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Learning commons, also known as scholars' commons, information commons or digital commons, are learning spaces, [1] [2] similar to libraries and classrooms that share space for information technology, remote or online education, tutoring, [3] [4] collaboration, content creation, meetings, socialization, playing games and studying. [5] [6] Learning commons are increasingly popular in academic and research libraries, and some public and school libraries have now adopted the model. [7] Architecture, furnishings and physical organization are particularly important to the character of a learning commons, as spaces are often designed to be rearranged by users according to their needs. [8]
Learning commons may also have tools, equipment, makerspaces, and/or publishing services available for borrowing or use. [9] Along with the so-called "bookstore model," which is focused on customer service, bookless or digital libraries, the learning commons or digital commons is frequently cited as a model for the "library of the future." [10]
Learning Commons have developed across the United States and other countries in academic libraries since the early 1990s, when they were more frequently called Information Commons. [11] Two early examples were the Information Arcade at the University of Iowa (1992) and the Information Commons at the University of Southern California (1994). [12] By 1999, Donald Beagle had noted its emergence as "...a new model for service delivery in academic libraries," [13] and proposed that the model could be characterized by offering "a continuum of service" from information retrieval to original knowledge creation. [14] This approach, often called "one-stop shopping," [15] could be facilitated, Beagle suggested, though the application of strategic alignment, a management approach adapted from IT enterprise planning. [16] [17] Increased use of the term Learning Commons had become apparent by 2004, when the University of Southern California hosted a national conference titled "Information Commons: Learning Space Beyond the Classroom." [18] Beagle's white paper for this conference proposed a developmental pathway "From Information Commons to Learning Commons," based on a typology of change adapted from research by the American Council on Education. [1] This white paper defined an Information Commons as a library-centric "...cluster of network access points and associated IT tools situated in the context of physical, digital, human, and social resources organized in support of learning.” [19] A Learning Commons, by contrast, was no longer library-centric, as “…when the resources of the information commons are organized in collaboration with learning initiatives sponsored by other academic units, or aligned with learning outcomes defined through a cooperative process.” [20] These definitions were later adopted and elaborated upon by Scott Bennett, Yale University Librarian Emeritus. [21] Since the late 1990s, hundreds of Learning Commons have developed and morphed in response to Web 2.0 technologies and the continuous evolution of libraries and librarians’ functions. Web 2.0 technologies such as blogs, social networking sites, video sharing sites and web apps, have radically impacted the way that information is exchanged and engaged in. [22] A learning commons takes these technologies into consideration and then adapts to provide the best possible services to the new 2.0 users and students. [23] A driving force for the institution to place various services in the library are caused by two major reasons. The first reason is the reduction of space used to house print materials which are of little use to students and faculty compared to digital resources rapidly accessible through internet based services. [24] The second reason for learning commons advances is the prime location on campus that most libraries have managed to secure. [25] The library often frees up space through weeding of the print collections. A synergistic service can develop in support of students with other service departments. [26]
Students appear to have natural abilities to use emerging technology. [27] But the reality is, while students easily grasp the entertainment and communication value of the devices they use, they need to be taught how these tools can be used in learning and critical thought. This is a task for the Learning Commons. [28]
There is growing consensus among educators that students need to learn transferable skills in order to work efficiently and successfully in our future world. [29]
To achieve this, students will need to become critical consumers of information, effective problem solvers, capable decision makers and innovative communicators as well. [30] They will require the skills and ability to flow with change. And most of all, students will need to understand that these transferable skills give them the capacity to make a difference in this world... personally. [29]
A 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. [29]
A Learning Commons becomes the physical and virtual catalyst where inquiry, imagination, discovery, and creativity come alive and become central to growth — personal, academic, social and cultural. [29]
An effective Learning Commons will accommodate all learners and address multiple learning styles and learning levels. In working together, teacher-librarians in partnership with others can modify the process, content, product and environment to meet the needs of a diverse student population. [31] The result will be empowered learners. The learning commons model creates an ideal environment for the teacher librarian to utilize teaching methods that allow for both formal and informal learning to take place. [32] [33]
A learning commons allows for academic libraries to provide wider ranging and more cohesive services to students and users. [34] Meshing numerous services maintains the traditional reference and research elements of the classic library while adding exciting new services that support new technologies and service in a larger and more integrated environment. [35] [36] The learning commons reflects a marked shift in our conception of the library, a shift that is driven by our evolving understanding of the library's role in supporting student learning. [37] [38] The emergence of the learning commons as a central element in contemporary library design offers an opportunity to transform the library's role on campus from a provider of information to a facilitator of learning. [39] [38]
Often, libraries and learning commons share responsibility for delivering college-wide outcomes: developing effective research strategies, finding and evaluating the appropriateness of resource materials for a particular topic, honing effective oral and written communication skills, and promoting good study and learning habits. [40] [38] The goal of a Learning Commons Librarians’ work should be to encourage all students to engage in substantive ways with multiple services in the organization. [41] [38] Properly implemented in an academic library, this model of library service benefits all parts of the institution. [42] A cohesiveness and purpose among the diverse elements of the library allows both the library and the school to run more smoothly and efficiently and students’ needs are met in an environment that is designed to provide multiple services in a single location. [43] [35]
