Coteaching and the Learning Comons

Alpers, Jessica

ET-Educational Theory and Practice

CO-Collaboration

Loertscher, D. V., & Koechlin, C. (2015). Coteaching and the learning commons: Building a participatory school culture. Teacher Librarian, 43(2), 12.

Summary: The focus of this paper is to inform on how to build a school culture with emphasis placed on participation. The two strategies used to accomplish this are creating a learning commons and instituting collaboration and coteaching with the librarian and teachers. Dr. Loertscher defines coteaching as “the art of two or more mentor adults who plan, teach, and assess a learning experience together.” This is then supported with a study he conducted. A learning commons is then described, much like we have described in our workshops. Adding to this, the collaboration is described. One specific not is the use of the 18 think models, and moving past “bird units.” The paper concludes by stating that this movement will strengthen the school as a learning force.

Evaluation: This paper is a wonderful source for a summary of what many of our workshops have discussed. None of the information is new, however it is a good review and a good resource. For those wishing to have a written form of what we have discussed, or a compiled summary, I would highly recommend this article. It does not hurt that it was written by our very own Dr. L.!

A Collaborative Journey: The Learning Commons

Amanda Rude

ET, CO

KOLOD, L. k., & UNGAR, B. b. (2016). A Collaborative Journey The Learning Commons. Teacher Librarian, 43(4), 22-27. Retrieved from http://libaccess.sjlibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lls&AN=114825284&site=ehost-live&scope=site

This article takes the reader though one school's Journey from a traditional library to a 21st century learning commons.  Outlined in particular is the planning, research and collaboration that went into the process.  the end product is truly amazing and is an idyllic representation of the the learning commons.

Love the Library: Make It a Game

Post by Lora Poser-Brown

ET

Squires, T. (2016). "Engaging students through gamification." American libraries. March 1, 2016. https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2016/03/01/engaging-students-through-gamification/

Overview: After instituting a game based library reading and writing program, the school library attained an 80% student participation level. Since the program was entirely voluntary, the success has been attributed to the opportunity to compete, collaborate, build non-classroom relationships with school staff, and the simple please of playing a game.

Analysis: The school library made itself a relevant, enjoyable place to be by making learning and exploring the library a game. While creating the game was labor intensive, the success was well worth the effort in staff eyes. Furthermore, the improvement in school morale and quality relationships has been viewed positively by the school community.

Changing the Conversation about Librarians: A TEDx talk by Mark Ray

Jeff Johnston

Ray, Mark.  (June, 2016) "Changing the Conversation about Librarians" TEDxElCajonSalon.  https://youtu.be/IniFUB7worY

Summary:  How do we move from the librarian of the past (shhhh!) to the librarian of the future.  What skills does (s)he possess?  What does the library of the future look like?  In CA, less than 10% of the schools have specialized librarians.  What can school librarians do for a school?  Connecting librarians to the strategic plans, staff development, technology implementation, and curriculum of the school and district creates an invaluable resource.

Evaluation:    Teacher librarians are an essential element for a successful school.  Being in a school and district in the midst of a 1:1 technology device implementation, Ray's advice is timely:  librarians are teachers.  We have to be on the forefront of digital citizenship, information literacy, and curricular integration.  I really love the idea of a tech "Genius Bar."

Nicole Ogden
ET

Palin, R. R. (2014). Looking for Peace and Quiet. Knowledge Quest, 42(4), 16-21. http://libaccess.sjlibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=llf&AN=94845349&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Summary:

Palin discusses the value of a learning commons design but argues that there is a need to create quiet zones within the learning commons. While many students will benefit from the collaborative learning environment in a commons, the controlled chaos does not work for everyone. He offers not only a rationalization for the creation of quiet nooks but also offers concrete suggestions for how to create these spaces in the learning commons.

Evaluation

This article acknowledges the value of the learning commons but also draws attention to a population who is not always served by the commons design. He articulates the problem clearly and brings practical solutions  to the reader. A good resource for those who are interested in transitioning their library into a learning commons.

Essential Librarian Skill: Writing

Aubree Burkholder

ET

Griffin, M. (2016, September). Essential Librarian Skill: Writing » Public Libraries Online. Retrieved from http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2016/09/essential-librarian-skill-writing/

Summary:
Informative article about writing being the basis for all forms of communication. This article outlines the many reasons why it is essential for all librarians to possess stellar writing skills.

http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2016/09/essential-librarian-skill-writing/

Evaluation/Opinion:

I enjoyed this article because I have always felt that strong writing skills are something that all librarians and educators should possess, and with the continuous advent of new technologies, I feel that many of these professionals may feel that this skill is of less importance than it used to be. I think it is wonderful that there are still professionals who feel that strong writing abilities are vital to performing their roles and serving the community. 

Creating Hybrid Spaces for Exploration

Subramaniam, M. M., Ahn, J., Fleischmann, K. R., & Druin, A. (2012) Reimagining the role of school libraries in STEM education: Creating hybrid spaces for exploration. The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy. 82(2) pp. 161-182.

