New School Library Research Asks "Whose Responsibility Is It to Teach Digital Citizenship"

CHICAGO – New research published in the American Association of School Librarians’ (AASL) peer-reviewed online journal, School Library Research (SLR), examines the perceptions and beliefs of school librarians regarding state-mandated digital citizenship instruction in K–12 schools. SLR promotes and publishes high-quality original research concerning the management, implementation and evaluation of school libraries. Articles can be accessed for free at www.ala.org/aasl/slr.

The research team of Abigail L. Phillips, assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and Victor R. Lee, associate professor at Utah State University, collaborated on a survey to understand how school librarians in a state that adopted digital citizenship legislation engage with digital citizenship instruction and their perceptions of a school librarian’s role in providing this instruction. Their research came as a response to the passage of the “Safe Technology Utilization and Digital Citizenship in Public Schools” by the Utah State Legislature in 2015. The bill requires that a school district, charter school, or college of education “provide for education and awareness on safe technology utilization and digital citizenship."

In "Whose Responsibility Is It? A Statewide Survey of School Librarians on Responsibilities and Resources for Teaching Digital Citizenship," Phillips and Lee share the results of their statewide survey of Utah school librarians. The survey included questions on digital citizenship resources used, current instruction within the school, and inquiries about improvements to current instruction. The researchers found school librarians expressed a desire to be more involved in the instruction process, the need for more time, and the desire for consistent collaboration with teachers and administration.

School Library Research (ISSN: 2165-1019) is the successor to School Library Media Research (ISSN: 1523-4320) and School Library Media Quarterly Online. The journal is peer-reviewed, indexed by H. W. Wilson's Library Literature and by the ERIC Clearinghouse on Information & Technology and continues to welcome manuscripts that focus on high-quality original research concerning the management, implementation and evaluation of school libraries.

The American Association of School Librarians, www.aasl.org, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), empowers leaders to transform teaching and learning.