The New Learning Commons: Where Learners Win!
Hi Willow Research & Publications, 2008
Loertscher, Koechlin, and Zwaan team up in this book to rethink everything about the function and role of school libraries and computer labs. Read more or order your own copy: GoodReads on New Learning Commons
Some Key Considerations about Learning Commons from Loertscher et al: Are these the next stage for school libraries? What do we know about them? How and why do we build them? Do we want ...
The google model (if they build it, they will use it) vs Microsoft model (if we build it, they will come)?
Client-based vs organization based operational perspective?
Inquiry teaching vs behaviourist teaching
Differentiated vs “one size fits all” instruction?
Focus of skills for lifelong learning vs program specific skills?
Conceptual Framework
- There is a need to remedy the disconnect between the personal use of technologies and most educational practice
- Administrative computing needs to be locked down; instructional computing facilitates learning
- Adults and young people need to learn to build their own information spaces and be responsible for their actions in those spaces
- Resources and services available 24/7/365
- Space which can be readily reconfigured
- Just-in-time coaching
- Focus on knowledge and understanding
- Collaborative action-research based teaching
- Learning to learn
- Clients included in the planning, implementing, and evaluating
- Opportunities to learn, grow, excel, and compete globally
The Space
- Coexisting functions as
- Service centre, or Open Commons (inviting, collaborative space; wireless; adults and students as experts who consult with individuals or small groups; adults as mentors for projects, assignments, encouragement; extension of classroom; everyone owns, works, collaborates in social environment; policies are co-designed with students; welcome and purposeful; various specialists come and go, consult and co-teach, including TL, Tech Teacher, Counsellors, SEAs, etc.)
- connected / projects, resources, tutorials, advice, tool source, assignment centre, project production collaboration centre; links, sources, projects in progress; online students; TLs provide tip sheets; virtual discussions; best sources
- Experimental Learning Centre (hosts professional development, exemplary teaching; lab for testing new curriculum initiatives, technologies, collaborative strategies, cross-grade and/or cross-curricular initiatives; new staff work with outside experts; others learn new technology skills, classroom management, demo lessons, etc. Students, course writers, meetings with consultants, superintendent; writing projects monitored for fluency, etc.)
- Communication central for learning improvement; virtual glue that knits collaboration and school improvement; leadership teams, under leadership of TL and tech teacher
- Service centre, or Open Commons (inviting, collaborative space; wireless; adults and students as experts who consult with individuals or small groups; adults as mentors for projects, assignments, encouragement; extension of classroom; everyone owns, works, collaborates in social environment; policies are co-designed with students; welcome and purposeful; various specialists come and go, consult and co-teach, including TL, Tech Teacher, Counsellors, SEAs, etc.)
- Comfortable, convenient, caring, supportive, helpful, experimental, jointly “owned,” high-tech; the LC provides coaching and mentoring for students and staff (a digital museum of student work and productions); the learning team merges specialist and classroom teachers
- Leadership Teams: Learning, Organization, Learning Literacies, Technology – including admin and TL and tech teacher as constants in all teams; school as learning organization, centre, hub
- Starbucks – energy, spirit, coziness
- Focus on inquiry-based learning journeys which are personal, small-group, or whole-class guided by classroom teacher and one or more learning specialist; LC supports a school-wide culture of inquiry; inquiry as dynamic, learner-centred process where learning is seen as a quest
Multiliteracies Development
- Traditional, digital, visual, media, information, cultural = 21st C learning, where mastering the learning necessary to learn literacy help students master the content knowledge they are asked to learn; learners know a lot and they know how to learn anything they need to leard; resources are plentiful, technology is accessible; students develop deep understanding; independent learners as goal
- Teachers are empowered through a plan and an atmosphere conducive to literacy excellence and through collaboration with specialists; TLs provide leadership, resources, strategies; a reading culture is developed that includes more than print
- Literacy Central – interest, engagement, excitement, relevance; exhibitions; technologies and media collaborations; “cool place” where literacies are differentiated, enabled, and made possible
Organizational Elements
- User-centric collections
- Dual learning commons calendars (Open commons vs Experimental Learning centre)
- On-demand Technology Assistance
- Just-in-time Tutorial and Homework Help
- School-wide activities
- Just-in-time Pro D
- Ample budget
- Financial efficiencies
- Teams / specialist staff, including admin, subject, support (technician, clerical, etc)
- On-demand networks
- On Demand User-friendly support
