I really enjoyed the overview of the 7 ½ habits towards highly successful lifelong learners. As we’ve learned before (and indicated in Information Power, put forth by the American Association of School Librarians), the notion of creating a community of lifelong learning is an essential part of our role as librarians and educators. This tutorial clearly and explicitly illustrates the ways in which we as librarians can take active roles in our own processes of learning.
For me, the easiest habit to follow or keep in mind is “using technology to your own advantage”. I think that the avenues and options available for learning through the use of the Internet are vast and the opportunities are endless. I would have to argue that our class itself is a great example of this. In my own personal experiences, I have used the Internet and technology for everything from shopping, travel destination research, studying, cooking, reading (for school and pleasure), balancing my checkbook, paying bills, keeping in touch with family living in other places (Skype), and connecting with long-lost friends (Facebook)—just to name a few. Not to mention the time I triedunsuccessfully to teach myself how to cut my husband’s hair, in order to save a little money. Needless to say, that instance of online learning was not a success, but perhaps next time I should have done more research than simply relying on a home-made YouTube video. According to my husband, I still get credit for trying! The wealth of information available on the Internet works to serve as an excellent source of learning. I also believe that assisting people in how to evaluate information on the Internet is a vital aspect of using technology responsibly and an important part of successful lifelong learning.
In my opinion, the hardest habit to form is to “begin with the end in mind”. For me, sometimes it is difficult to keep focused on the future. At the beginning of this program, my goal was to become a librarian. However, sometimes in the middle of a semester when one is completed overwhelmed by work, family obligations, outside responsibilities, and school, keeping the goal of learning in mind is often the last thing I want to think about. Looking back, this is probably the most important time to remember what my ideal outcome of learning is; in this case, a Master’s degree in library science. I also think that having a goal of what you would like your ideal library environment to look like is extremely important when utilizing this habit. Seeing each piece of the puzzle come together to complete the picture of your ideal library setting works to ensure that you are striving to achieve a specific goal—providing the best possible service to library users.
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