Participatory Learning in the Library Learning Commons
Active and knowledgeable involvement in participatory learning is a necessary competence for today’s learners. Learning commons spaces, collections and tools are changing in response to this paradigm shift. Working together in groups, both virtually and in person is the new norm. Inherent in these activities is the importance of security, privacy and good digital citizenship practices as well as effective collaboration skills and ensuring accessibility for all. A learning commons can provide both the physical and virtual learning environments as well as provide the supports necessary for the student to be an active participatory learner. The Learning Commons Leadership Team reviews and revises LLC learning environments to meet these evolving needs.
Leading Learning: Designing Learning Environments to Support Participatory Learning
The focus of TMC6 is centered on exploration and implementation of this Leading Learning standard and sub-themes.
Participatory Learning
Climbing to Excellence: Defining Characteristics of Successful Learning Commons
This article by Dr. David V. Loertscher and Carol Koechlin recommends attention to four major elements of a successful library learning commons – collaborative environments, responsive dynamics, professional leadership and participatory learning.
Coteaching and the Learning Commons: Building a Participatory School Culture
This TMC 5 paper by Dr. David V. Loertscher and Carol Koechlin explores the critical importance of coteaching to advance whole school learning commons approaches to participatory learning. “The learning commons serves a unique purpose in the school as bridge between educational philosophy and practice, curriculum goals and demands and the real world.”
Leading the Way with the Library Learning Commons
Explore examples of administrative leadership to transform school libraries to 21st century learning commons centres from coast to coast.
Learning Commons in Action
Review selected videos showcasing the work of the learning commons and sharing successful approaches from across Canada.
School Library Guidelines
This CSL webpage provides links to school library guidelines, standards and policies advancing best approaches and accountability of programs both nationally and internationally.
Supporting You: Leading Learning as a Catalyst for Change
This extension of leading learning inspires school library professionals to consider many ways to utilize the standards to advance learning potential and school wide improvement.
The New Basics
This web resource created by People for Education provides valuable insight into the additional skills that students need today as well as curriculum basics to succeed in a rapidly changing world.
Collaborative Environments
A Teacher Initiated Library Learning Commons and the Transformative Outcomes It Can Produce
This article by Goldie Weiser, Heather Wilson & Anita Brooks Kirkland captures the transformation of the library at Hamilton Hebrew Academy from many perspectives. An inspiring account of what happens when learner needs are at the centre of change.
Leading Learning Appendix 5: Tips for Achieving Needed Physical Changes
Leading Learning Appendix 6: Tips for Building a Virtual Learning Commons
Learning Spaces
“The physical and virtual spaces of the school library should be a hub for the collaborative learning taking place across the school: the hub of the learning commons.” This blog site by consultant Anita Brooks Kirkland archives many excellent presentations and publications to help explore building collaborative learning environments both physical and virtual.
Marketing the Library Learning Commons / Le marketing des carrefours d’apprentissage
This article by Marjolaine Séguin details the leadership activities of an enthusiastic district school librarian in implementing and supporting school libraries in the shift to a learning commons philosophy in the fourth largest school district in Quebec. Collaborations are highlighted. Includes photos and planning diagrams.
The Third Teacher
The concept of the learning space as a participant in the learning experience coins the name of that space as the “Third Teacher”. This website was created by an educational design consultancy supporting the publication, The Third Teacher: 79 Ways You Can Use Design to Transform Teaching and Learning.
The Virtual Library Learning Commons
This blog post by Anita Brooks Kirkland documents the professional learning journey of an Ontario school district as they discover approaches to expanding the influence of their library learning commons virtually. Packed with excellent ideas!
Culturally Relevant and Responsive School Library Learning Commons
Culturally Relevant and Responsive School Library Learning Commons
A set of selected resources and tools from Canadian School Libraries to support schools in the work to build culturally relevant and responsive School Library Learning Commons
Designing an LLC through an Equity Lens and Ensuring Diverse Representation: Reflecting on our Journey at Indian Road Crescent Public School
This reflective article by teacher-librarian Rabia Khokhar focuses on four key areas where her school hoped to make transformations in the library to address equity and diverse representation – library arrangement, book collections, displays and student voice.
Identity and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
In this TMC5 paper Deborah McCallum reflects upon how educators must use culturally responsive pedagogy to increase success of students from all cultures, making the case that learning is not “culturally neutral”.
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
This United Nations site is a call to action for all countries to work on 17 sustainable development goals in order to collectively make positive changes to transform our world by 2030.
