Learning Commons What should ours be like? Knowledge Team January 2006

Learning Commons A place where tools used to learn are owned by all the people – held in common. “... a physical space, not always in the library, that incorporates many workstations equipped with software supporting a variety of uses, offers workspace for individuals and groups, provides comfortable furniture, and has staff that can support activities related to access to information and use of technology to develop new products.”

Key ingredients to a successful leaning commons: One stop-shopping - People can go to one place and find what they need. Seamless integration - All of the service providers are represented, they work together, but they are still independent.

Learning Commons One-stop Shopping: Typical Components Reference and student workstations. Computers that can not only access web based resources but have word processing, spreadsheet, power point, statistical analysis, bibliographic management, etc., software.

Typical Components Collaborative learning rooms. Small group discussion rooms from which users can link to the Web, other others, etc.

Typical Components Electronic classrooms. Large classrooms with WEB connectivity, overhead projectors, etc., needed by teachers and librarians while teaching students in an electronic information rich environment.

Typical Components Multimedia workstations. Equipment/software needed to develop multimedia presentations for teaching students or for sharing information between students, e.g., video editing, imaging, scanning, etc., facilities.

Typical Components Consultation stations. Workstations allowing the student and the teacher to work together while sitting in front of a terminal, e.g., sufficient desk space to work with both printed information and electronic resources at the same time.

Typical Components Writing lab. Access to professional writing coaches/teachers who can help students organize and present their research effectively. Some writing labs go the next step and help faculty and graduate students prepare their material for publication.

Typical Components Extended hours. Students typically go to class in the daytime and need access to all of these facilities and services late into the night, e.g., 2 AM. Important to have 24X7 self service access to a limited range of facilities.

Typical Components Lounge. Comfortable furniture, often presented in conjunction with a cafe and or vending machines so that patrons can enjoy a home like environment by themselves or with others. Some lounges even offer television and audio listening facilities so that students can take a break without leaving the larger Information Commons area.

Typical Components Outreach support centre in support of promoting outstanding teaching, research and learning. Access to regular classes and special seminars about how to improve teaching, get grants and research funding, and how to get published in leading journals, etc.

A Learning Commons Collaborative approach to meeting the informational needs of a campus: brings together information providers/facilitators from across campus. Builds upon a university’s large investment in electronic forms of information, student and teaching staff services. For the sake of the community, independent services come together virtually in the commons – but organizationally still independent.

Vision Statement HKU’s Learning Commons will be an integrated, accessible and highly visible academic support service which will strengthen teaching, learning and research at the University of Hong Kong.

University of Arizona Quick Tour

Individual and group use work stations

Help with wireless connections

Large auditorium

Leisure reading area

Media coach

Medium sized classroom

Small sized classroom

Small group study

Arizona virtual tour