University of Maryland 11/2/04 Collaborative Learning Spaces: Information Commons & Beyond Barbara I. Dewey University of Tennessee

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Presentation Summary  Information Commons spaces and their evolution  21 st century students and faculty  Next generation virtual and physical spaces  What’s next in “information commons” development

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Origin of Information Commons Commons refers to the communal open spaces in England and their transfer to private ownership in the 18 th century as a metaphor for the threats to freedom of information currently. Bollier, D. Why we must talk about the information commons.” Law Library Journal. Spring 2004.

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Information Commons Spaces- Characteristics  Clusters of computers  Staffing  Mixture of content/technical assistance  Multiple Use – Classrooms, Group Areas  Multimedia Lab Areas  Located in academic spaces, libraries

University of Maryland 11/2/04 ARL Information Commons Survey SPEC Kit by Haas and Robertson (2004)  74 of 123 ARL Libraries responded  30% or 22 report having an information commons in their library  Began in early 1990s  Of the 22 45% primary driving force was decision by library administration

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Net Geners or Millenials “Born Between 1982 and 2000, these students…tend to be experiential learners who are comfortable in groups and who learn better in active and social environments.” “The Key to Competitiveness: Understanding the Next Generation Learner.” AASCU.EDUCAUSE.MICROSOFT

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Net Generation Students “Nearly three-quarters (73%) of college students say they use the Internet more than the library, while only 9% say they use the library more…for information searching” Jones, S. The Internet Goes to College. Pew “…they expect their learning experiences to be enhanced by technology” Understanding the Next Generation Learner

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Additional Characteristics  More internet, less TV  Social, connected  Trial and error approaches  “How do I build it…”  Diverse

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Learning is encouraged when it is…  active  contextual  engaged  locally owned  social

University of Maryland 11/2/04 This entails…  debate  research  study abroad  interdisciplinary study  progressively challenging  intense focus  quiet deliberation  problem solving  assessing alternatives

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Students want…  variety of physical spaces – social, quiet for individual study, group study  to work in a space separate from their dorm or apartment  Spaces equipped appropriately for computers  Fully loaded workstations for multitasking  Food/drinks nearby

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Students/Faculty as Co-creators in the Learning Process  Learner assumes responsibility  Reflective portfolio  Self-critique  Reading logs, content summaries  Public review  Create with diverse media

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Faculty want…  discipline-based approaches for content and technology vary but more want “digital”  production facilities  scholarly publishing and teaching w/technology that will count for promotion & tenure  easy to use systems, facilities  to work from their offices/labs and want service to those locations

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Administrators want…  economical and sustainable facilities  to recruit high end students/faculty  to avoid duplication so collaboration is key  stability and facilities that stand the test of time  proof of success (assessment)

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Emerging Factors  Wireless settings  Need for flexibility  High impact facilities for recruitment  Team or cased-based pedagogy  Multiuse space (jazz in the commons)  Desire for integration of content and services in research and teaching  Information management tools more critical  Self archiving and knowledge creation capabilities

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Mapping to design principles: by learning theory

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Active  Able to support brainstorming, doodling, play  Enables interaction with team mates, consultants, clients, critics, others (live or via telecom)  Use technology to facilitate discussion in the space, as well as outside  Maximize the ability of faculty to get into the social space of every student participant

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Contextual  Room users should be able to give presentation drawing on a variety of resources  Support nomadic learning activities with adequate space  Provide access to student work space

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Learner centered  Accommodation of stuff students bring with them (backpacks, laptops, coats, etc.)  A full range of materials must be accommodated  Make technology as transparent as possible

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Engaged  No hiding places for students  Enables use of all appropriate tools to do the job  Ability to capture things that happen in the room

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Social  Ability to create community  The space should allow for small group (several students, one computer) and individual work (one student, one computer).  Promote educational interaction between students of different cohorts

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Information Commons & Beyond  Technology-enabled classrooms  Technology-rich social spaces  Information commons  Multi-media production studios  Experimental spaces

University of Maryland 11/2/04

Dickinson College’s Waidner-Spaher Library Features a collaborative classroom for up to 24 students (below left) and a commons area with 16 individual work stations (below right)

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Wellesley College’s Knapp Media & Technology Center (includes TV studio)

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Vassar’s Media Cloisters Vassar’s Media Cloisters The Cloisters serves as the "public sphere" for networked interaction, the gathering place for students, professors, and librarians engaged in planning, evaluating, and reviewing the efforts of research and study utilizing the whole range of technologies of literacy. In this way, the Cloisters channels flows of research, learning and teaching between the increasingly networked world of the library and the intimacy and engagementof our classrooms and other campus spaces. In the Cloisters, course development, class-based projects, and research necessarily become communal, interactive processes, engaging colleagues, students, information specialists, and a networked world of like-minded scholars, artists and media practitioners in active "programming" and explorations.

