Date of Award

January 2015

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Education, Health & Behavior Studies

First Advisor

Richard Van Eck

Abstract

Digital games as tools for learning in K–12 have been a topic of intense discussion over the last 15 years. One area of focus has been on the integration of commercial off-the-shelf games in lesson plans. A predictive factor for the adoption and integration of digital games is the attitudes or readiness of teachers. Yet, while many studies have examined this with teachers themselves, teacher librarians (TLs) have largely been ignored, despite the key role they play in education and technology adoption in schools. This study attempted to determine TLs’ beliefs and practices about digital games as 21st century learning tools, to examine similarities and differences with those of classroom teachers, and to see if and how TLs’ pedagogical beliefs impacted their perceptions of barriers toward digital game adoption. The Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Games (TATG) Survey measured TLs’ perceptions of barriers to using digital games. Findings suggest that TLs tended to use digital games to address discrete library skills—a behaviorist practice—despite the fact that they tended to hold constructivist pedagogical beliefs. Though, evidence showed that some were using games to integrate 21st century skills into classroom lessons. Similar to findings on classroom teachers, TLs perceived lack of time, lack of infrastructure, and lack of support as barriers to using digital games. Furthermore, TLs with behaviorist beliefs tended to perceive greater barriers to using digital games as compared to TLs with constructivist beliefs.

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