Claremont U FLC Institute – Day One

June 19, 2008

About a month ago I got an email asking me if I was interested in heading to Claremont University outside of Ontario, CA for a conference on facilitating learning communities in higher education. I didn’t know where that university was, but the email said it was all expenses paid. I liked that. It also fell over my mother-in-laws month visit to Arizona (and I do love my mother-in-law) but it was a hell of an opportunity. To go to So Cal in the middle of OH-MY-GOD-IT’S-HOTTER-THAN-HELL-IN-ARIZONA!!!! season sounded ideal. So I wrote back quickly. I wasn’t too sure what I was in for, but it was a free trip.

A few weeks before that I was asked by Shelley if I would co-facilitate our faculty and professional learning community at Mesa Community College. I hesitated because I knew the wife would rather me do less than more while she’s in grad school, but I am a sucker for buttering up the MCC administrators. I agreed shortly, and now I am sitting here in Claremont, CA outside, on the patio, on wireless, with a full moon above head in 75 degree cool weather in my short with not heat or sweat. How nice.

Tomorrow I will learn how to better facilitate my professional learning community, I think. I am eager to continue to find ways to better develop curriculum based around a strong use of technology. A way to meet the students where they are (online, on their computers, on Facebook, using their Blackberries) and how to marry that platform to my pedagogy. Here we go!

Posted in curriculum, student2.0