This presentation is a proposal supporting the development of a 21st century learning commons within the new building my school is meant to move into during the 2015/2016 school year. I outline some arguments in favor of working within a learning commons, in the context of changing educational philosophies, which focus on critical thinking, collaboration, and digital citizenship. I make suggestions on the physical space as well as the technology must-haves that allow students and teachers the scope to explore, connect, and create their own digital footprints as they learn. The final section is on how teacher-librarians can support their staff in making the move to being comfortable working within the model and using various Web 2.0 tools to allow students a variety of mediums to demonstrate their learning. I stress the idea of collaboration (surprise!) and also that we will inevitably move to a more connected style of learning. While we have the opportunity to start from the ground up, we should take it to create the most suitable, well-equipped space possible.

21st Century Learning: The Learning Commons Model

**In an unfortunate twist, the audio commentary which accompanies my presentation is not able to be heard. To post it to the blog, I had to use Slideshare.com and, as it turns out, it’s platform only shows my slides. I attached it to a message on the class discussion board, in the blog section.**

The process of putting the presentation together was useful to help me more fully find where I could fit as a teacher-librarian in a learning commons. As I’ve mentioned previously, I share my job with someone else who has been in the library for the past decade. It can be difficult to make changes or experiment without feeling like I am overstepping in my role. There are established routines and expectations that I would look at tweaking if I were at the helm. Doing this exercise and looking at the important role a well-supplied and well-managed learning commons can play was actually quite encouraging and has given me the confidence to start implementing some changes to our existing layout. It is quite exciting knowing we will eventually have a new space, though how much input we will actually have in the end is debatable. Perhaps my presentation can prompt some discussion.

It was useful to look at what other schools in Canada and around the world are doing in terms of designing and working in a learning commons. Exploring the myriad of Web 2.0 tools that are available to teachers was also useful, though somewhat overwhelming. It is understandable that people can feel reluctant to use a new tool, when the choice is wide and taking the time to explore them all is just not reasonable. I started the delicous.com page with the idea of continuing to build data banks. I will look at having it linked to our library web page.

My future in the library is uncertain at this point as I am in a term position. If I end up back in the classroom in September, I have a whole new arsenal of tools at my disposal and I look forward to doing some experimentation with some of the Web 2.0 tools I have run across during the course. I want to encourage my students to use technology productively, as responsible digital citizens, and to engage in more dialog about their process of learning and problem solving, be that with peers in the room or online. I’m ready as well to give up some of the control that I’ve held in the past when it comes to being the expert in the room. I want to work with my students in their learning journey rather than dictate which pathway it must take.