Abstract:

The changing information landscape of the 21st century and advancing technologies have brought about many changes in the world of education. Technology has become a crucial element of teaching and learning, especially when it comes to preparing students that are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the technological society of the 21st century and beyond. A current focus in schools is STEM education, which prepares students for successful employment and post-secondary studies that require unique and more-technically advanced skills through teaching and learning in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This approach is grounded in problem solving, discovery, and exploratory learning, which requires students to actively engage in a situation in order to find its solution. Students engage in STEM learning in many different ways, with technology and digital resources playing an important role, because students learn concepts most effectively when exposed to interactive resources like digital videos, audio and graphics, scientific data sets, virtual manipulatives, and simulations.

The prominence of technology in STEM education provides leadership opportunities for teacher librarians. As information specialists and educators, teacher librarians can engage students and support teachers by providing access to and instruction for utilizing digital resources, encourage students in authentic inquiry practices, and provide real-world collaborative learning opportunities to promote STEM learning. Yet, teacher librarians must be prepared to lead in the integration of technology, especially when it comes to supporting STEM education. This session will present identified needs of teacher librarians in regards to leading and supporting STEM education and discuss strategies to better prepare pre-service teacher librarians to lead through the integration of technology in order to address the needs of a new generation of learners.