Immersion Program
Why You Should Attend
The ACRL Information Literacy Immersion Program provides instruction librarians the opportunity to work intensively for several days on all aspects of information literacy. Whether your institution is just beginning to think about implementing an information literacy component or whether you have a program well under way, the Immersion Program will provide you with the intellectual tools and practical techniques to build or enhance your institution’s instruction program. Immersion allows you to embrace your educational role by embarking on a path of teacher development and pedagogical inquiry in a community of practice for academic librarians devoted to collaborative learning, individual renewal, and instructional effectiveness.
ACRL offers six unique tracks of the Immersion Program. The Immersion Program tracks are not sequential; individuals can apply for and attend whichever track(s) are best for them.
Immersion Program Schedule
| Track | Program Date(s) | Program Location | Application Deadline | How to Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practical Management Track | April 10, 2013 | Indianapolis, IN | February 22, 2013 | Registration materials available October 2012 |
| Teaching with Technology Track | June 28, 2013 | Chicago, IL | December 7, 2012 | Application materials available October 2012 |
| Teacher Track | July 28 - August 2, 2013 | Seattle, WA | December 7, 2012 | Application materials available now |
| Program Track | July 28 - August 2, 2013 | Seattle, WA | December 7, 2012 | Application materials available now |
| Assessment Track | November 20-24, 2013 | Nashville, TN | May 2013 | Application materials available February 2013 |
| Intentional Teaching Track | November 20-24, 2013 | Nashville, TN | May 2013 | Application materials available February 2013 |
Immersion Program Curriculum
Practical Management Track
This track will provide participants with the management and supervision concepts needed in order to develop an action plan that specifically focuses on their department or team in the workplace. Complete details will be available soon. This track will be held in conjunction with (but not part of) the ACRL 2013 Conference in Indianapolis, IN, April 10, 2013.
Teaching with Technology Track
This track will provide a practical and design-minded framework for evaluating instructional technologies in order to integrate them more effectively into face to face and/or online teaching. The Teaching with Technology track will be held in conjunction with (but not part of) the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, IL, June 28, 2013, followed by four weeks of learning in an online environment.
Teacher Track
This track focuses on individual development for those who are interested in refreshing, enhancing, or extending their individual instruction skills. Curriculum includes classroom techniques, learning theory, leadership, and assessment framed in the context of information literacy. This track will be offered in Seattle, WA, July 28 - August 2, 2013.
Program Track
This track focuses on developing, integrating, and managing institutional and programmatic information literacy programs. Change dynamics, systems thinking, institutional outcomes assessment, scalability, and the integration of teaching, learning, and technology will be brought to bear on analyzing the various programmatic challenges presented in case studies developed prior to the program. This track will be offered in Seattle, WA, July 28 - August 2, 2013.
Assessment: Demonstrating the Educational Value of the Library Track
This track is intended for experienced academic librarians (5+ years teaching experience) who are active in teaching and learning or those in leadership roles for information literacy program development who want to improve their knowledge and practice of both classroom and program assessment. This program will approach assessment from a learning-centered perspective; participants will emerge with a broader understanding of assessment and how to use it as an important tool to guide evidence-based classroom, curriculum and program development. This track will be offered in Nashville, TN, November 20-24, 2013.
Intentional Teaching: Reflective Teaching to Improve Student Learning Track
This track is aimed at the experienced academic librarian (5+ years teaching experience, in a library or other setting) who wants to become more self-aware and self-directed as a teacher. This program facilitates the process of critical reflection through peer discussion, readings and personal reflection as a pathway to professional growth and renewal. The program offers a mixture of structured and co-constructed learning segments such as peer discussions, individual reading and reflection times, and participant-led communities of practice. This track will be offered in Nashville, TN, November 20-24, 2013.
Immersion Program Faculty
During Immersion, nationally-recognized faculty lead participants through intensive information literacy training and education.
Questions about the Immersion Program should be directed to committee chair Carrie Donovan (cdonovan@indiana.edu) or Margot Conahan (mconahan@ala.org).
