This document discusses the concept of a Virtual Learning Commons (VLC), which aims to transform a traditional library website into an online participatory community. It provides examples of different components a VLC could include, such as an Information Center with useful tools and links, a Literacy Center for reading and writing resources, and a Knowledge Building Center for sharing project work and collaborating. The document emphasizes fostering stakeholder participation and collaboration to support learning both in and out of the classroom through a VLC. It also shares examples of existing VLC implementations and platforms that can be used to create a VLC.

1. Virtual
Learning
Commons
Dr. Holly Weimar
and
Dr. Karin Perry
Sam Houston State University

3. The PowerPoint, examples,
and tools we’ll talk about
today will be available to you
at the end of this
presentation.
DON’T cramp your hand
taking notes.

4. How many of you
have heard of
David Loertscher's
Virtual Learning
Commons?

6. So, how is a Virtual
Learning Commons
different from a
traditional library
website?

7. In order to make the shift from library
website to Virtual Learning Commons, a
sense of community needs to be
fostered and developed among
all stakeholders.
With the advent of new technologies that
allow for the real-time participation and
collaboration of users in an online
community, the opportunity presents itself
for the VLC to become the 'infrastructure'
of the school (Loertscher & Koechlin, 2012),
to transform itself from informational
website to participative community.

8. Teachers’
Participation,
Creation, &
Learning
IT:Access Administration Professional
Participating Platform
Library
Teachers:
Professional
Learning
Environment
Teachers:
Assignments

9. Students’
Participation,
Creation, &
Learning
IT:Access AdministrationProfessional
Participating Platform
Library
Teachers:
Professional
Learning
Environment
Teachers:
Assignments
Learners:
Showcase
Learners:
Collaboration

10. Stakeholders’
Participation,
Creation, &
Learning
IT:Access AdministrationProfessional
Participating Platform
Library
Teachers:
Professional
Learning
Environment
Teachers:
Assignments
Learners:
Showcase
Learners:
Collaboration
Clubs:
Book,
etc.
PTA / PTO
Volunteers
Reading:
Sharing and
Support
Create, Build,
and Share
Tutorials
Digital
Citizenship,
Team
Membership,
Choice,
Engagement

11. • Dr. Weimar and Dr. Perry created a survey
using SurveyMonkey.
• We posted the survey link to the SHSU
Library Student Listserv, TLC, LM_Net,
Facebook, and Twitter.
• We received 200 responses.
How did we come up with the examples
for this presentation?

12. What would your ideal virtual
presence look like?
What should it contain?
What should
teachers/students/parents have
access to?
Turn and Talk

13. Why should you provide a Virtual
Learning Commons for your
teachers/students/parents?
• We need to encourage collaboration to prepare
students for the future.
• We need to make learning accessible in order to
provide for “on-the-fly learning” and transform
students into self-starters. (Remember what
Nicole Cruz said yesterday about what her
former student told her he wished he’d known
before going to college?)

14. The Five Main
Portals of the Virtual
Learning Commons

16. The Information Center
The Literacy Center
The Knowledge Building Center
The Experimental Learning Center
School Culture

17. The Information Center
• The landing page.
• Links users to useful tools.
• Features a “hook” in the center of the page to
draw users to the entire site. (photo slideshow,
club info, screencast tutorials, links to blog,
Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking
sites)
• Calendar of events or for teachers to reserve
space/equipment.

19. Virtual tours don’t have to be that
fancy. Here is another example of
what you can do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h
Mcf7iBI8hY&index=1&list=PL67E5355A0F
B59304

27. The Literacy Center
• The place for all things reading, writing, speaking, and listening
• Digital and In-person Book Club information
• Writing Club information
• Book trailers
• Book reviews (from both students and teachers)
• App recommendations
• YouTube Channel (from both students and teachers)
• Website recommentations

47. The Knowledge Building Center
• Personal Learning Networks – hobbies, personal interests,
organizations (causes people are passionate about),
informational learning
• Resources for units of study
• The learning experiences featured here can be done in a
variety of learning environments including Moodle projects,
projects done in content management systems, technological
learning spaces, or face to face projects with the organization
done in digital space.
• Examples of successful projects

51. What is missing from these examples?
The Collaborative Learning Experiences. It is
difficult to find examples of a true Knowledge
Building Center.
In addition to Project Resources, you need to
provide:
Calendars
Student work space
Information about assessment
A place for them to communicate
An area for reflection
How can this be accomplished? TURN AND TALK

52. The Experimental Learning Center
• Educational technology information. Tips,
tutorials, guides, resources
• The home of the student technology group that
tests out and teaches a wide variety of Web 2.0
tools to adults and students around the school
• Current school-wide focus issues: calendars,
progress reports, plans, action research projects
• Project progress plans

53. Irving Middle School Annual Report
Norman High School Annual Reports
Flyer Library October/November Monthly
Report

54. High School School Tech Team

56. School Culture
• A living school yearbook; the place that draws
in students, teachers, administrators and even
parents. It is the exhibition space of individuals
and groups connected to the school
• Events, assemblies, interviews, celebrations,
contests, candid camera shots, sports,
concerts

65. Closest Example of True VLC
https://sites.google.com/site/loyolaschoolvlc/

66. http://thelibrarianslocker.com/video-tutorials/

67. Google Sites (FREE)
Haiku Learning (individual teachers can have a
FREE account)
LibGuides
Blackboard Engage (formerly School Fusion and
Edline)
Platforms to use for Virtual Learning
Commons

68. What the librarians want if there
were NO obstacles.
• Ebooks and a budget for titles (Overdrive??)
• Interactive website that students actual use
• Individual school library websites and NOT just one for district
• Flexible website and NOT the canned site set by the district
• Ability to update the website
• Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Blog (basically social media)
• Fewer blocked websites
• BYOD or 1:1 mobile devices
• Library’s website prominently displayed on the school’s website
• Ability to share photos of students, teachers, projects, and
school events
• Easy-to-remember URL
• Live, embedded video and/or chat functionality. (Ask a
Librarian https://chat.zoho.com)

69. Where are you going to start?
What is something you’ll be able to
accomplish next year?
If you’ve already started, what are
you going to add?
Turn and Talk

70. To download or view the
PowerPoint, please visit
http://slideshare.net/karinlibraria
n
To access all the links used in
today’s presentation (and even
more resources) go to
https://www.smore.com/1kem9

71.  American Association of School Librarians. (2007).
Standards for the 21st-Century learner. Retrieved
from http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards.
 Kajder, S. (2010). Adolescents and digital literacies:
Learning alongside our students. National Council
of Teachers of English.
 Loertscher, D. V., & Koechlin, C. (2012, October).
The Virtual Learning Commons and school
improvement. Teacher Librarian (39)6. pp. 20-24.
 Loertscher, D. V., Koechlin, C., & Rosenfeld, E.
(2012). The Virtual Learning Commons: Building a
participatory school learning community. Learning
Commons Press.
References: