As many know, Wednesday, February 6, 2013 is the second annual Digital Learning Day. Educators from around the country will be sharing and celebrating effective strategies for integrating technology tools into 21st-century learning and teaching.
In light of this national conversation, I would like to recommend a research article by our co-blogger Melissa P. Johnston: “School Librarians as Technology Integration Leaders: Enablers and Barriers to Leadership Enactment.”
In the conclusion of her study report, Dr. Johnston summarizes the enablers and the barriers to technology integration identified by the participants in her study who were teacher leaders and school librarians:
Enablers for all participants:
- supportive principal,
- opportunities for a leadership role and responsibilities,
- the desire to make a difference for students and teachers,
- professional development opportunities,
- and a sense of obligation to get involved.
Barriers:
- time,
- exclusion from a leadership role and responsibilities,
- lack of funding,
- and inadequate staffing.
Enablers unique to school librarians included:
- support from professional organizations,
- support from district library administrators,
- serving in a dual role as school librarian and technology specialist,
- and technology expertise.
Barriers identified by school librarians included:
- competitive relationships with instructional technologists,
- lack of support at the district level from a library administrator,
- and lack of technology expertise (Johnston, 2012, p. 27).
In light of this research, educators can use Digital Learning Day to rededicate ourselves to working collaboratively with each other and with professional organizations to create dynamic learning opportunities for students that effectively integrate 21st-century tools. Let’s break down the barriers and shore up the enablers for the benefit of learners!
References
Johnston, M. P. (2012). School librarians as technology integration leaders: Enablers and barriers to leadership enactment. School Library Research, 15(1). Retrieved from www.ala.org/aasl/slr.
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