Date
12-4-2025
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Jillian L. Wendt
Keywords
anxiety, Future Ready Librarian, Georgia Professional Standards Commission, Georgia, instructional technology, International Society for Technology in Education, media specialist, K-12, school librarian, technology self-efficacy
Disciplines
Education | Library and Information Science
Recommended Citation
Osby, Ashley, "Predicting Georgia Professional Standards Commission Instructional Technology Certification: A Quantitative Predictive-Correlational Study of Georgia School Librarians’ Technology Self-Efficacy and Anxiety Levels" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7708.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7708
Abstract
This quantitative, predictive-correlational study examined the relationship between Georgia school librarians' technology self-efficacy, their anxiety levels, and whether they held a Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) instructional technology certification. The expanding role of the school librarian has increased demands for technology integration, which can lead to heightened anxiety and lower self-efficacy. This study was significant as its findings can inform professional development and university coursework designed to better equip school librarians for these evolving responsibilities. A convenience sample of 70 certified school librarians working in public K-12 schools across Georgia were recruited through the Georgia Library Media Association (GLMA) listserv. Data was collected online using two instruments: the Technology Integration Confidence Scale version 3 (TICS v3), which measured technology self-efficacy, and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), which measured anxiety levels. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine how accurately holding the GaPSC instructional technology certification could predict a linear combination of the librarians' self-efficacy and anxiety scores. The results of the analysis were statistically significant (χ2(7) = 1.027, p < .001), and the model correctly classified 94.3% of cases. The findings indicated that possessing the GaPSC instructional technology certification was a strong predictor of higher technology self-efficacy and lower anxiety levels; therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected. The study concluded that specialized certification provides a mastery experience that enhances professional competence and mitigates work-related anxiety among school librarians. Recommendations for future research include replicating the study with different populations, using longitudinal or qualitative designs to explore causality, and investigating additional variables such as administrative support and school funding.