Summary: This article examines the role of school libraries in STEM education from a sociocultural approach. The article stresses the need for school libraries to create hybrid spaces for STEM education and to maximize the roles school librarians have in that education. The authors propose that teachers and librarians take on an active role in STEM education through advising, collaboration, and technology. The authors further propose that librarians are in a unique position to create an environment for active participation for STEM activities which will further aid students in creating a STEM identity.

Evaluation: Though focused on STEM education, the takeaways from this article really stress basic elements of teacher-librarianship and library space. They stress libraries being active learning commons, collaboration with teachers and librarians advising students on resources and technology to provide transformative experiences for learning. 

School Libraries and Innovation

Debbie Gibbons

ET - Understanding by Design

McGrath, K. G. (2015). School libraries & innovation. Knowledge Quest, 43(3), 54-61. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/ecollab/kq/v43no3

Summary:
The Common Core Standards call for a shift to process and problem-solving. There is a movement to transition traditional school libraries into learning commons. This article proposes a model that combines both trends by engaging students in design thinking and evidence-based practice to transform a school library space. Students interviewed users of the library to develop empathy and define needs. They brainstormed creative solutions and then return to the users for feedback. Working in groups, the students built prototypes of one or more of their designs and shared them with the clients, leading to further revision. After gathering feedback from students, faculty, and the community, design groups read the latest research to identify local libraries where innovation had been embraced and visited those sites. By engaging in learning with purpose, students were motivated to become design experts. The article goes on to describe the essential learning spaces and the role of the librarian in innovative libraries.

Review:
This article explains the concepts of design thinking illustrated by concrete examples of student learning. In a school where a learning commons already exists, this practice could be applied to many other projects. It could also adapted on a smaller scale to younger grade levels. I found this article to be a good combination of theoretical and practical.

At the Core of the Comons

Mierop, Kerrie

ET

Harada, V. H. (2015). At the core of the commons: a personal reflection. Teacher Librarian 43(2), 8-11. Retrieved from
http://discover.sjlibrary.org:50080/ebsco-w-b/ehost/detail/detail?sid=a85e6ab2-172d-4a4d-861d-67baa80fd83a%40sessionmgr102&vid=0&hid=107&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=111875236

Summary

This article explores how creating a learning commons in a school, is not just about moving furniture and painting the walls. When the teacher-librarian is creating the learning commons environment, he/she need to think about the big picture and what they are trying to accomplish. The learning commons is above all else a meeting place that builds a community of learners and allows these learners to interact and learn collaboratively together. This learning environment creates a "playground" that employs the uTEC (using, tinkering, experimenting, and creating) method which allow students to be inquisitive and creative using other people's creations or their own. The example in this article, the Malama Honua project, shows all these aspects in work. This Hawaiian project started in 2014 and runs until 2017. The students are able to follow a long held tradition in Hawaii, a sailing across the oceans using both old and new technology. Students can virtual see the progress of the voyage, can follow map plans, both on paper and using stars to navigate, and see how we are globally connected and experience cultures and learn to respect these cultures, as well as their own.

Review

This article was written to explore how creating a learning commons can give students a chance to explore beyond the traditional way of learning, through books only. Instead of just books, students learn books can be a starting point, however, incorporating technology, videos, their own skills and ideas, and community members students can gain a world of experience that they could never get out of a traditional learning environment. As an individual learning how to create a learning commons in their library, this article is filled with ideas and an infectious vibe that makes the reader want to start working on their learning commons at their school immediately.

The Best Animation Tools, from CrazyTalk and Toon Boom to Free Web Apps

Alan Phelps

IL

Stern, J. (2011, May). The Best Animation Tools, from CrazyTalk and Toon Boom to Free Web Apps. Retrieved from http://www.slj.com/2011/05/reviews/tech/the-best-animation-tools-from-crazytalk-and-toon-boom-to-free-web-apps/

Summary

This is a good informative review article discussing online animation tools and some of the ways they are being used in schools. The article talks about the importance of schools giving students a creative outlet and tools to express themselves but the bulk of the article is a review of the best pay and free online animation tools. CrazyTalk and ToonBoom were selected as the best pay tools and they recommend quite a few free online sites like AniBoom and CreaToon 3.0 as two of the best. They also review and recommend some non-animated comic strip creation tools that look fun and interesting.

Evaluation

I liked this article because it was non biased and informative. It gave good concise information on each tool or website and explained what they liked and disliked about each. I am particularly interested in this because next year I want to begin creating a maker space in the high school library at which I am the TL. Over the course of the next few years I want to use part of the library space for drawing, digital storytelling, animation, video making, and someday, maybe even 3-D printing. I will refer back to this article when I am ready to begin work on this space. While this article is from 2011 I think it is still relevant but I need to look into the recommended sites and tools to see if they are still at the top.