Benefits of technology:
Technology benefits students by allowing them to take their education beyond the classroom walls. They can communicate with others around the world, and access a multitude of information. Thanks to technology, information is constantly available and can be retrieved digitally 24/7 through a library’s virtual offerings. A student no longer must be bound to the library’s hours or physical location, but instead can be “at the library” anytime that works for their schedule.
Technology also has the potential to engage otherwise reluctant learners just by having a gadget to “play” with rather than feeling subjected to traditional textbooks and paperwork. The same project, taken from paper to computer can become infinitely more exciting for more tactile learners simply because they have a medium that seems interesting to them. Using technology in education can also help create output that is readily available for other educators and parents to view. It invites other stakeholders into the process that were not otherwise privy to the on-goings of classroom work in the past.
Technology also has the potential to save educational institutions some money. Turning in assignments digitally, or sharing course documents online rather than in print can save on the cost of paper and model ethical “green” behavior. Technology also has the potential to replace otherwise expensive equipment. For example, in the UW Bothell Learning Technologies Blog (2011), a blog dedicated to news and updates on technology use in higher education, the author mentions that Racho Verde High School in Moreno Valley, Ca. has completely transitioned into solely using digital dissection. When the blog was written in June of 2011, they were the first high school to do this. Rancho Verde used the Digital Frog 2.5 program, which at the time only cost them $884 dollars in licensing fees, whereas the use of physical frogs had cost $7,000 dollars for only 30 kits (shared by all). Computers are now a staple in schools. Finding innovative ways of using what’s already available can potentially save thousands of dollars that can then be funneled back into student resources.
Most importantly, using technology in education can provide students with the necessary technology skills to succeed in the working world, and can “even the playing field” with regard to the digital divide. Students who don’t have computers in their homes, can learn pertinent technology skills at school, thereby closing the gap between the “haves and the have-nots” in a competitive working world.
The Librarian’s Role in Implementing Technology
It is the responsibility of educators to prepare their students to navigate the onslaught of information and technology that modern students are experiencing, and will continue to experience at more and more heightened levels as they get older. The American Association of School Libraries (AASL, 2007) sought to address this new demand on students by creating a framework for the skills, dispositions, responsibilities, and self-assessment strategies that they will need to succeed. The Standards for the 21st Century Learner stress the importance of a students’ ability to navigate through a variety of information formats and perspectives, and then use that information to draw conclusions and share their new knowledge.
The librarian should serve as the information and technology guru on campus that helps teachers and students learn to use technology and access information efficiently and ethically. Integrating technology into the curriculum is important, as most educators would tell you. However, Sadik (2008) points out that “the use of technology can only be effective if teachers themselves possess the expertise to use technology in a meaningful way in the classroom” (pg. 487). Librarians can be the spearhead for the use of technology in classrooms by collaborating with teachers on lesson plans from start to finish, in addition to providing professional development opportunities for teachers that demonstrate new and innovative uses of technology in their classrooms. By listening to the needs and concerns of their patronage, and taking the lead to forge new paths in the school’s technology capabilities, librarians can close in the gaps for resources and skills overlooked in the busy school year. Librarians ultimately play a key role in improved test scores and overall school achievement, as well as preparing students for a challenging and information driven working world.
References
American Association of School Librarians (AASL) (2007). Standards for the 21st – century learner. Chicago: Author.
Sadik, A. (2008). Digital storytelling: A meaningful technology-integrated approach for engaged student learning. Educational Technology, Research and Development, 56(4), 487-506.
University of Washington Bothell Learning Technologies UWB LT. (2011, June 1). The move to digital dissection [Weblog]. Retrieved from: http://depts.washington.edu/etuwb/ltblog/?p=1615
