Enabling Teacher Librarian Leadership for Technology Integration

Abstract

The highly technological environment of 21st century schools has significantly redefined the role of the teacher librarian by presenting the opportunity to assume leadership roles through technology integration. The teacher librarian must evolve as a leader in order to address the needs of today’s learners and ensure that they are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to use technology as an important tool for learning. This research, based on distributed leadership theory investigates practices of teacher librarians in order to identify what is enabling some to thrive as technology integration leaders and what is hindering others. This paper presents the findings from the replication research identifying what is enabling some teacher librarians to thrive as technology integration leaders and serve as a foundation on which to build research- based strategies to support practicing teacher librarians in understanding how to enact this vital role and on how to better prepare future teacher librarians for a leadership role in the integration of technology.