Learning the Learning Commons:How UNK Moved Out of the Silos and into a Dance Hall

Keri Pearson, Dr. Ron WirtzUniversity of Nebraska at Kearney

Vision Transition Reality The Future

http://silverspeaks.com/blogs/2011/01/dancing-with-change-step-3/

Learning the Learning Commons

Silo-ed Existence (2009)

Writing Center housed in the Library but with very little collaboration beyond space

Peer Tutoring in a hallway of the Student Affairs building and typically regarded as a remedial service

Learning the Learning Commons:Vision

Library “Gate Count”

Learning the Learning Commons:Vision

Learning the Learning Commons:Vision

Library Study Space

Learning the Learning Commons:Vision

Changing Leadership

Learning the Learning Commons:Vision

Original Writing Center Space

Spring 2009 Program Review

Learning the Learning Commons:Vision

Learning the Learning Commons:Vision

Original Peer Tutoring Space

serendipity, n.Pronunciation:  /sɛrɛnˈdɪpɪtɪ/ Etymology:A word coined by Horace Walpole, who says (Let. to Mann, 28 Jan. 1754) that he had formed it upon the title of the fairy-tale ‘The Three Princes of Serendip’, the heroes of which ‘were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of’.

The faculty of making happy and unexpected discoveries by accident.

From: Oxford English Dictionary (Online)

Learning the Learning Commons:Vision

Learning the Learning Commons:Vision

Ideas between Deans of the Library and Student Affairs moved “up” to higher administration

The UNK Mission Statement was a developmental focal point.

III. Student Development Goal (Objective 1): Develop a comprehensive strategy that will guide planning and activity outside the formal academic curriculum to enhance each student’s cognitive and moral development, interpersonal skills, and prospects for satisfaction and success at UNK and in life after graduation.

Articulate a framework of principles and common objectives, and establish collaborative mechanisms, enabling units to cooperate across organizational boundaries to enhance student retention, graduation, and career placement results.

Bridge Academic and Student Affairs programming to integrate living and learning experiences for students…

Learning the Learning Commons:Vision

SPACE: “… an environment that enhances social interaction and cross

disciplinary learning outside the classroom.”1

GOAL: “The main goal of the Learning Commons is to provide, in a centralized

location, as many academic support services for students as possible.” 2

MECHANISM: “The core activity of a learning commons would not be the manipulation

and mastery of information… but the collaborative learning by which students turn information into knowledge and sometimes into wisdom.”3

1 http://dbilyeu.cocc.edu/21st+Century+Library/default.aspx2 http://www.cla.ca/divisions/cacul/regenerations/2009/02/whats-common-about-learning-commons.html3 http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1232&context=libraryscience&seiredir=1#search= %22Learning%20Commons%20Nebraska%22

Learning the Learning Commons:Vision

Library Resourcesand Services

TechnologyResources

StudentAffairs

UNKLearning

Commons

Learning the Learning Commons:Transition

Learning Commons models vary but often include:

writing and math/statistics help study rooms desktop computers with a variety of software

packages reference/research help study skills help IT point-of-need assistance assistive technology for students with disabilities laptop computers for loan, printing

Learning the Learning Commons:Vision

Vision Transition Reality The Future

Learning the Learning Commons

The UNK Learning Commons (UNKLC) in 2010:

Peer Tutoring: peer assistance for general studies courses (especially business, languages, math and science)

Writing Center: peer assistance at any stage of the writing process

Calvin T. Ryan (CTR) Library: book collections and electronic resources for student research with ample study space and technology access

Learning the Learning Commons:Transition

Learning the Learning Commons:Transition

Peer Tutoring offices moved into the Writing Center in Summer 2010

Plan: build the LC over the summer to open in Fall 2010

Transform the Writing Center space into the Learning Commons Offices

“Challenges Arose”

Learning the Learning Commons:Transition

Learning the Learning Commons:Transition

Collaboration between programs and with the Library was ongoing despite the temporary delay in construction. Hiring process for a Writing Center/Learning

Commons Assistant Director Additional technology in the general Library

space and technology support Project planning at Dean and higher

administrative levels

Learning the Learning Commons:Transition

Vision Transition Reality The Future

Learning the Learning Commons

Learning the Learning Commons:Reality

Learning the Learning Commons:Reality

The UNK Learning Commons opened with much fanfare in its permanent space in Fall 2011

Learning the Learning Commons:Reality

Gate count for years following the development of the Learning Commons increased 30%

Learning the Learning Commons:Reality

Learning the Learning Commons:Reality

Learning the Learning Commons:Reality

Many “united front” efforts were made to ensure the success of the LC and, thereby, its student

users.

Marketing pieces work to tie services and the Library together.

Learning the Learning Commons:Reality

Learning the Learning Commons:Reality

Learning the Learning Commons:Reality

Learning the Learning Commons:Reality

“BlueTube” video for prospective students

http://bit.ly/17XP90d

“Louie the Loper Learns a Lot” for freshmen students

http://bit.ly/19Z7CHd

Learning the Learning Commons:Reality

Fall 2011 “Game Night”

Fall 2012 “Freshman Orientation”

Fall 2012 “Lib Quiz”

Learning the Learning Commons:Reality

Learning Commons Coordinating Council (LCCC or LC3)

2 partners from Student Affairs, 2 partners from the Library

Learning Commons Assistant Director for the Library

Compares to the Learning Commons Assistant Director position in Student Affairs

Administrative Support

Calvin T. Ryan (CTR) Library

Peer Tutoring

Writing Center

Supplemental Instruction

Language Tables

Learning the Learning Commons:Reality

Calvin T. Ryan (CTR) Library

Peer Tutoring

Writing Center

Additional services

Learning the Learning Commons:Reality

Assessment: Tracking referrals between LC services and Library services “Assessment in Action: Academic Libraries and Student Services” with ACRL

NLA Poster Presentation June 26-July 1 Fuels the development of “a variety of approaches to assessing library

impact on student learning, which will be documented and disseminated for use by the wider academic library and higher education communities” http://www.ala.org/acrl/AiA

Programming: Undergraduate Research Seminars

Additional collaboration

Learning the Learning Commons:Reality

September: IRBOctober: Literature Review (Library)November: College SpeakerJanuary: Writing & Citing (Writing Center)February: College SpeakerMarch: Poster PresentationsApril: College Speaker

2012-14 Undergraduate Research Seminar schedule

Vision Transition Reality The Future

Learning the Learning Commons

Presentation technology integrated in the UNKLC and Library

http://www.touchwindow.com/c/KTLC-40N.html

Learning the Learning Commons:The Future

Improved understanding of student use of services

Learning the Learning Commons:The Future

Learning the Learning Commons:The Future

Tutor training integrating information literacy

Learning the Learning Commons:The Future

Potentially, the gradual migration of other student services as more Library space is available

Shaded area shows proposed expansion space

Learning the Learning Commons:Reality

Learning the Learning Commons

Learning the Learning Commons

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cymLAd2M_io/TcPP3YRXKAI/AAAAAAAAADk/DC78eNJQ0BI/s1600/danceHall.jpg

Learning the Learning Commons:How UNK Moved Out of the Silos and into a Dance Hall

www.unk.edu/lc

Keri Pearson, Dr. Ron WirtzUniversity of Nebraska at Kearney