A Brief History

2. A Brief History • January 2007 – meeting with Ministry of Education • April 2007 – money from Ministry of Education to OSLA for the writing of a school library document • January 2008 – Draft document Together for Learning presented at Super Conference for comment and feedback • Spring 2008 – continued consultations with stakeholders

3. What we heard: • Need more in-depth explanation and concrete ideas to bring the Learning Commons to life • Need to be more inclusive • Keep the strong literacy focus • Provide implementation ideas

4. The Result • Document with a clearly stated vision for each section • Followed by ideas to consider to make that vision a reality in the school library setting for every section • Two copies to every school • Discussions on implementing a website for this document so that the document can “live”

5. The major shift: • The Learning Commons is the whole school • Everyone is a learner and a stakeholder • The School Library has an integral and transformative role to play in the implementation

6. Responding to an Era of Complex Change • Definition of 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.”

7. Why a Learning Commons? • To build: • Transferable skills in students • Critical consumers of information • Effective problem solvers • Capable decision makers • Innovative communicators • To become the physical and virtual catalyst where inquiry, discovery and creativity come alive

8. Nothing new, and yet... • Growing disconnect between the way students learn outside of school and what is permitted inside of school • Radical change in technology and how we define ourselves as learners • The Learning Commons provides an environment for the transformation

9. Key Components of the Learning Commons • Physical and Virtual Space • Equitable Access • Learning Partnership • Technology in Learning

10. Physical and Virtual Space • Consider collaboration, comfort and community • Colourful, playful and inviting • A space where learning is fluid and participatory • Online space is equally as important as in school space Stephen Heppell – Space the final frontier (YouTube)

11. Equitable Access • Regular analysis of both online and physical collections and programs • Assistive technology and devices form a part of the Learning Commons • Harness the power of virtual learning spaces to begin to overcome differences between poor and rich schools, rural and urban situations and small and large schools

12. Learning Partnerships • Partnering beyond the instructional staff, including students, experts, parents and the community • Modeling learning to learn at all levels • Integrated learning opportunities that are global, social, connected, real world, interdisciplinary, fluid, flexible, complex and resource-rich

13. Technology in Learning • Students are drawn to social media but do not necessarily use them critically to gain deeper understanding • Build on entertainment value that students find in social media • Michael Wesch – A Portal to Media Literacy, YouTube

14. Learning to Learn: From Information to Knowledge Creation • Reading Engagement • Multiple Literacies • Critical and Creative Thinking • Discovery and Guided Inquiry • Learning to Learn

15. Reading Engagement • Ideas to consider for motivating readers • Ideas to consider for connecting readers • Ideas to consider for supporting readers • Ideas to consider for fostering reading communities

16. Multiple Literacies • Traditional Literacy • Broader definition of texts • Information Literacy • Power and impact of social networking tools • Media Literacy • Utilizing emerging tools to assess and analyze • Visual Literacy • Utilizing the visual nature of Web 2.0 • Cultural Literacy • Increased respect for a wide variety of cultural norms • Digital Literacy • Communicate learning in real time • Critical Literacy • Critical consumers of information, ideas and opinions

17. Critical and Creative Thinking • Read and write for different purposes • Evaluate texts • Navigate and create texts in a variety of formats • Interpret media texts • Interpret images and graphics • Think deeply • Build knowledge interactively

18. Discovery and Guided Inquiry • Exploring • Initiating the inquiry • Choosing the topic • Developing questions • Investigating • Designing the plan • Selecting the information • Formulating the focus • Processing • Analyzing the information • Evaluating ideas • Organizing and synthesizing findings • Creating • Making and presenting the product • Assessing product and process • Extending and transferring learning

19. Learning to Learn • Building reflective practice • Modeling that learning is a life-long process • Relating new information to prior experiences • Ongoing conferencing with peers and teachers • Utilizing self-assessment and building in opportunities to direct own learning

20. Developing the Individual in the Learning Commons • Imagination and creativity • Confidence and self-esteem • Cultural awareness and social contribution • Importance of individual growth • Engagement of all learners

21. Imagination and creativity • 98% of four year olds divergent thinkers, 10% of twelve year olds are divergent thinkers (Sir Ken Robinson - TED) • Daily opportunities to use “creative muscles” important • Teaching children to take risks and learn from being wrong • Celebrate the arts

22. Cultural Awareness and Social Contribution • Learning Commons plays a unique role in fostering cultural growth and a sense of national identity • Engage learners in inquiry-based experiences set within real world issues • Make learning relevant and empowering • Learners become effective change makers

23. The Importance of Individual Growth • Intellectual Curiosity • Open to new ideas • Considering divergent opinions • Thinking critically • Respect and Responsibility • Respecting privacy, intellectual propertyand practicing safe and ethical behaviours • Initiative • Going beyond academic requirements • Participating in the social exchange of ideas • Seeking opportunities for personal growth • Engaging in self-assessment • Setting goals for improvement

24. Engagement of All Learners “If learning is enjoyable and challenging, learners will do it enthusiastically. Think of a video game that players are keen to concentrate on for hours. They do it because it’s “hard fun.” Turning hard work into hard fun requires helping students relate their work to their own lives and the culture in which they live. This type of learning, inherent in the Learning Commons, is sticky — it stays with the learner. And it creates an environment where the individual will grow and flourish.”

25. Transition and Change Challenges In the transition process certain challenges will arise. These include: • Creating tasks and projects that fuse critical thinking, creativity and inquiry with the new, more flexible methodologies available • Embedding creativity, innovation, imagination and risk-taking in the culture of the school • Engaging the continually evolving technology, information flow, and changing connectivity • Expanding access to information and communication technologies at home and at school • Rethinking attitudes towards learning and bringing all people on board

26. Transition and Change • Evidence-based practice • Professional Learning Communities • Personal Learning Networks • Beginning Questions