Our Common Futurewhat the Learning Commons approach could bring to school libraries

A library is not a building.....a library is not a collection of books. It’s also not a collection of

resources either. We cannot define ourselves by the artifacts that we use.

We are not in the book business. We’re in the knowledge business, helping, assisting and

facilitating what our communities want.

Phil Bradley’s blog 10/13/2011

LEARNING COMMONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

The Learning Commons ModelIdeas from David Loertscher, Carol Koechlin,

Sandi Zwaan, Esther Rosenfeld

SCHOOL LEARNING COMMONS

MICROSOFT? APPLE ?Resources available in the school day Resources available 24/7

Resources selected by library staff

Resources selected by users

Heavy fixed furniture Totally moveable furniture

Management determines how it runs

Users determine how it runs

Fixed timetable Flexible scheduling

Private study Coaching, mentoring, collaboration

Focus on knowledge building

Focus on encouraging lifelong learning skills

Place for reading and study

Use of space determined by users

A room full of resources A service

Is your library

SO WHAT IS THIS LEARNING COMMONS ANYWAY?BUILT, MANAGED,

DEVELOPED AND USED

BY EVERYONE

NOT OWNED BY THE LIBRARIAN OR CONTROLLED BY THE NETWORK

MANAGER

A PHYSICAL PLACE AND

A VIRTUAL PLACE

A PLACE IN WHICH EVERYONE CAN BE

BOTH TEACHER AND LEARNER

A LEARNING LAB THAT COMBINES THE LIBRARY, THE COMPUTER LAB, THE CLASSROOM AND THE

PLAYGROUND

ENCOURAGES TALKING,COLLABORATION,

PARTICIPATORY LEARNING

IS IT THAT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE HAVE NOW?

NEW ELEMENTS TO CONSIDER?

Is she CONSUMING or

CREATING content?

The Virtual Learning Commons

VIRTUAL LEARNING COMMONSIT IS not JUST...

A PATHFINDER OR AN OPAC(I.E. A STATIC COLLECTION OF USEFUL RESOURCES)

A LIBRARY WEBSITE

A VLE ...SET UP, CONTROLLED AND MANAGED BY ADULTS

How do we begin?

WHAT obstacles MIGHT BE IN THE WAY?

Could the library be part of the problem?

It’s time this classroom Was FLIPPED!

THINK NETWORK...

New Roles for Everyone

Try, try, try againIf at first you don’t succeed...TAKE ANOTHER LOOK

AT THE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

WAYS TO RE-CREATE THE

CULTUREBECOME SKILLED IN IT (BEYOND WEB 2.0, CLOUD COMPUTING) and share that with others

FOSTER COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION - where knowledge and expertise is pooled and age levels and subjects blur.

ASK PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT - before you do anything. Build an expectation of consultation.

WAYS TO RE-THINK YOUR SPACEAsk ‘if it doesn’t move, does it belong here... Is this a warehouse or a learning space?Could your bookshelves move to the wall? Could you use to pare down your bookstock?Could heavy tables etc. move to the edges? Can you put casters on anything?Can you use the furniture to create ‘zones’ ?

Could you create new spaces...for An Expert Bar, for performance space, for collaboration zones with white- boards and pens, for creativity with paper and glue etc. ?

Ways to re-think how you WORKWork with your IT management team as much as possible

Begin to develop your Virtual LC using as much social networking as your school will allow (and advocate for more!)

Develop shared planning on cross-curricular projects

Facilitate the development of the Expert Bar with student helpers initially. Who else could be involved?

WHEN YOU ARE READY FOR MORE....

•Invest in bandwidth, cloud computing, mobile digital devices, digital production tools, online databases, e-books etc.

•Replace static furniture with flexible and easily moveable

•Buy in screening, book pods etc to create zones

•Increase staffing to allow changes in functioning - who else could become part of the ‘team’?

AND FOR A COMPLETE MAKE-OVER...Design a large space in which different activities can co-exist. Purpose-build furnishings, flexible zoning, and break-out rooms Embed IT and deliver wifi access throughout

Open network filters

Expand technology to create a diverse collection of both information and creation/publication tools

totally merge the library and IT management departments, and restructure your staffing into a team of co-professionals

guiding principlesalways ‘beta’open for all users, all activities, and 24/7comfortable for different users (groups, solo, in chairs, on the floor, and from home)Inspiring and dynamic - a think tank of creativity!Built on constructivist learning theory Promote exploration, experimentation, construction, collaboration, and reflection High tech - to enable allUSER DRIVEN !

PLACES FOR INSPIRATION

Google the terms• ‘learning commons’• ‘the unquiet library’Go to The Learning Commons wikiFollow the Demco SLA Library Design AwardVisit Allerton Academy in Bradford (opening Autumn 2013)

bibliography of sources

Barseghlan, Tina. (2011). 21 Things That Will be Obsolete in 2020. Available: http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2011/12/21-things-that-will-be-obsolete-in-2020/. Last accessed 22 June 2012.

Bradley,Phil. “A library is not....” Weblog entry. Phil Badley’s Weblog. Accessed 4 November 2011. <http://philbradley.typepad.com/phil_bradleys_weblog/2011/10/a-library-is-not.html>.

