Thing #11.5 - Evaluation

1. What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?

I really enjoy the image generators and there always seem to be new ones on the horizon. They are a great way to sneak learning opportunities into your curriculum that kids just eat up and they provide entertaining, unique formats for students to create meaningful products. I’m also enjoying Skype and the iTouches as I continue to learn more about how to incorporate them into my lessons. Again, they provide fun but meaningful learning opportunities for the students.

2. How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?

I’m slowly but surely gaining confidence in my technology skills and I’m learning new ways to help my students become information literate.

3. Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?

I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to complete all 11.5 Things without any major complications! I had struggled with the first 23 Things activity which had left me feeling frustrated, but I feel a real sense of accomplishment this time around. I recognize that developing technology competencies takes time and practice, and time is a very scarce commodity when you’re a first-year librarian. But I also understand the need for all librarians to be leaders on the technology front, so I’ll keep on plugging away at it. There are definitely a lot of cool applications out there, and I must admit, they are fun to play with!

4. What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?!

I think assigning the “Things” in smaller chunks (i.e. 11.5 vs. 23) makes it easier to complete, digest, and master the concepts. I also like the idea of taking 10 minutes at each Librarian’s meeting to introduce/highlight one new “thing” where we could all learn it together. I find having on-hand support/guidance to be very helpful for some of the more complex “things”. Other than that, I appreciate the organizers’ efforts to identify the latest and greatest technology applications that we need to learn. After all, it’s the only way we can keep up with the kids!!