7 1/2 lifelong learning habits

Can't believe that my last post was in September -- time to catch up on the 7 1/2 habits discussion.....

When I went to library school (back in the dark ages), every professor emphasized that a library professional must always keep up with the latest trends, join professional organizations, and attend workshops - in other words - accept responsibility for your own learning. So habit #2 has always been the easiest for me to do. I like the face-to-face interaction with instructors and classmates and found it easy to keep up with the latest library trends by reading library blogs and ALA/Library Journal updates via email.

What I find hardest is Habit #6 - using technology to your advantage. Participating in online courses has taken me out of my comfort zone - I still print everything and want to phone the instructor or classmates to ask questions or continue discussions. After taking several online classes from NEISD continuing education program, I finally found the right approach that works for me - select a course that has a practical use. Right now, I am taking a Photoshop Elements class - I've used this software program for a while and wanted to learn about all of its components. I feel that I'm really learning something that helps me organize and edit my photographs and learning a lot from the student online discussions. My next goal is to learn to do more with Flickr, Facebook and other social software programs - maybe even begin twittering.