Fall 2012
2
Concept used in museums and
libraries
3

What is a commons?Commons?
        What is a



A set of resources maintained in the public
sphere for the use and benefit of everyone



          (from Imagining a Smithsonian Commons)
4

What is a learning commons?
A learning commons
 must, therefore, in some
 sense be a place where a “set
 of [learning] resources [is]
 maintained in the public
 sphere for the use and benefit
 of everyone”
But what kind of resources?
. . . and what kind of place?
5

What in the world is a Learning
 Commons?
  – “A Learning Commons is a flexible
    and responsive approach to helping
    schools focus on learning
    collaboratively. It expands the learning
    experience, taking students and
    educators into virtual spaces beyond
    the walls of a school.”
     • Home > Teacher Librarians > What is a
       Learning Commons
6
7
8
9

What’s so common about it?
10

Partnership
11
12
13
14
15
16
17

A related concept
Information commons
  – Taking its roots from simpler
    times when communities shared
    communal land, the
    Information Commons is the
    modern academic equivalent of
    a common space used for the processes of
    information gathering and social collaboration.
    It is where enlightenment meets interaction.
    Knowledge fosters education.
     • What is Information Commons? To us, it is Intuitive.
       03//22//2011 //Steve Pryor
       Advertising blog for Paragon school furniture
18

Five Benefits of the Information Commons
1. The Commons puts students at the center
2. The Commons is built with student involvement
3. The Commons is a welcoming, useful gathering
   place
4. The Commons makes connections
5. The Commons is a relevant, required space on
   campus
        –   A “Commons” Experience:
            Five Benefits of the Information
            Commons
            Submitted by Michael Stephens on November 17, 2008
19




http://murraylib601.org/LMCtoLearningCommons.pdf
20

An expanded concept

The School Learning Commons
 Knowledge Building Center
  – What is a Knowledge Building
    Center?
    • A knowledge building center is an online
      presence of a particular learning
      experience that accomplishes a number
      of things that a simple online directive
      assignment does not usually do.
21

A clearer definition
What is a Knowledge Building Center?
  – A Knowledge Building Center is a virtual and
    collaborative space where professors, teacher
    librarians, learning leaders, teacher technologists or
    other specialists are coaching learners in a
    project, problem, learning experience, learning
    community, etc.

    They can be used with face to face instruction, blended
    learning, or totally online learning.
     • Knowledge Building Centers
       Learning Commons Calgary 2012
     • Template is at:
       https://sites.google.com/site/knowledgebuildingcenter/
22
Knowledge comes to play
Play as a motivator for learning
   – Creating an educational system that will cultivate life-long
     learners calls for a novel approach. Reaching into the roots
     of human evolution, play--the historic medium of learning--
     emerges as a good fit in a world in constant flux.
   – The learning commons provides an environment for
     activities that develop student intelligence. Through playful
     instructional design, learning commons promote inquiry and
     information seeking through which students’ inner resources
     are revealed and developed. In these ways and more, the
     learning commons is a playground for the mind where
     students discover and develop a love of learning that can last
     a lifetime.
      • CROW, S., & ROBINS, J. (2012). Play in the Library. Teacher
        Librarian, 39(5), 36-43.
http://murraylib601.org/LibraryFlip.pdf
24

A book by Loertscher, et al.
The New Learning Commons:
 Where Learners Win!
  – Loertscher, Koechlin, and Zwaan team
    up in this book to rethink everything
    about the function and role of school
    libraries and computer labs. It is often a
    case of 180 degree reconsideration. What
    does this mean? The profession has been
    on a command and control model:
    If we build it, they will come.
  – The turn-around suggested is to think about and construct a client-
    side organization built around the idea that: If THEY build
    it, THEY will use it. [Text from blurb for 1st edition]
      • David V. Loertscher, Carol Koechlin and Sandi Zwaan;
        ISBN: 978-1-933170-67-1; Hi Willow Research and Publishing; 2011
Collaboration is the key!

The library as learning commons

  • 1.
  • 2.
    2 Concept used inmuseums and libraries
  • 3.
    3 What is acommons?Commons? What is a A set of resources maintained in the public sphere for the use and benefit of everyone (from Imagining a Smithsonian Commons)
  • 4.
    4 What is alearning commons? A learning commons must, therefore, in some sense be a place where a “set of [learning] resources [is] maintained in the public sphere for the use and benefit of everyone” But what kind of resources? . . . and what kind of place?
  • 5.
    5 What in theworld is a Learning Commons? – “A Learning Commons is a flexible and responsive approach to helping schools focus on learning collaboratively. It expands the learning experience, taking students and educators into virtual spaces beyond the walls of a school.” • Home > Teacher Librarians > What is a Learning Commons
  • 6.
  • 7.
  • 8.
  • 9.
  • 10.
  • 11.
  • 12.
  • 13.
  • 14.
  • 15.
  • 16.
  • 17.
    17 A related concept Informationcommons – Taking its roots from simpler times when communities shared communal land, the Information Commons is the modern academic equivalent of a common space used for the processes of information gathering and social collaboration. It is where enlightenment meets interaction. Knowledge fosters education. • What is Information Commons? To us, it is Intuitive. 03//22//2011 //Steve Pryor Advertising blog for Paragon school furniture
  • 18.
    18 Five Benefits ofthe Information Commons 1. The Commons puts students at the center 2. The Commons is built with student involvement 3. The Commons is a welcoming, useful gathering place 4. The Commons makes connections 5. The Commons is a relevant, required space on campus – A “Commons” Experience: Five Benefits of the Information Commons Submitted by Michael Stephens on November 17, 2008
  • 19.
  • 20.
    20 An expanded concept TheSchool Learning Commons Knowledge Building Center – What is a Knowledge Building Center? • A knowledge building center is an online presence of a particular learning experience that accomplishes a number of things that a simple online directive assignment does not usually do.
  • 21.
    21 A clearer definition Whatis a Knowledge Building Center? – A Knowledge Building Center is a virtual and collaborative space where professors, teacher librarians, learning leaders, teacher technologists or other specialists are coaching learners in a project, problem, learning experience, learning community, etc. They can be used with face to face instruction, blended learning, or totally online learning. • Knowledge Building Centers Learning Commons Calgary 2012 • Template is at: https://sites.google.com/site/knowledgebuildingcenter/
  • 22.
    22 Knowledge comes toplay Play as a motivator for learning – Creating an educational system that will cultivate life-long learners calls for a novel approach. Reaching into the roots of human evolution, play--the historic medium of learning-- emerges as a good fit in a world in constant flux. – The learning commons provides an environment for activities that develop student intelligence. Through playful instructional design, learning commons promote inquiry and information seeking through which students’ inner resources are revealed and developed. In these ways and more, the learning commons is a playground for the mind where students discover and develop a love of learning that can last a lifetime. • CROW, S., & ROBINS, J. (2012). Play in the Library. Teacher Librarian, 39(5), 36-43.
  • 23.
  • 24.
    24 A book byLoertscher, et al. The New Learning Commons: Where Learners Win! – Loertscher, Koechlin, and Zwaan team up in this book to rethink everything about the function and role of school libraries and computer labs. It is often a case of 180 degree reconsideration. What does this mean? The profession has been on a command and control model: If we build it, they will come. – The turn-around suggested is to think about and construct a client- side organization built around the idea that: If THEY build it, THEY will use it. [Text from blurb for 1st edition] • David V. Loertscher, Carol Koechlin and Sandi Zwaan; ISBN: 978-1-933170-67-1; Hi Willow Research and Publishing; 2011
  • 25.