Reflections on the Action Learning Project

Today my group met to discuss the Action Learning Project ideas for LIB5050. We all met for approximately an hour and everyone had very different ideas. I was thinking they would overlap, but they didn't. Everyone has a great project idea. The group members did an excellent job of sticking to the "question" format (Socratic seminar) approach when discussing the project ideas. Meeting with the group like this really helped me to think of aspects of the project that I hadn't thought of in the past. Everyone looked at it from a different perspective and I really enjoyed the input that the group members provided.

I am on the media advisory committee at my school. This committee decides how the technology money (and other money allotted to the media center at our school) is supposed to be spent to best support the students. We do this by surveying teachers, parents, and discussing with the administrators. Since the issue of teacher education in using the technologies available in the classroom came up at the last meeting, I'm thinking of doing a project on this issue. I am going to survey the teachers to see what technology needs they have. I need to find out what they want to learn/know. I also need to find out what all they don't even have a clue about, so that I can hopefully, eventually, plan a workshop, or series of workshops, to help these teachers learn and utilize the technology available to them. We actually discussed this at our last meeting. There is software and hardware that I need to learn to use as well. I also need to learn exactly how it can be used in the classroom. I am familiar with most of it, but I do not have many lesson ideas with any of it. I thought I could either give workshops to my grade level or give at least one workshop during a regular faculty meeting (the principal has already approved the use of this time for technology training; I just need to get him to approve of me teaching it). If teachers don't have to give up any time after school or planning time, they are more likely to be receptive to the training and use it in their classrooms.

This idea hasn't been fully thought out, but hopefully my principal will work with me and my colleagues will support me in this endeavor. I'm very excited about the idea of learning a new skill and actually being able to teach the teachers at our school!