Finally, I am posting my last session summary from Immersion ’06. The remainder of time was used for working on our final products. In the program track, we developed action plans. Some example action plans from a previous Immersion are at http://informationliteracywactc.pbwiki.com/ActionPlans. At the Closing Plenary, we developed fun activities in groups. My group was Written/Student. We wrote a personal ad looking for an information literate student. Pictures from the Closing Plenary are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/amyferguson/tags/immersion06closingplenary/. I tried to get pictures of each group. I also took pictures of the Immersion Faculty performing their activity based on The Wizard of Oz musical.
Lead Faculty: Randy Hensley and Beth Woodard
In this session we got to draw with crayons and play with play dough. Randy started the session talking about authenticity and including creativity (like using crayons and play dough) as ways to improve student engagement. (I wonder if he uses crayons and play dough in IL instruction.) He suggests using Parker Palmer’s writing, national characteristics of student populations, and local data to reframe teaching in programs. One can do this by taking advantage of developmental and practice opportunities, organizational change, or leaving (as a last resort).
Beth concluded the session by encouraging us to write a personal teaching/philosophy statement. It is important that what we do aligns with what we believe about teaching. Completing a teaching perspectives inventory helps one write this statement. I found this teaching perspectives inventory with a Google Search: www.teachingperspectives.com. It is not the same one Beth provided us and I haven’t tried it, but it looks promising.
