Administrative Procedure 250 – Appendix A
LEARNING COMMONS, STAGES OF IMPLEMENTATION
Establishing the Learning Commons Philosophy at the School Level 1. Administration team will build a shared vision with staff, students and the larger school community. Essential questions and conditions: 1.1
Shared Vision: What is the shared vision of the school learning commons? What are the opportunities, success and challenges faced as a school community in creating the learning commons? How will administrators share this vision, understanding with the current stakeholders? Can this vision connect to the school development plan?
1.2
Leadership: How will administration facilitate the shift from library to learning commons? How will individuals with pedagogical, content and technological expertise (internal and external) be accessed and utilized to move the learning commons forward? Who will champion the pedagogical shift? Is digital citizenship part of the learning commons plan?
1.3
Research and Evidence: How can current research, evidence and lessons learned inform decisions? (i.e. site visits to other learning commons, reading professional
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articles and books, participation in webinars, etc.) How is this data collected and gathered? How will this information be analyzed and shared? How will the findings inform the learning commons plan? 1.4
Resources: Are resources in the learning commons current and balanced (print, video, audio and digital) and accessible to multiple users and asynchronously? Have resources that are not traditionally in the library been considered? (i.e. open-source web resources, people’s expertise and specialized knowledge, spaces, processes and practices) Has the collection been weeded, replenished and in good repair? Are technologies current, readily accessible and inclusive? Has consideration been given to sustainability? Are knowledge building centers for the creation of knowledge building centers (Maker Centers) been considered? What opportunities exist that allow students to inquire, tinker, analyze, synthesize, communicate and create information in new and meaningful ways?
1.5
Professional Growth: Are their opportunities for certificated and non-certificated staff to stay informed with the learning commons vision? How can opportunities be provided to support pedagogical and technological interests? What opportunities exist for professional learning to occur in the learning commons?
1.6
Time: How can teachers be given time to support the implementation of the learning commons vision, to work with the learning commons librarian to find relevant curricular material, etc.? Will timetabling, scheduling of staff be adapted to support the learning commons vision? Do the hours of the learning commons support multiple users? Are teachers and students aware of the 24/7 access to the virtual learning commons, where it supports access to resources anywhere, anytime?
1.7
Stakeholder Engagement: How are stakeholders supporting and enhancing the learning commons? (Parents/legal guardians, school council, students, members, business, industry and post-secondary institutions partners). Is there a learning commons communication plan developed that provides information through a variety of formats for a variety of audiences?
2. Setting up the Learning Commons team Essential questions and conditions: 2.1
Team: In order to support the Learning Commons vision, has a team been established? Members would include the learning commons librarian, an administrator, staff members that are invested in learning commons services, and perhaps parent/legal guardian and/or student representation to help development the school learning commons vision and program plan
2.2
Member Roles: Have the roles of administration, learning commons librarian, teachers, support staff and students been established and communicated? What guidelines are in place to ensure that roles are being implemented successfully?
3. Implementation Essential questions and conditions: Once there is a common understanding of the school learning commons vision, there are a number of elements to consider: Calgary Roman Catholic Separate School District No. 1 Administrative Procedures Manual
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3.1
Physical - Resources: How will you design your learning commons given the resources available within your learning community? Have dated resources been weeded from the current collection? Are materials available in the space to allow students to tinker, create and play with to showcase curricular outcomes and learning?
3.2
Physical - Space: 3.2.1
Zones: When designing the learning common, are zones created that are student centered? How will the learning commons support student engagement and achievement? Creativity and innovation? Collaboration? Leadership? Critical thinking and problem solving? How will students be encouraged to showcase their own learning?
3.2.2
Flexibility: Can all users reposition furniture and shelving? Is the furniture flexible enough to allow for a variety of learning configurations? Does it move? Are you storing unused furniture and resources? Does it look like a knowledge warehouse or a knowledge creation center? Have you considered the long-term sustainability of purchases? Is the space technology rich?
3.2.3
Open Commons: How will shared ownership of the learning commons be established by the team? Do teachers and students have an equal voice in developing the policies and guidelines? Is the leadership of the learning commons distributed among the stakeholders? Is the learning commons a place where knowledge can be socially constructed? Is it inviting and have a collaborative atmosphere? Does the space run its own calendar to avoid chaos and overcrowding? Are individuals, small and large groups able to the facility at the same time in a variety of ways through a shared, flexible schedule? Has an equitable and flexible means of sharing space and resources by individuals and groups been established? Do users know the difference between booking a space is not “owning” a space? Do staff understand that the open commons will have a buzz and rich and active learning environment?
Virtual: 3.2.4
Educational Technologies: Does the school technology plan support a variety of devices, such as portable and student owned devices? Does the space have the necessary infrastructure to support educational technology devices? Are technologies available in the space to allow students to tinker, create and play with to showcase curricular outcomes and learning?
3.2.5
Online Databases: Has considerations been given to the utilization of resources using Destiny, Learn360 and Learn Alberta?
3.2.6
Wireless Infrastructure: Does the school technology plan support a variety of devices, such as portable and student owned devices? Does the space have the necessary infrastructure (wireless ports and electrical outlets) to support educational technology devices?
4. Maintenance: Analyze, Adapt and Evolve
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Essential questions and conditions: The learning commons is an ongoing process. As the learners’ needs change and grow, so is the learning commons to. 4.1 Next steps: 4.1.1
Analyze: How has the learning commons been supporting teaching and learning in a meaningful way? What does the data suggest? What feedback have you given or received from those using the learning commons? Where has the learning commons been successful? What elements should be further developed?
4.1.2
Adapt: Is the learning commons supporting the changes teachers are attempting to implement and students are asking for? Are the zones within the learning commons functioning as envisioned? Can simple changes improve functionality?
4.1.3
Evolve: What plans are in place to reflect the dynamic learning commons environment? How will it change to reflect student needs, pedagogical understandings, curriculum, parental and community input?
5. Contact Instructional Services, Instructional Media consultant, 403 500-2696 for further assistance. 6. District Standards Resources: (intranet/default.asp?V_ITEM_ID=649) ● Calgary Catholic School District Library to Learning Commons Implementation Guide ● Weeding School Libraries: updated ● Collection Development ● Learning Commons Services on the district intranet 7. Additional Resources: ● Alberta Education’s Learning Commons/School Libraries ● Focus on Inquiry (PDF), 2004 – Information and supports to assist teachers in implementing inquiry based learning activities in the classroom. ● Canadian Library Association -- Leading Learning Approval Date:
April 12, 2016
Reference:
Section 18, 20, 39, 60, 61, 96, 113, 117 School Act Guide to Education ECS to Grade 12 Focus on Inquiry Learning Commons Policy and Guidelines
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