Pre-Conference Workshop - Success With Assessment

This half-day workshop will review practical approaches to assessment that can be applied successfully in different library settings and organizational structures. Examples will be drawn from different types of libraries and show how libraries can effectively demonstrate and document the value they add to their communities.

Read full description - Steve's slides

Conference Sessions

Downloads: Complete Program | Conference Schedule | Conference Sessions | Presenter Bios

Monday, June 9 2008

Student Engagement: Our Key to Success?
David Kilfoil

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) has become a key measure of how undergraduate students spend their time and what they gain from attending university, and the ways institutions allocate resources and organize learning opportunities and services. Based on NSSE data, a recent study concludes that student engagement has a positive influence on student outcomes as measured by grades, and improves student retention. We can use NSSE data to target opportunities to improve learning on our campuses.

David's slides

The Writing Centre in the Commons
Richard Spacek and David Matthias

Increasingly, writing centres are becoming part of the emerging Learning Commons model. This session will present the experience of writing centres from the Atlantic region in working within the new model of student service delivery, exploring both the advantages and the challenges.

Richard's slides - David's slides

Building Bridges: Collaborations at the Heart of the Learning Commons
Lesley Beckett Balcom and Elaine Fairey

The university or college library is often the most visible partner in learning commons models, offering reputation, real estate, and infrastructure to the enterprise. As with all good bridges, the collaborations at the heart of the learning commons flow both ways and the library has much to gain from understanding the service cultures and practices of its learning commons partners. Lesley Balcom (UNB) and Elaine Fairey (SFU) will describe the learning curve for themselves and their libraries as their learning commons have developed and evolved. Whether you are a librarian - or now find yourself working closely with librarians - this session aims to address your questions about the responsibilities, opportunities, and challenges of collaborative services in the Learning Commons.

Lesley and Elaine's slides

Recipe for Success: ITS/Library Collaboration in the Learning Commons
Janice El-Bayoumi and Edward Hayden

What are the ingredients that went into the successful collaboration between the Harriet Irving Library and Integrated Technology Services at the Learning Commons? The collaboration has produced a WIN – WIN – WIN service for students, the Library and ITS. How do we propose to keep the collaboration successful and fresh? This presentation will include the perspective of ITS management as well as from a student who actually provides the service.

Janice and Edward's slides

Idea Swap

Attendees with a common interest in any of these general topics are invited to gather for an informal sharing of ideas and information: Promotion and Marketing, Community Colleges, Information Technology, Student Services, Libraries, and Curriculum Integration Strategies for Learning Commons Services. Please indicate your interest using the sign-up sheets at the Registration Desk by 1:00 pm on Monday, June 9th)

Tuesday, June 10 2008

Adversity, Advocacy, Accessibility
Jill Davies, Patricia Kirby and Shawn Pendergast

Although Learning Commons are well poised to provide an effectual learning environment for students with disabilities, how well do we understand what these students need in order to succeed at university? What are their unique strengths and motivations? Are we working as well as we could within our institutions in helping these students achieve their goals? In this session, panelists from three Atlantic Canadian universities will explore some of the challenges faced by students with disabilities and consider how universities and Learning Commons can help provide the technology, support and training needed for success at university and beyond.

Jill's slides - Patricia's slides - Shawn's slides

Learning Commons Views Across Culture: Common to Whom?
Keith Dewar

Learning Commons and related attempts to design better systems for learners is a challenging and fast moving area of study. New tools and designs are offering new and exciting physical and virtual places for the learner to visit. Much of the design and management of Commons has been done with a western eye and western students in mind, but what do learners from developing countries and other cultures think of the grand designs? This presentation will look at the reaction and thoughts of these students when first confronted by a Learning Commons and whether designers should take a more global approach.

Keith's slides

An Architect, a Designer and a Librarian Walk into a Learning Commons...
Brian Irwin, Bill Mitchell and MaryAnn Stevens

Learning Commons have become a well-entrenched concept in colleges and universities world-wide, and a must-have space for any library. With hundreds of Commons projects on the ground, libraries planning their own "collaborative learning environments" have a wealth of collective experience to draw from. In this session, panelists from the worlds of architecture and interior design will discuss what lessons have been learned so far, looking at new and traditional spatial paradigms, ergonomic furnishings, and exploring ways to keep Commons spaces fresh and effective.

Brian's slides - Bill's handout - MaryAnn's slides

A VLC in Your Future?
Mark Leggott

Learning Commons facilities are popular campus projects that can benefit from the development of associated Virtual Learning Commons, or VLCs. A VLC provides resources and services to the mobile and/or distributed user that match those available in the physical learning commons. This could include reference and technical support, document conversion and delivery, meeting supports and the provision of ubiquitous wireless and power. This presentation will discuss UPEI’s approach to VLCs and general advantages of VLCs.

Mark's slides

Canadian Learning Commons Network Proposal:

Please join us for a discussion on forming a national organization to create a network that would bring together individuals from across Canada involved in developing, sustaining, and/or evolving a "learning commons" in a higher educational setting. The discussion will be led by Elaine Fairey (SFU), Simon Neame (UBC) and Nancy Schmidt (U of G).

In preparation for the discussion please have a look at the Canadian Learning Commons Network Proposal.