The Digital Divide is a very real problem in academic libraries currently and will remain so for the foreseeable future. This can be a problem in a highly technological library model but when the learning commons work efficiently, [44] the needs of these students are provided for through library orientations, research/reference classes, technology courses, one-on-one assistance, effective and in-library peer assistance. [45] These services should be developed online as well as in person for the maximum benefit of the student user and the school. [35]
New or renovated library space is now commonly repurposed to bring students together to work, study, and socialize. [46] The learning commons typically offer comfortable furniture for both individual and group study, modular furnishings that allow users to customize the environment to suit their needs, access to wireless networks and electrical outlets, [47] multimedia labs and support, and often a cafe accompanied by relaxed food and drink restrictions. [48] The Learning Commons seeks to expand and integrate the real and virtual choices learners have to share their experiences. Safe, inclusive and welcoming environments throughout a school are imperative to meet the diverse abilities and learning styles of individuals, teams and groups. [49] Virtual learning spaces increase this potential. [50]
Through the process of inquiry, individuals construct much of their understanding of the natural and human-designed worlds. Inquiry implies a "need or want to know" premise. Inquiry is not so much seeking the right answer—because often there is none—but rather seeking appropriate resolutions to questions and issues. For educators, inquiry implies emphasis on the development of inquiry skills and the nurturing of inquiring attitudes or habits of mind that will enable individuals to continue the quest for knowledge throughout life. [51]
The challenge is discovering how to reconfigure our current spaces both inside and beyond a school and a school library's walls to reflect this new reality. Access to the technology that makes it possible, obviously, is critical. [52]
The school library, a key component of a Learning Commons, has an integral and transformative role to play in implementing this fresh and innovative vision for education. [53]
Every member of a school's population will ultimately participate in the creation of a Learning Commons, but the concept's early coordination and leadership will rest with school library expertise. [54]
Where properly developed, a school's library is already the hub for networking and information access. [55] As the Learning Commons’ concept grows, a school library's collection-based facilities will continuously change and expand, creating access-based services suited to a school community's needs.
This process will mean changes in the operations of a school's library. [56] Resource collections will need to be reshaped even more rapidly and readily than they are currently to reflect their communities as well as the world at large. It is the only way a library's access to the global, interconnected and interactive communication networks of the future. [29]
Developed by Dr. Alexander Jones, the LCTM sets clear goals with specific criteria of importance to measure the correlation with teaching outcomes and use of space and technology. [57] The LCTM model includes Knowledge Building, Collaborative Engagement, Integrative Learning, Fostering Literacy, Creativity and Expression, the Development of Positive Social Maturation, Efficient use of Space and Enhanced Teaching. [58]
Educational commons are a concept related to the learning commons, focusing on the shared governance, open access, and collaborative creation of educational resources. Defined as the process of learning, the transmission, and acquisition of knowledge, and the methods of governing this process are collectively managed and co-constructed by the entire educational community. [59] While educational commons focus on the process and resources themselves such as textbooks, curricula, and digital learning materials, the learning commons focuses on the physical or virtual spaces where collaboration and resource-sharing occur, ensuring that they are freely available and co-managed by communities.
The educational commons framework builds on principles of open access and community participation, base on the work of Elinor Ostrom on commons-based resource management, aligned with the goals of democratizing education and reducing systemic inequalities by treating knowledge as a shared public good rather than a private commodity [60] .
One of the key applications of educational commons is through Open Educational Resources (OER), which are freely accessible teaching, learning, and research materials, often made available through online platforms. OER initiatives, such as those championed by UNESCO, aim to bridge the gap in educational access by removing financial and geographical barriers to learning [61] . For example, in rural and underserved areas, OER can provide students and teachers with access to high-quality educational content without the need for costly textbooks or proprietary software. [62] [63]
The concept of educational commons complements the goals of learning commons by emphasizing the importance of collaboration not just in how resources are used, but in how they are created and governed. Both frameworks followed the principles of the commons in the educational and knowledge sector that aimed for foster inclusivity, equity, and community engagement, however commons focuses more broadly on the systemic level of resource accessibility and management.
A librarian is a person who professionally works managing information. Librarians' common activities include providing access to information, conducting research, creating and managing information systems, creating, leading, and evaluating educational programs, and providing instruction on information literacy to users.
The Association of College and Research Libraries defines information literacy as a "set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning". In the United Kingdom, the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals' definition also makes reference to knowing both "when" and "why" information is needed.
Educational technology is the combined use of computer hardware, software, and educational theory and practice to facilitate learning. When referred to with its abbreviation, "EdTech", it often refers to the industry of companies that create educational technology. In EdTech Inc.: Selling, Automating and Globalizing Higher Education in the Digital Age, Tanner Mirrlees and Shahid Alvi (2019) argue "EdTech is no exception to industry ownership and market rules" and "define the EdTech industries as all the privately owned companies currently involved in the financing, production and distribution of commercial hardware, software, cultural goods, services and platforms for the educational market with the goal of turning a profit. Many of these companies are US-based and rapidly expanding into educational markets across North America, and increasingly growing all over the world."
