Learning and Teaching in the Information Commons - Jamie Wood

Learning and Teaching in the Information Commons Jamie Wood, LDRA, Information Literacy, CILASS

Structure
CILASS; CILASS spaces; IC
Opinions on CILASS spaces
Teaching in CILASS spaces
Learning in the IC
Academic services in the IC

CILASS – Centre for Inquiry-based Learning in the Arts and Social Sciences
CETL awarded to the University by HEFCE in 2005
Awarded £4.5M for 5 years of reward/ development activity and capital investment
Aim: to enhance the student learning experience by embedding inquiry at its heart in core faculties
‘ Modelling the process of research within the student learning experience’
1 of key strands is developing students’ Information Literacy skills

Bart olomé House
Further £350K awarded by HEFCE in 2006
Used to create a technology-rich collaboratory
JISC video
Test-bed for CILASS spaces in IC and others

Information Commons & CILASS
CILASS invested £1.83M in creating CILASS spaces in the IC
Spaces designed specifically to support collaborative, student-led inquiry in core CILASS disciplines
‘ Inquiry collaboratories’ (classrooms conceived as research environments) offer access to a wide variety of technologies as an integral part of the learning and teaching experience
Other features: ‘soft’ spaces and small-group rooms for informal use by students

A Comparison

Students
CILASS rules! What an environment!
CILASS room fantastic - technology here was really great, made it far more interesting than other seminars.
We were so lucky to use the CILASS technology. Learning has finally come into the 21st century. The new technology has opened my eyes to exciting new ways to examine literary texts.
I think it’s a fantastic space and it’s very well set up, with a lot of flexibility.
The experience has boosted my confidence and I’m very pleased that I was brave enough to take on the challenge of learning how to use all this new equipment and experimenting in new teaching methods. It’s been a learning process for both me and the students!
It has enabled me to do better things I was doing in less suitable accommodation.
I wish facilities like the Collaboratory were more widely available throughout the University.
Staff Opinions on collaboratories

Teaching – Bart olomé House
Roots-Routes
Students undertook collaborative inquiries into the novel Roots from 8 different perspectives
Library input
Positive feedback
Student: ‘Fantastic! I love the CILASS room’
Staff evaluation: ‘flexibility and technology-rich nature of the learning space were felt to have enhanced collaborative inquiry’

Teaching – Information Commons
Understanding Law 2
New CILASS funded module
250 students worked independently to complete an online workbook and a learning journal
Students also worked in 45 groups to research 1 aspect of the law and create a multi-media resource (film, podcast, powerpoint)
Resource shared with students, staff, and visiting professionals at a 'Celebration of Learning' in IC

Learning – Information Commons
Likes
Colour; views
Space
Quiet
Never too busy
Relaxed; approachable
New; modern; shiny
Sofas; cosy
Computers; resources
Dislikes
Noisy
Too busy
Lighting
Too casual
Not enough quiet spaces
Needs more books
Some opinions
Activities: revision; research; facebook

Academic Services in the Information Commons
Working with IC manager and CiCs on L & T in the IC. Ideas include:
Surgeries
Enquiry Service
Subject Days
New ideas for induction – tours, podcasts
Tying into academic modules
Use of IC spaces as a whole, including CILASS and classrooms so that students can learn more about various facilities/ services that are available to them

Thanks!
To find out more about CILASS: http://www.shef.ac.uk/cilass/home.html
To contact me: [email_address]

Learning and Teaching in the Information Commons - Jamie Wood

by cilass.slideshare on Jan 19, 2009

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Learning and Teaching in the Information Commons - Jamie Wood — Presentation Transcript