Information Literacy . . . What I Hope to Gain
The past few years have seen an explosion of digital tools and technologies that our students are growing up with and view as part of their reality, that many of our (younger) colleagues are intimately connected to, and that, love them or hate them, they will increasingly become integral to our effective work in education.
The past few years have also seen my professional role at ISB shift from being an educator based in a classroom, focusing on learning and assessment issues, to being an administrator of activities and athletics, focusing on the details of events, rosters, and to-do lists.
Perhaps ironically, my engagement and focus in working with and supporting (athletic and performing arts) teams has helped removed me from feeling or being part of a greater professional learning community. While my work involves so many young people and is school-wide, it is in many was a very singular endeavor. I am department of one.
I need to re-connect.
I deeply believe that activities and athletics in schools are “as curricular” as any written curriculum. While I have done some (original) work in assessing and articulating student learnings gained from participation in activities (tied to ISB’s Mission Statement), the attention required to deal with the daily alligators that snap at my back-side have made it difficult for me to pay attention to my dream of draining the swamp.
Being part of this course (and program) will give me the impetus/excuse to get back into the (new) game so I can . . .
- make (more) effective use of digital tools to locate and use information resources that support research about co-curricular activities and the important learning that occurs there,
- become connected to and participate in learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve the assessment and articulation of student learning in co-curricular activities,
- evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a (more) regular basis so that I can efficiently make effective use of digital tools and resources in support of student learning in co-curricular activities,
- contribute meaningfully to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the education profession and of my school.
Working with children in helping them grow, discover and learn is a sacred endeavor. Over the years, I have been afforded a number of very special partnerships with colleagues as together we explored providing “the best deal” we could for our students.
As the learning-scape for our students has changed, so, too, have the opportunities for us to become part of learning communities.
It’s time I got back on board. The train is pulling out of the station.
If you are interested, go to my Ed Cert Profile Page
1 comment Posted in Uncategorized January 25, 2009