An information professional or information specialist is someone who collects, records, organises, stores, preserves, retrieves, and disseminates printed or digital information. The service delivered to the client is known as an information service.
An information commons is an information system, such as a physical library or online community, that exists to produce, conserve, and preserve information for current and future generations. Wikipedia could be considered to be an information commons to the extent that it produces and preserves information through current versions of articles and histories. Other examples of an information commons include Creative Commons.
Digital literacy is an individual's ability to find, evaluate, and communicate information using typing or digital media platforms. It is a combination of both technical and cognitive abilities in using information and communication technologies to create, evaluate, and share information.
An academic library is a library that is attached to a higher education institution, which supports the curriculum and the research of the university faculty and students. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there are an estimated 3,700 academic libraries in the United States. Class reading materials, intended to supplement lectures by the instructor and housed in academic libraries, have historically known as "reserves". Before electronic resources became available, the reserves were supplied as actual books or as photocopies of appropriate journal articles. Modern academic libraries provide access to electronic resources.
The Drexel University College of Computing & Informatics (CCI), formerly the College of Information Science and Technology or iSchool, is one of the primary colleges of Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The College of Computing & Informatics has faculty and administrative offices, research laboratories, collaborative learning spaces, and classrooms located at 3675 Market Street Philadelphia, PA. The current dean is Yi Deng.
Library instruction, also called bibliographic instruction, user education and library orientation, is the process where librarians teach their patrons how to access information in libraries. It often involves instruction about research and organizational tools and methods. It prepares individuals to make immediate and lifelong use of information effectively by teaching the concepts and logic of information access and evaluation, and by fostering information independence and critical thinking. Above all they are aimed at equipping library users with skills to locate library sources and use them effectively to satisfy their information needs.
Transliteracy is "a fluidity of movement across a range of technologies, media and contexts". It is an ability to use diverse techniques to collaborate across different social groups.
An open textbook is a textbook licensed under an open license, and made available online to be freely used by students, teachers and members of the public. Many open textbooks are distributed in either print, e-book, or audio formats that may be downloaded or purchased at little or no cost.
Library and Information Science (LIS) are two interconnected disciplines that deal with information management. This includes organization, access, collection, and regulation of information, both in physical and digital forms.
With over 17,000 libraries and 2.5 billion materials circulated annually in the United States alone, libraries are a ubiquitous part of the American landscape. However, as libraries modernise, they face an increasingly harsh budget environment, as well as technological disruption in media, scholarship, and education. The political, social, and technological environment is one of transformation and uncertainty.
Laurel Anne Clyde was an Australian educator, teacher-librarian, author and academic who taught in colleges and universities in Australia and Canada, as well as in Iceland. She was known for her expertise in electronic resources and the Internet. Anne was also influential in the early adoption and evaluation of internet sites and online tools by teacher librarians.
The Digital Visitor and Resident (V&R) model provides a framework to depict how user preference and habit motivates engagement with technology and the web. V&R is commonly described as a continuum, with two modes of online engagement at either end, making a separation between different approaches to engagement. People operating in Visitor mode have a defined goal or task, and select an appropriate online tool to meet their needs as they arise. For example, using a smartphone to search the internet for directions to a local bookstore, thus finding a particular piece of information online and then going offline to complete the task. There will be little in terms of social visibility or trace when online in Visitor mode. People operating in Resident mode are online to connect to, or to be with, other people. For example, posting to the wall in Facebook, tweeting, blogging, or posting comments on blogs. The web supports the projection of their identity and facilitates relationships. In other words, Residents live a percentage of their lives online. Unlike the Visitor mode, there will be online visibility and presence when in Resident mode. It is very common for individuals to engage online in a mixture of Visitor and Resident modes depending on what they are trying to achieve.
Libraries in virtual worlds are part of an immersive 3D environment that can be used for entertainment and educational purposes. Due to increasing interest in digital services, some libraries and librarians have established virtual services in Second Life and other virtual worlds.
Olusegun Oke Library (OOL) is the main academic library of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso in Oyo State, Nigeria. It was formerly known as LAUTECH Library and was established in July 1990, some months after the inauguration of the university. It was set up as one of the academic units in the university.
Covenant University Library, also known as Centre for Learning Resources (CLR), is the library of Covenant University in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. It is housed in a three-story glass building with a seating capacity of 3,500.
Elizabeth "Liddy" Nevile is an Australian academic and a pioneer in using computers and the World Wide Web for education in Australia. In 1989-1990 she was instrumental in establishing the first program in the world that required all students to have laptop computers, at Methodist Ladies College, Melbourne, Australia.
Adeyinka Tella is a Librarian and Nigerian Professor at the University of Ilorin Nigeria, he is also the current Editor-in-Chief, Ilorin University International Journal of Library and Information Science.
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