Learning Commons

Machines Second

Melody Burton & Cory Laverty

People First

Learning Commons

What services and facilities do you expect to see in an Information or Learning Commons?

Dalhousie Learning Commons

Dalhousie Services• Reference and research• Desktop support• Geographic information services • Statistical computing • Math and stats satellite office • Writing workshop (no info) • Group study rooms

Dalhousie Mission .. combines information resources with advanced technology and brings together expertise and resources necessary to help students, faculty and staff successfully integrate information with technology in their academic careers.

Calgary Information Commons

Calgary Mission … core facility for provision of information resources and information technology

… services and technology to support the effective identification, acquisition and use of information resources

… development of information literacy skills in the University Community, especially undergraduate students, is a key mission of the Information Hub. Competency in the identification and evaluation of information, the extraction and manipulation of data, analysis, and presentation, are core research skills.

Calgary Services• Instruction on productivity (MS Office – ITS)

• Bibliographic software (Library)

• Health Science Library instruction (accessing electronic journals, using Reference Manager)

• Information Commons instruction:• library tours• basic research skills• using the Internet for research• using article indexes• search techniques: advanced tips and tricks

• Course-integrated instruction

• Reference librarians involved in planning for a Learning Commons in a large Humanities/Social Sciences Library.

• Our goals: • Support for information literacy development.• Transform reactive reference desk to a proactive learning environment.• Create strategic relationships with complementary campus groups (Teaching Assistants, Writing Centre, Learning Strategies, Special Needs, ITS).

Experience in One Library

• Not a sea of computers.• “If this is about computers, don’t do it!”

• View library as service-intensive facility.• Want help and ongoing support.

• Faculty want traditional library environment retained.• Focus on people and learning … not computers.

Focus Group Feedback

Components of Learning Commons

Collaborative spacesE-classroom

Partnerships with Support Groups

Liaison with Faculty and TAs

Reference and Instruction Services Virtual Commons

Workstations – Wireless -- Laptop lending

Partnerships Writing Centre

Learning Strategies GroupSpecial Needs

Instruction Services

Liaison with Faculty and TAs

Reference Services

Peer MentorsITS

Information Literacy

Components of Learning Commons

Research Continuum

Research P

rocess

Assignment Interpretation

Resource SelectionTool Choreography

Information CollectionInformation Management

AnalysisEvaluation

Writing

Faculty, TAs

Librarians

Faculty

Writing Centre

Learning Partners

Information Literacy Development

Curriculum DesignAssignment Mapping

IL Objectives

ScaffoldingResource SelectionTool Choreography

TrackingInformation Collection

Information Management

Synthesis and Reflection Evaluation

Writing

Research P

rocess

Faculty TAs

Learning StrategiesLibrarians

LibrariansPeer Mentors

FacultyTAs

Writing Centre

Learning Partners

Sociology 122• 800 - 1,000 students.• Research essay requiring 3 scholarly articles including Canadian content and government documents.

Present Scenario

Workbooks

In- classpresentations

Evaluatedresearch strategy

TA sessionsHandouts and website

Small group presentations

Reserve articles

Learning session for librarians

Strategies

Learning Commons ScenarioCurriculum Design• Advance consultation with faculty on assignments.• Map resources to assignments across program.

Scaffolding• Learning Strategies addresses time management and process.• Reference Desk support; peer support groups within the class.• TAs / librarians: hands-on sessions (tools, RefWorks, plagiarism)

Tracking• Students keep research diary. • Targeted online tutorials.

Synthesis and Reflection• Writing Centre addresses thesis, argument, citation style.

Staffing Model

• Serving humanities and social sciences (7,000-10,000).

• 5.5 core librarians, one ITS student, one reference assistant.

• Draw librarians from other units for desk shifts.

• Includes Head of Reference/LC Coordinator.

• Peer mentors to cover longer hours for basic questions and trouble shooting.

• One library technician to oversee computers and technology.

Governance

• Discussion of LC coordinator as coming from partner groups with no reference responsibility

• Learning Commons replaces reference department

• No person in charge of programming for information literacy and ensuring service quality and integration

• Longer hours required with existing staff led to student peer program

• Debate over technology run by library vs. ITS

Learning Commons

What elements would you want to take priority in your Learning Commons?