Accessibility for All
Access Forward
Training for an accessible Ontario, created by Learnography (formerly Curriculum Services Canada with the support of the Ontario government.
Accessible Reading in Quebec
A project of the Quebec English School Boards framed in an extensive interactive infographic, Accessibility Guide for Québec schools
Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA)
CELA is a public library service for Canadians with print disabilities and provides immediate access to books, newspapers and magazines in formats that people with print disabilities can read, such as audio, digital text and braille.
Guidelines on Library and Information Services for People with Disabilities from the Canadian Federation of Library Associations. En français
Making an Accessible Canada for Persons with Disabilities
This government site from Employment and Social Development Canada has links to Accessible Canada Act and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Rick Hanson Foundation
This website features free lessons and resources in both Engish and French designed to engage students in leading an accessible and inclusive future.
School Libraries and eLearning: Answering the Call for Access and Equity
In this Treasure Mountain Canada school library learning commons symposium paper Michelle Campbell and Alanna King share their collaborative work in Upper Grand District School Board to address equity and access to eLearning for all learners but especially at risk adolescents.
Special Needs Roadmaps
This is a parent initiated project to help other parents and caregivers of special needs children navigate the school system and other supports in Ontario.
Toronto District School Board (TDSB) Assistive Technologies
Assistive technologies are tools that enable students to access school life and to perform tasks as independently as possible.This resource helps teachers in TDSB provide differentiated instruction for students, and provides an example of enabling easy access and support for available assistive technology tools.
Creativity and Innovation
Canadians for 21st Learning and Innovation
C21 Canada is a national, not for profit organization that advocates for 21st Century models of learning in education.
Creativity
“Fostering creativity develops resilience, resourcefulness, and confidence, and is positively linked to engagement, achievement, and innovation.” This is a rich resource developed by People for Education with links to research on creativity in schools and best practice reports.
Inquiry-Based Learning Provocations
This article outlines how Beth Lyons a creative Ontario teacher-librarian designs inquiry-based “provocation stations” and makerspaces based on curriculum content, social justice issues, and literacy events that engage teachers as well as students in new, hands-on methods of inquiry. Includes video, photos, and links to additional twitter photos/resources.
Natural Curiosity
This University of Toronto resource for teachers builds children’s understanding of the world through environmental inquiry.
Tearing Down and Building Back Up: An Assessment of a Learning Experience
“ When shared, documentation further engages colleagues and students in purposeful dialogue and conversation about learning that helps to improve intentional practice for all stakeholders involved.” This valuable article by Melanie Mulcaster journeys her collaborative journey through a learning experience centered on documentation as a tool for assessment of learning progress.
Tinkering with Makerspaces
Christopher Hunt, an enthusiastic and inspiring teacher-librarian from Chilliwack, BC, shares several innovative curricular based makerspace project descriptions with photos and includes numerous links to other unique maker projects and strategies for use and adaptation, most cost/enviro friendly and collaborative.
3 Questions to Consider When Implementing a New Idea in a School Community
Education Consultant George Couros outlines three simple questions to keep in mind when working on any “big” new idea or initiative at a school. George Couros is the well known author of The Innovator’s Mindset and most recently Innovate Inside the Box. Follow his blog to keep pace with innovative ideas in education.
School Culture
Building Character and Community @ the Learning Commons
“How can Canadian Learning Commons respond to the needs of our increasingly anxious teen patrons?” This article by teacher-librarian Sarah Murray and English Department Head Barbara Fedorowicz relates their innovative approaches in an Ottawa Cathlolic High School.
Digital Human Library: Reimagining Library Collections in the 21st Century
A research paper from TMC5 symposium by Leigh Cassell relates a new way to leverage technologies and connect learners to each other and experts around the world.
Fostering Wellness in the LLC: Stories from Around the Board
Teacher-librarian leaders Enid Wray, Trish Drynan, Adrienne Kennedy, and Caroline Schoales, from the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and community partners share effective strategies for fostering wellness in the school library learning commons.
Ontario’s School Libraries and Treaties Recognition Week
Glenn Turner documents Living Library events in school libraries around Ontario during Treaties Recognition Week. “Through the Living Library events during Treaties Recognition week, students were able to see themselves reflected in the library learning commons space, and understand that the treaties that have been put in place across this country impact every citizen of Canada.”
The Goals Project
The Goals Project is a free global collaboration project for all classrooms of the world.
Webliography of Internet Resources for Global Education
Links to student global education projects collated by British Columbia Teachers’ Federation.