NEWS RELEASES > JUNE 27, 2019
PHILADELPHIA, PA – The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), with support from Follett and in collaboration with Future Ready Librarians®, announced today it will offer as many as 150 partial-tuition scholarships for K-12 librarians ready to take the next step in becoming a Future Ready Librarian and who are affiliated with schools that identify as high need. The announcement was made at the ISTE19 Conference & Expo in Philadelphia.
With the financial support from Follett, a long-time advocate for the vital role of school librarians and early supporter of Future Ready Schools®, the scholarships will cover 70% of the session cost for librarians who enroll in the course titled, “Exploring Future Ready Librarianship: Practices for the Emerging Leader.” Launched in September 2018, this empowering professional development course helps librarians at every level maximize student-centered learning opportunities and leverage technology as part of the Future Ready Schools initiative.
“ISTE believes that school librarians play a critical role within the school community,” said Joseph South, chief learning officer at ISTE. "Many are already experts in the skills needed to be catalysts for the digital transformation of learning. Every day, they create and curate opportunities for educators and students to engage new technologies and resources that support their learning goals. We are thrilled with the first year of collaboration between ISTE, Follett, and Future Ready Librarians.”
The scholarship application will be available beginning July 15 on the ISTE Librarians page. Scholarship recipients will be selected prior to the fall session, which will be held from Oct. 14 through Dec. 8. A winter session also will be announced soon. The 15-hour, instructor-led, self-paced ISTE U course helps school librarians and media specialists at every level maximize student-centered learning opportunities.
Further, the course will:
“The course has definitely changed the discussion surrounding the role of the library in our schools,” said Michelle Hall, media services program supervisor, Shelby County Schools in Birmingham, Alabama. “Our library media specialists have become leaders in their schools and communities by providing the space and opportunities for collaborative learning and exploration.”
A total of 25 librarians from Shelby County Schools participated in the ISTE U Course as a component of their yearlong professional learning plan.
Learn more on the ISTE U course page.
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