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Vassar’s Media Cloisters can be used for digital video, digital imaging, 3D rendering and animation, complex 2D animation, dynamic and database driven web development.

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Staff Collaboration Vassar’s Media Cloisters Projects are communal efforts, involving students, faculty, information technologists, artists, and a range of scholars.

University of Maryland 11/2/04 University of Oregon Knight Library Information Technology Center and Science Library Information Technology Center

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Delivering Content and Services: Facilities for Students and Faculty with Disabilities Oregon State University’s Information Commons

University of Maryland 11/2/04 U. Toronto’s Information Commons U. Toronto’s Information Commons Vision Statement: “The Information Commons enables and facilitates access to information resources through technology to strengthen teaching, learning and research at the University of Toronto.” “The Information Commons enables and facilitates access to information resources through technology to strengthen teaching, learning and research at the University of Toronto.”

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Toronto’s Information Commons  New Media Suites  Digital Studio  Public Access Facility

University of Maryland 11/2/04 U. of Arizona’s Integrated Learning Center includes classrooms, a freshman center, digital media resource center, and auditoriums.

University of Maryland 11/2/04 U. Georgia’s Student Learning Center

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Delivering Content and Services: Spaces to Facilitate Student Collaboration University of Georgia’s Student Learning Center Student Learning Center

University of Maryland 11/2/04

Delivering Content and Services: Spaces to Facilitate Student Collaboration University of Washington’s Collaboration “Pods”

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Delivering Content and Services: Individual Work Stations University of Washington Libraries Media Center and Digital Audio Workstation Media Center and Digital Audio Workstation

University of Maryland 11/2/04 U. of Tennessee’s Digital Media Service “The Office of Research and Information Technology (ORIT) and the UT Libraries have joined to create the Digital Media Service (DMS).” UT Libraries have joined to create the Digital Media Service (DMS).” “The goal of DMS is to become the "one-stop shop" for digital media needs on campus. The primary role of DMS is digitization, storage, and delivery of audio, video, images, and text. DMS also assists customers in securing copyright permissions and offers referrals to related media production and technology services.”

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Production Area

University of Maryland 11/2/04

Delivering Content and Services: Spaces to Facilitate Student Collaboration University of Chicago’s USITE Crerar Center Collaboration Booths and Floor Plan

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Delivering Content and Services: Centers for Instructional and Faculty Development University of Arizona Learning Technologies Center  Assessment Planning  Creative Imaging  Conference Planning  Grant Support  Instructional Design  Technical Troubleshooting

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Centers for Instructional and Faculty Development Northwestern University’s 2East

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Northwestern University Academic Technologies: Facilitating Faculty Projects

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Collaborative Facilities Web Site: A project of CNI and Dartmouth College

University of Maryland 11/2/04

Saha’s Portal “…a portal is a single integrated point of comprehensive, ubiquitous, and useful access to information (data) applications, and people”

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Entrée into Virtual Spaces  Stargates and portals  Integrated with “information commons”  Extensions of “information commons”  Virtual “information commons” with e- content and virtual services (locally owned and remote  Emerging social computing capabilities and applications  Emerging discipline-based cyberinfrastructure with high end computing application

University of Maryland 11/2/04 The Problem with Portals UT LibQual Findings (2004) Weaknesses/Strengths  Web site enabling patrons to locate information on their own  Easy-to-use access tools that allow users to find things on their own  Employees who have knowledge to answer user questions  Good community space for group learning  Comfortable and inviting  Positive as a gateway for study, learning, research

University of Maryland 11/2/04

Portal Services  Content management  Applications collaboration  Access and integration  Presentation  Systems management  Institutional and self archiving  Personalization (MyPortal concept)

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Institutional Portal “a layer which aggregates, integrates, personalizes and presents information, transactions and applications to the user according to their role and preferences” Dolphin, Miller, Sherratt

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Subject Portals  Customizable home pages driven by a single secure log in  Ability to share information and communicate across the community that is using the hub  Transparent access to wide range of high- quality information deemed to be of relevance  Ease of use and ubiquitous availability  Access to information located in disparate locations

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Institutional Portals - Services  Transparent logins  Mapping access rights presenting seamless access to user  Personalization of the content for display and the manner of display  Personalization within applications available on a portal  Integration with virtual learning environments

University of Maryland 11/2/04

What’s beyond…  Integration of more social computing applications  Cyberinfrastructure, virtual lab, high end computing and simulation/interactive environments w/deep content  “Pushing” content with mgmt. tools  Find the next social or cybercafe environment, academic salon  Addressing mobility and informal learning in creative ways  Virtual “information commons” – collaboration between institutions

University of Maryland 11/2/04 Collaborative Learning Spaces: Information Commons & Beyond Barbara I. Dewey University of Tennessee