Immersion ‘07

University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
August 5-10, 2007

ACRL's Institute for Information Literacy (IIL) is pleased to announce Immersion '07. Whether your institution is just beginning to think about implementing an information literacy component or whether you have a program well underway, Immersion '07 will provide academic librarians with the intellectual tools and practical techniques to help your institution build or enhance its instruction program.

Immersion '07 will be four-and-one-half days of active learning and intensive interaction among academic librarians. A faculty of nationally recognized librarians will teach the program.  Acceptance to the Immersion Program is competitive; participation is limited to 90 to ensure an environment that fosters group interaction and active participation.

The Institue for Information Literacy is proud to offer its first international Immersion program at the  University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, August 5-10, 2007. The University of Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg, and Brandon University, are co-hosting Immersion '07.  Winnipeg is located in the heart of Canada, and is the capital city of the province of Manitoba. It is described as the “cultural cradle of Canada” and its central location makes it easily accessible.

Description

Immersion ‘07 will offer two tracks:

TEACHER TRACK.  This track focuses on individual development for those who are interested in enhancing, refreshing, or extending their individual instruction skills. Curriculum includes classroom techniques, learning theory, leadership, and assessment framed in the context of information literacy. Librarians and graduate students in library and information science programs are eligible to apply.  Participants selected for the Teacher Track will prepare a description of an instructional situation and a related presentation in advance of the Immersion program. During Immersion, participants will revise the presentation based on feedback from colleagues and faculty.  The Teacher Track is for you if:

• You have little or no experience as a teacher or if you have experience teaching but would benefit from a focus on the fundamentals.
• You want to understand more about learning theory, and how to design lessons and assignments that accommodate different learning styles.
• You want an opportunity to practice and receive feedback on your teaching.
• You need to understand the role of assessment in improving your teaching techniques and the design of lessons and assignments.
• You want to identify and build on your leadership skills.

PROGRAM TRACK.  This track focuses on developing, integrating, and managing institutional and programmatic information literacy programs. Participants selected for the Program Track will develop individual case studies in advance of the Immersion program. 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 the case studies. Immersion participants will be expected to develop the case studies into an action plan for implementation at the home institution, and possible inclusion in a "best practices" report six months after the program.  The Program Track is for you if:

• You have some knowledge of learning theory, pedagogy, and assessment.
• You have some experience as a teacher.
• You currently have (or are soon to have) some program management responsibility.
• You are interested in moving your program from a focus on bibliographic instruction to a focus on information literacy.
• You need to understand the role of assessment related to a whole curriculum and to gaining campus support.
• You want to strengthen your skills as a campus leader for information literacy.

Click here for Immersion '07 learning outcomes and curriculum details.

Application

Click here for Immersion '07 application instructions and online application form. The application deadline has been extended to Monday, December 11, 2006(10:00 a.m. CST).  Applications must be submitted via the online application form.  Applications will be reviewed by the ACRL Institute for Information Literacy Executive Committee, and notifications will be issued in February 2007.

Costs

ACRL Members: $1,525
Non-ACRL Members: $1,725

Registration includes tuition, an extensive binder of resources, access to computer facilities, private electronic discussion forum of all participants, ALL meals, twice-daily refreshment breaks, and special social events.  Lodging is not included as part of the registration fee. Details about accommodations are below.

Scholarships

Institutional support is an important component of the Immersion program. A limited number of partial scholarships are available for Teacher Track applicants only in the following three categories:

• New librarian (applicants who have been in librarianship for two years or less by the beginning date of the program);
• Minority librarian (limited to those who have been in librarianship for five years or less);
• Librarian employed at an institution serving underrepresented minorities.

Note: Immersion scholarships are typically funded between $400-600.  All recipients of ACRL scholarship funds must be ACRL members and must complete the ACRL Scholarship Application portion of the Immersion application form and demonstrate a financial need.

Accommodations

All Immersion guests are invited to stay in the new Arthur V. Mauro Residence Hall suites on the University of Manitoba campus. Each suite has two separate bedrooms, one bathroom with shower, and a kitchenette.  Each private bedroom has an extra long double bed, armoire, individual air conditioning,  27" cable TV, Internet access, telephone and clock radio. Daily maid service is provided as well as all bed linens, towels, soap and cups. The kitchenette contains a fridge, microwave, kettle and table with chairs.  Because each suite has two private bedrooms, we recommend signing up for a roommate to save cost. However, if you would like to have the whole two-bedroom suite to yourself, that is also an option.

One-bedroom in a two-bedroom suite is $72 USD/night - $360 for five nights
Two-bedroom suite is $144 USD/night - $720 for five nights

If you have a spouse or additional guest you would like to share your bedroom with (one double bed), the additional cost is and added $12 USD/ night.

About Winnipeg

Winnipeg is located in the heart of Canada, and is the capital city of the province of Manitoba. It is described as the “cultural cradle of Canada” and offers a superb natural setting with numerous parks and waterways. Its central location makes it easy to get to. Direct flight times from major cities to Winnipeg International Airport are: 1hour 20 minutes from Minneapolis, 2 hours and 15 minutes from Chicago, Calgary and Toronto, and 2 hours 30 minutes from Denver.  This city of over 600,000 has a rich prairie heritage and a vibrant multicultural society, including a strong First Nations (North American Indian) presence. It is the cultural, artistic, entertainment and shopping hub of Manitoba. It is widely believed that Winnipeg has more restaurants per capita than any other Canadian city. 

The Immersion ’07 program coincides Winnipeg’s two-week long Folklorama festival, the largest and longest running multicultural event of its kind in the world. Plan to spend an extra day before or after the Immersion program watching Chinese lion dancing, listening to Alpine yodeling, sampling Chilean wines or enjoying the Cuban rhythms of rumba and mambo – and that’s just the beginning!  Be a part of ACRL’s first international Immersion program and enhance teaching, learning, and research at your institution while experiencing the world!

For more information on Winnipeg please visit Destination Winnipeg.  For more information on the Folklorama Festival, visit  http://www.folklorama.ca/. All non-Canadian citizens must have a valid passport for travel into and out of Canada. 

Questions

Contact Margot Conahan, Manager, Professional Development, msutton@ala.org, 312-280-2522.