A Leadership Challenge Using web search tools in the 21 st C learning environment Group 1 Jenna Abercrombie Katharine Mathews Leanne Sharpe Leanne Richards Angela Urquhart

Purpose of Article This article will demonstrate to principals the Potential leadership role the Teacher Librarian can undertake in enhancing web searching skills for all stakeholders in a 21 st Century learning environment.

What is Leadership? Sustainable Strategic shared transformative charismatic Inspiring, motivating Facilitating learning Adaptive Connecting stakeholders Lambert, 1998; Belisle, 2004

A New Vision for Leadership “The concept of the great hero as a leader, with others as subservient followers is no longer an appropriate model for organizations.”(Belisle, 2005) Thenhierarchicalpaternalisticbureaucraticrigid Nowdistributiveequitablecollegialadaptive

Leading through Professional Development School-based leadership is essential to ensure technology is integrated into teaching and learning experiences. ( Everhart, Mardis, Johnston, 2010) Team based leaders wield influence and power to achieve improved student outcomes. ( Winzenried, 2010 ) Guide staff through collective and collaborative knowledge creation. ( Lambert, 1998.)

Information Fluency: searching the web “Locating, recognizing and effectively using information are critical life skills” (Valenza, 2004) Research shows that by improving students’ ability to access 21 st Century information sources, students engage in meaningful learning. (Todd & Kuhlthau, 2005)

The web search challenge Schools assume all staff and students will be effective web users. (Herring, 2011) However: Students struggle to be discerning, settling for what is easiest to find. Classroom teachers have limited abilities to help students improve their search results. (Valenza, 2004)

Empowering Teachers Classroom teachers are unaware that they have a knowledgeable partner in the Teacher Librarian. Teacher Librarians lead through the planning, implementation and assessment of information- based activities to promote meaningful learning. (Valenza, 2004)

Empowering Students Adapted from Valenza (2004) The Information Fluent Student Has a sense of inquiry Has a plan Uses web tools to organise information Is persistent, critical & discerning Knows when to ask the teacher librarian

Unique Skills Teacher librarians have: A comprehensive understanding of curriculum across all stages and key learning areas. (Winzenried, 2010) Expertise in integrating evolving technology. (Everhart et al., 2010) Skills to facilitate collaborative partnerships. (Donham, 2005)

Leading through collaboration Students will only transfer what they learn in the library if it is backed up in the classroom. (Herring, 2011) Teacher Librarians can collaborate with teachers to give students the web skills for: Knowledge creation Knowledge production Knowledge dissemination Knowledge use Information values (Todd and Kuhlthau, 2005)

Attributes of a quality teacher librarian Value-Based Judgement Efficient decision making People Skills Value collaborative relationships Conceptual Skills Procedural knowledge, ethical Technical Competence Knowledge of information retrieval and use, teaching, collection management Character Commitment to open access to information Donham, 2005

References Belisle, C. (2005). The Teacher as Leader: Transformational Leadership and the Professional Teacher or Teacher-Librarian. School Libraries in Canada ( ), 24(3). Donham, J. (2005). Leadership. In Enhancing teaching and learning: a leadership guide for school library media specialists (2 nd ed) (pp ). New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers Everhart, N., Mardis, M. A., Johnston, M., International Association of School Librarianship, & School Library Association of Queensland Inc., (. (2010). The Leadership Role of the Teacher Librarian in Technology Integration: Early Results of a Survey of Highly Certified Teacher Librarians in the United States. International Association of School Librarianship. Herring, J. (2011) Improving students’ web use and information literacy, London, Facet Publishing.

References Lambert, L. (1998). What is Leadership capacity? In Building leadership capacity in schools (pp.1-19). Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Todd, R. & Kuhlthau, C. (2005) Student learning through Ohio school libraries, part 1: How effective school libraries help students. School Libraries Worldwide, 11(1), Valenza, J. (2004) Substantive searching: thinking and behaving info-fluently. Learning and Leading with Technology, 32(3) Retrieved from Winzenried, A. (2010). Visionary leaders for information. Wagga Wagga, NSW: Centre for Information Studies. Lambert, L. (1998). What is Leadership capacity? In Building leadership capacity in schools (pp.1-19). Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development