Hilary Montroy

Teacher Librarian, Gladstone Secondary School

hmontroy@vsb.bc.ca

604-713-8288

http://gladstonelibrary.edublogs.org/

Winter Tonic Feb. 2014, University Hill Secondary

Steps towards your own Virtual Learning Commons

What is a Learning Commons?

*Ontario School Library Association. Together for Learning: School Libraries and the Emergence of the Learning Commons. Ontario Library Association, 2010. PDF. <http://www.accessola.com/data/6/rec_docs/677_OLATogetherforLearning.pdf>.

Some of the key features of a Learning Commons are that it:*

• Is a flexible and responsive approach • helps schools focus on learning collaboratively• Takes students and educators into virtual spaces beyond the walls of

a school• Is a vibrant, whole-school approach• Presents exciting opportunities for collaboration between teachers,

Teacher Librarians and students• Helps form new relationships between learners

Learning Commons – why?

• There are specific skills that students need to learn in order to be successful as they transition from high school (information literacy, critical literacy, etc.

• “students will need to become critical consumers of information, effective problem solvers, capable decision makers and innovative communicators as well.” ( Ontario 3)

• The Learning Commons “provides boundless opportunity for growth. It is based on a cross-curricular perspective that recognizes literacy, numeracy, knowledge, thinking, communication, and application as foundations for learning how to learn.” (Ontario 3)

• And the LC “becomes the physical and virtual catalyst where inquiry, imagination, discovery, and creativity come alive and become central to growth – personal, academic, social and cultural” (Ontario 3)

• **I liked all these quotes so much that I had to include them here!!**

One of the key words that can be used to describe the Learning Commons is:

COLLABORATION• more specifically, whole school community

COLLABORATION that involves not only the Teacher Librarian, teachers and students, but also the Administration, Counselors, members of the local community, etc.

• All members of the school community have a vested interest in the development of and the content within the Learning Commons.

• As well, part of this is the promotion of an inquiry model, such as the Points of Inquiry

http://bctf.ca/bctla/pub/index.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

What does the learner of today look like? What are their

educational needs? • Technology is an integral part of their everyday lives• This is the first generation that has grown up always have access to technology

such as computers, smart phones and more• Much of this technology is social (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram….)• Their environment is saturated with media• They are able to multi-task with others via personal electronic devices• They expect to find information quickly and easily (Ontario 4-5)

As a result, the gap is widening between the lives of our students in school and outside of school; there is a disconnect.

https://www.facebook.com/

http://femdomfuture.blogspot.ca/2013/10/best-of-best-instagram-logo-download.html

https://about.twitter.com/press/brand-assets

Why the School Library as the place for the Learning Commons?

• It is the natural place for the Learning Commons in that it has always been the place where people have worked together

• It is already the center/hub for access to information and networking

In general there are two components to the Learning Commons Model:

the Physical Space and the Virtual Space

What are some of the features of the Physical Learning Commons?

There are plenty of examples within our own district where the physical transformation has started to occur (John Oliver and Hamber for example)

• Flexible, comfortable furniture that can be moved easily to facilitate collaboration

• Technology: interactive whiteboards or Smartboards, projectors, computers or laptops, access to tablets such as iPads, wifi, spaces to allow for author visits or other presentations, other spaces for creation of movies/videos (green rooms), etc.

• BCTLA Conference in October: Learning Commons Session. Michelle Hall (Johnston Heights, Surrey) and Martha Cameron (North Surrey Secondary) were presenting. Here is a virtual tour of the Learning Commons at Johnston Heights:

Virtual Tour Johnston Heights Learning Commons

What are some of the features of the Virtual Learning

Commons? • learning can occur 24/7• tools that students use every day (social media tools) are incorporated into

learning via technology and web 2.0 tools• access is equal for all

Other suggestions from the Together for Learning document (p.9-10, 12): • There is a web presence (wiki, website, blog, etc.)• Online meeting for all interested parties (staff, students, etc.) is enabled via social

media tools• Available resources include e-books, video streaming, databases, and students

own personal devices• The use of bookmarking tools such as Diigo and Delicious, as well as Shelfari

(booklists) • Students can collaborate virtually (wikis, google drive, etc.)• Virtual spaces for class projects

Other suggestions?

So, how do you start creating your virtual presence?

1. Start by deciding what format you will use. A blog, such as Wordpress or Blogger? Or a website, such as Google

Sites or Weebly? Try and choose a format that you are comfortable with and link it to the Library tab on the school mainpage.

2. Check out what others are doing with their virtual spaces, both within the VSB, locally and globally, to get ideas

3. Speak to your staff to showcase what you are doing and to get input/help. Show them your plan then start

collaborating!4. Involve students, through Library advisory clubs and Student Council. What do they want to

have there? What can they help you with?

If they build it, they will come!

(Loertscher)

Where can I go to get some inspiration and ideas?

• There are lots of examples online (just Google it!). There are no hard set rules about what the Virtual component of the Learning Commons should look like; see what’s out there

• Talk to your colleagues in the VSB and see what they are doing to develop their virtual presence

• Johnston Heights Secondary School Learning Commons (Michelle Hall, Teacher- Librarian),

• BCTLA Library Links (scroll down to “Learning Commons”)

Works Cited

Ekdahl, M., M. Farquharson, J. Robinson, and L. Turner. The Points of Inquiry: A Framework for Information

Literacy and the 21st Century Learner. Vancouver, B.C.: British Columbia Teacher Librarians' Association,

2010. PDF. <http://bctf.ca/bctla/pub/documents/Points%20of%20Inquiry/PointsofInquiry.pdf>.

Loertscher, David V., Carol Koechlin, and Sandi Zwaan. The New Learning Commons Where Learners Win!:

Reinventing School Libraries and Computer Labs. Salt Lake City, UT: Hi Willow Research &, 2008. Print.

Ontario School Library Association. Together for Learning: School Libraries and the Emergence of the Learning

Commons. Ontario Library Association, 2010. PDF.

<http://www.accessola.com/data/6/rec_docs/677_OLATogetherforLearning.pdf>.