Our Student Learning Responsibilities and the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers: How Do School Librarians Fit in?

The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) "Standards for the 21st-Century Learner" were released just as the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) was refreshing its National Educational Technology Standards for Students in late 2007. These standards outline what students will know and be able to do with educational technology. In June 2008 ISTE released its National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers, which enunciated five ways in which teachers should integrate educational technology: "Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity; Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments; Model Digital-Age Work and Learning; Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility; Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership" (ISTE 2008). How do these standards relate to the professional practice of school librarians? As the authors reflected upon this question, they realized that these categories mapped effectively to the "School Librarian's Bill of Responsibilities." This mapping shows that the roles of classroom teachers and of school librarians are tightly aligned. (Contains 1 figure.)