Blog Post 10: The Relationship Between Technology and School Librarians

 

Over the course of this semester, I have holistically learned so much about the role of technology for school librarians. Before this class, I did not really realize how synonymous the role of technology is to the role of the school librarian. In a previous school I worked at in a 1:1 district, the school had a technology specialist that primarily taught teachers about the many different ways technology could impact their teaching. Therefore, I thought the two jobs were more separate. However, this class has taught me how important the role of technology is for the school and how the school media specialists should be an advocate and professional resource when it comes to technology integration.

          Additionally, I loved how this class gave us information on what technology could be used in the library space and then gave us the opportunity to interact with different technology tools that promote those forms of technology. For example, I really did not know about the different between virtual and augmented reality before interacting with this class. However, I left that module understanding the difference between them, and I walked away with different web 2.0 tools that teachers can actually use to implement virtual and augmented reality into their teaching. Moreover, I learned a great deal about makerspaces and how they can be used physically and digitally for students. Before this class, I had heard of makerspaces, but I had never seen one in action. Therefore, I was a little confused about how they would work or how a library could structure one and it be used in a productive manner. After interacting with that module, I learned a great deal about how makerspaces can positively impact the learning and creative impact of the library, and I learned about different ways to implement makerspace tools that best benefit students. Furthermore, I had no idea makerspaces could actually be digital. In the midst of COVID-19, having a digital makerspace seems more relevant than ever because learning should not have to stop once students exit the school building.

          Furthermore, one of the most impactful modules from this semester was when we interacted with readings and the podcast on information literacy. Because we have been going through the COVID-19 pandemic and are in are in an election year, this information felt especially relevant to me. Because we have spent so much time isolated this year, I feel like I have been on social media more than other years, and I have noticed a major rise in the sharing of misinformation and individual’s complaining when their false sources are censored. Learning about information literacy and listening to the podcast that gave concrete ways of identifying valid sources was extremely impactful and relevant to our current environment. I actually used the information in the podcast and taught a mini lesson to AP research students on why it’s important to use credible sources and then how to actually find and identify whether or not sources are credible. Overall, I think the role of the school librarian should be to promote the use of credible sources and find ways to advocate for information literacy.

          Altogether, the relationship between technology and the proper usage of technology within the school building is a major part of the media specialist role within the school library. Media specialists should take ownership in how they can positively impact the use of technology in the building to ensure that it is impacting learning in the best way possible. Instead of using technology just for the sake of using technology, it should be used to revolutionize the way students are learning. School librarians can play an integral role in shaping the way technology is perceived and utilized within the school and learning environment.