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Keeping the Focus on Student Needs:Collaboration in Creation of UNK’s Learning Commons

Taffnee Faimon, Keri Pearson, Jon Ritterbush, Ron Wirtz

Strategic Focus & Foundation

Keeping the Focus on Student Needs

• What is a Learning Commons?

• Phase 1: Vision

• Phase 2: Transition

• Phase 3: Reality

• The Future

What is a Learning Commons?

Learning Commons models vary but often include:

– reference/research help– IT point-of-need assistance– writing and math/statistics help– study skills help– assistive technology for students with disabilities– desktop computers with a variety of software

packages– laptop computers for loan, printing– bookable study rooms

What is a Learning Commons?

• SPACE: “… an environment that enhances social interaction and cross disciplinary learning outside the classroom.”1

• GOAL: “The main goal of the Learning Commons it to provide, in a centralized location, as many academic support services for students as possible. These services are provided:· via one-on-one interactions or group instruction· face-to-face or virtually· by professionals in each area as well as peer mentors.” 2

• MECHANISM: “The core activity of a learning commons would not be the manipulation and mastery of information… but the collaborative learning by which students turn information into knowledge and sometimes into wisdom.”3

1 http://dbilyeu.cocc.edu/21st+Century+Library/default.aspx2 http://www.cla.ca/divisions/cacul/regenerations/2009/02/whats-common-about-learning-commons.html3 http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1232&context=libraryscience&seiredir=1#search= %22Learning%20Commons%20Nebraska%22

What is a Learning Commons?

The University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) Learning Commons:

•Calvin T. Ryan (CTR) Library: book collections and electronic resources for student research with ample study space and technology access

• Peer Tutoring: peer assistance for general studies courses (especially math and science)

• Writing Center: peer assistance at any stage of the writing process

Keeping the Focus on Student Needs

• What is a Learning Commons?

• Phase 1: Vision

• Phase 2: Transition

• Phase 3: Reality

• The Future

Phase 1: Vision

• Siloed Existence

– Library housed the Writing Center but there was no effort towards cooperation

– Writing Center was shifted from one funding source to another

– Peer Tutoring was housed outside an academic context in Student Affairs and often regarded as a remedial service

Phase 1: Vision

Phase 1: Vision

• Three serendipitous elements:

1. Administrative Program Review involving Peer

Tutoring

Phase 1: Vision

Administrative Program Review involving Peer Tutoring

Phase 1: Vision

• Three serendipitous elements:

1. Administrative Program Review involving Peer

Tutoring

2. Conversations between administrative Deans

about shared needs and goals.

3. Available space in the Library

Phase 1: Vision

Available tutoring space in the Library

Phase 1: Vision

Available office space in the Library

Phase 1: Vision

• Planning continued between Deans and moved “up” to higher administration– The UNK Mission Statement was a focal

point for these conversations

– III. Student Development Goal (Objective 1): Develop a comprehensive strategy that will guide planning and activity outside the formal academic curriculum to enhance each student’s cognitive and moral development, interpersonal skills, and prospects for satisfaction and success at UNK and in life after graduation.

• Articulate a framework of principles and common objectives, and establish collaborative mechanisms, enabling units to cooperate across organizational boundaries to enhance student retention, graduation, and career placement results.

• Bridge Academic and Student Life programming to integrate living and learning experiences for students…

Phase 1: Vision

Come Together, Right Now1 describes the different types of initiatives operative in libraries and Learning Commons models today as being:

•Top-down, envisioned and started by administrators•Bottom-up, envisioned and started by faculty or staff •Combination, envisioned and promoted by administration, faculty & staff

1Come Together, Right Now: The merging of public services and changing service models in academic libraries. RUSA program on changing service models. ALA Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, June 27, 2011. http://connect.ala.org/node/151695

Keeping the Focus on Student Needs

• What is a Learning Commons?

• Phase 1: Vision

• Phase 2: Transition

• Phase 3: Reality

• The Future

Phase 2: Transition

• The Writing Center moved from the west side of the Library to the east while LC planning was underway.

Phase 2: Transition

One Initial Design

Phase 2: Transition

• Peer Tutoring offices moved into the Writing Center in Summer 2010

– Plan: build the LC over the summer to open in Fall 2010

– Transform the Writing Center into a tutor hub for the Learning Commons

“Challenges Arose”

Phase 2: Transition

• Without a Writing Center Director, the UNK Learning Commons forged ahead.

– Using a designated alternative space in the Library, the “UNK Learning Commons” opened softly in Fall 2010

Phase 2: Transition

Phase 2: Transition

Phase 2: Transition

Phase 2: Transition

Gate count for Sept. 2011 was 38,876, up more than 24% over Sept. 2010

Phase 2: Transition

Phase 2: Transition

• Collaboration between programs and with the Library was ongoing despite the temporary delay in construction.– Hiring process for a Writing Center/Learning

Commons Assistant Director– Additional technology in the general Library

space and technology support– Project planning at Dean and higher

administrative levels

Phase 2: Transition

• Shazam! (success!)

– Funding acquired for Learning Commons construction in November 2010

– Writing Center/Learning Commons Assistant Director hired in January 2011

– Construction began and ended Spring 2011

Phase 2: Transition

Keeping the Focus on Student Needs

• What is a Learning Commons?

• Phase 1: Vision

• Phase 2: Transition

• Phase 3: Reality

• The Future

Phase 3: Reality

• The UNK Learning Commons opened with much fanfare in its permanent space in Fall 2011.

Phase 3: Reality

Library Resourcesand Services

TechnologyResources

AcademicSuccessServices

UNKLearning

Commons

Phase 3: Reality

• The UNK Learning Commons opened with much fanfare in its permanent space in Fall 2011.– Marketing pieces work to tie the programs

and the Library together.

Phase 3: Reality

Phase 3: Reality

Phase 3: Reality

Phase 3: Reality

• “BlueTube” video for prospective students

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV5BOut_yXE&feature=related

• “Louie the Loper Learns a Lot” for freshmen students

http://inbriefonline.wordpress.com/2011/09/21/louie-the-loper-learns-a-lot/ or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezAr4I9epeM

Phase 3: Reality

• The UNK Learning Commons opened with much fanfare in its permanent space in Fall 2011.– Marketing pieces work to tie the programs

and the Library together.– Several programs working together

• Peer Tutoring• Writing Center• Supplemental Instruction• First Year Student Peer Leaders

Keeping the Focus on Student Needs

• What is a Learning Commons?

• Phase 1: Vision

• Phase 2: Transition

• Phase 3: Reality

• The Future

The Future

• Further funding for furniture

• Assistive technology integrated throughout the Library

• Improved tracking of student use of services

The Future

• Gradual migration of other student services as more Library space is available

Shaded area shows proposed expansion space

Keeping the Focus on Student Needs