological skills indicated by school librarians, we provide resources and share suggestions for how school librarians can build a Professional Learning Network (PLN) to learn about and with technology.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aud, S., Hussar, W., Planty, M., Snyder, T., Bianco, K., Fox, M., Frohlich, L., Kemp, J., Drake, L. (2010). The Condition of Education 2010 (NCES 2010–028). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC.
Blumemgarten, J. (n.d.) Cybrary Man’s Educational Web Sites. Retrieved from: http://cybraryman.com
Bronstein, J. (2009). Current trends in library and information studies curricula. Libri: International Journal of Libraries & Information Services, 59(2), 78–87.
Bureau of Labor Statistics (2012). 2012–2013 occupational outlook handbook. U.S.Department of Labor. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-andlibrary/librarians.htm.
Chu, S. K. W., Tse, S. K., & Chow, K. (2011). Using collaborative teaching and inquiry project-based learning to help primary school students develop information literacy and information skills. Library & Information Science Research, 33(2), 132–143.
Elmborg, J. K. (2008). Framing a vision for 21stcentury librarianship: LIS education in changing times. The Serials Librarian, 55(4), 499–507. doi:10.1080/03615260802385188
Hamilton, B. (2012) Playful practices: Students at Creekview High School discuss participatory learning. Knowledge Quest, 41(1), 38–45.
Jenkins, H., Clinton, K., Purushotma, R., Robison, A.J., Weigel, M., (2006). Confronting the challenges of participatory culture. The MacArthur Foundation http://digitallearning.macfound.org (January 15, 2009).
Kepple, S. (2013). Intentionally backwards, the future of learning in libraries. Young Adult Library Services, 12(1), 33–37.
Kowalski, S. (2012). Raising the bar: Engaging staff and students in a culture of participation. Knowledge Quest, 41(1), 28–37.
Lankes, R. D. (2011). The atlas of new librarianship. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Losh, E., & Jenkins, H. (2012). Can public education coexist with participatory culture? Knowledge Quest, 41(1), 16–21.
Moreillon, J., Kimmel, S., & Gavigan, K. (2014). Educating pre-service school librarians for the instructional partner role: An exploration into university curricula. School Library Research, 17.
Plemmons, A. (2012). Opening the space: Making the school library a site of participatory culture. Knowledge Quest, 41(1), 8–14.
Rheingold, H. (2012). Stewards of digital literacy. Knowledge Quest, 41(1), 52–55.
Social networking service. (2015, January 10). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20:01, January 13, 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Social_networking_service&oldid=641891838
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Deissler, C.H., Ding, L., Neumann, K.L. et al. Professional Learning Networks to Support School Librarians’ Development of Instructional Technology Expertise. TECHTRENDS TECH TRENDS 59, 27–40 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-015-0850-1
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-015-0850-1