ACRL Immersion is a one-week long intensive training for those who teach in academic libraries. The 2018 Immersion program was completely re-designed to focus on critical reflective practice.
I didn’t really know anything about Immersion, but my manager was very enthusiastic and supportive of my attendance so I dove in. There was quite a bit of pre-work for Immersion: interviews, readings, and self-assessment quizzes. The range of the assignments was broad and I definitely didn’t know what I was getting into when I arrived at St. Thomas University in St. Paul for my week of becoming immersed in critical reflective practice and pedagogy.
But through a week of workshops, writing, and using a lot of craft supplies, something slowly began to build. That something was a plan. Really… a design, not just for the instructional challenges that had brought me to Immersion, but for my career, supported by personal reflection, conceptual models, and the new community of practice that I had built. It was truly a transformative experience that has changed the way that I look at my goals.
It took a lot of patience and work, but I would recommend taking the leap.
Leah Howd 