CILIP. (2011). Designed for Learning Video. Available: http://www.cilip.org.uk/get-involved/advocacy/school-libraries-advocacy/pages/designed-for-learning-video.aspx. Last accessed 22 June 2012.

Loertscher, David.The Physical and Virtual Learning Commons and Personal Learning Environments. Radio Interview. http://audio.edtechlive.com/foe/davidloertscher2012.mp3, 31 January 2012

Loertscher, David. Librarians, Web 2.0, and Personal and Professional Development. Webinar on The Future of Education. com. http://auidoedtechlive.com/foe/loertscher.mp3, October 2011.

Loertscher, D.V., Koechin, C., and Rosenfeld, E. (2010). Building a learning common: a guide for school administrators and learning leadership teams.. Salt Lake City: Hi Willow Research and Publishing.

Loertscher, D.V., Koechin, C., Zwann, S. (2008). The new learning commons: where learners win! reinventing school libraries and computer labs. Salt Lake City: Hi Willow Research and Publishing.

Loertscher, D.V., Marcoux, E. (2010). The Learning Commons Treasury. Maryland: Teacher Librarian Press.

Raven, Debbie. (2011). Draw them in. CILIP Update. December, 34-36.

bibliography- images

Image slide 1: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia. http://architypesource.com/projects/738-kaust-academic-library. accessed 18 May 2012.

Images slide3King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia.http://architypesource.com/projects/738-kaust-academic-library. Accessed 18 May 2012

Scott Library, York University, Toronto, Canada. http://alumni.news.yorku.ca/2010/10/28/york-rethinks-public-space/. Accessed 18 May 2012.

Charles Sturt University Learning Commons, Waga Waga, New South Wales.http://www.csu.edu.au/division/library/about/commons/bathurst. Accessed 18 May 2012.

Images slide 4: Learning Commons, Chelmsford High School, Maine, USA. http://www.bibliotechconsultants.com/ourteam.html. Accessed 18 May, 2012.

Learning Commons, Staples High School, Connecticut, USA http://ambitiouslibrarian.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/thank-you-to-all-those-involved-in.html. Accessed 18 May 2012.

Creative Commons, Lyle Classroom. http://www.flickr.com/photos/lylesmu102/5904887081/in/set-72157627122888476. Accessed 18 May 2012.

Image slide 5: Purchased from istock.photo

Images slide 6: Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer 'stuck in the past' says David Einhorn Telegraph Online 14 June 2012. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/media/8539396/Microsoft-boss-Steve-Ballmer-stuck-in-the-past-says-David-Einhorn.html.

Apple Genius Bar Covent Garden:: http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/837257-new-apple-store-in-covent-garden-set-to-become-worlds-largest. and http://netgem21.wordpress.com/. Accessed 14 June 2012.

Image slide 9: personal photo of A.M. Tarter

Images slide 10: ‘Comfort in a learning commons’ by Vicki Davis. http://www.flickr.com/photos/9207453@N02/5121203561/sizes/m/in/photostream/ ‘Library and IT help desks‘ by Alice W. http://www.flickr.com/photos/82302136@N00/406879228/lightbox/ “ CVHS Students Gather @ The Unquiet Library for the Roots Music Club Meeting, November 2011” All accessed on 19 May, 2012

Images slide 11: The Apple Store by djloche. http://www.flickr.com/photos/djloche/5952633/lightbox/ The Craft Cupboard by Basketflat http://www.flickr.com/photos/24915773@N02/2846106861/ Steps by Superkimbo http://www.flickr.com/photos/24915773@N02/2846106861/ Reading Pod http://momoge.com/indoor-and-outdoor-home-pod-by-tissettanta/ All accessed on 19 May, 2012.

Images slide12: Power User by Courosa http://www.flickr.com/photos/courosa/5536534612/in/photostream/lightbox/ Accessed on 19 May, 2012. I

mage in Slide 13 Virtual learning classroom in Second Life by danceinthesky http://www.flickr.com/photos/funksoup/5983250813/in/photostream/lightbox/. Accessed on 19 May, 2012.

Image slide 16: Obstacle: http://provoketive.com/2011/10/30/obstacle-illusion/ Accessed 14 June 2012.

Image Slide 16 1950‘s Second Grade Classroom by St. Mary’s Digital Archive. http://www.flickr.com/photos/stmarysoneill/5304084813/. Accessed 20 May 2012.

Image slide 17: school library http://dspace.sunyconnect.suny.edu/handle/1951/52089. Accessed on 14 June 2012.

Image Slide 18 Iphone Easy by G. Walter http://www.flickr.com/photos/gwalter/3513265489/lightbox/. Accessed 20 May 2012.

Image Slide 19 Headmaster Piper with alumni by Worcester Academy Photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/worcesteracademy/4882616321/. Accessed 20 May 2012

Image Slide 20 Network by sjcockell http://www.flickr.com/photos/sjcockell/3251147920/lightbox/. Accessed 20 May 2012.

Image in Slide 21: Local marketing network by Sproutload http://www.flickr.com/photos/spoutloud/6329608332/ Accessed 19 May, 2012.

Image Slide 22: trial and error, http://www.tutoriallounge.com/2011/02/some-facts-about-design-costing/ Accessed 14 June 2012.

Image Slide 29:Bangkok International School http://www.flickr.com/photos/superkimbo/3536973387/sizes/z/in/set-72157601305472973/. Accessed 22 June 2012.