Standard: Cultivating Effective Instructional Design to Co-plan, Teach and Assess Learning.
Theme: STEAM /Maker Pedagogies
Growth Phase: Leading
Growth Indicator: Teacher-librarians lead the school and district in design thinking, and thoughtful and collaborative hands-on or experiential projects that address real life problems.
The Heritage Christian School Online (HCOS) Learning Commons, British Columbia, supports the British Columbia curriculum “critical and reflective thinking core competency” through STEAM activities that embrace design thinking challenges and inquiry opportunities K-9. Includes STEAM virtual book clubs and workshops, coding subscriptions, Maker Ed sessions and recommended STEAM reads.
Heritage Christian Online School (HCOS). (2023). STEAM Integration. Heritage Christian School Online (HCOS) Learning Commons. Retrieved from https://hcslearningcommons.org/steam-integration/
In this article the author presents a variety of unique maker projects and tools that enhance a student’s ability to make personalized artifacts to best convey their message or discoveries, illustrating how empowering learners with options to showcase what they have learned and feel is important.
Schuermann, K. (2023, March 5). Making Media: Building Learner Agency in the LLC through Maker Education. Canadian School Libraries Journal 7 (1). Retrieved from https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/making-media-building-learner-agency-in-the-llc-through-maker-education/
A teacher-librarian in Ontario shares her journey in developing the LLC in her school and then discussing how to foster a maker culture in a school through collaborative partnerships. Includes photos, video, examples of student projects, references.
Roucaud, V. (2024, March 14). Building a maker culture in a library learning commons. Canadian School Library Journal 8 (1). https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/building-a-maker-culture-in-a-library-learning-commons/
In this paper a Toronto District School Board teacher-librarian (K-6) reflects on the following question: “How can STEAM/STEAM stations, experiential learning, and Makerspace based projects enhance students’ sense of belonging, well-being and engagement in a (K-6) Library Learning Commons and beyond?” How can a “boomerang effect” be created from classroom to LLC, and LLC back to the classroom? She shares what S.T.E.A.M in an LLC consists of and how it enhances student engagement, examines literature and data that reflects findings around these overarching questions, and unpacks and explores ways to ensure this valuable learning is taking place inside and outside of LLC partnerships. Includes student “street data” around STEAM/experiential learning and well-being collected through Google surveys sent out to the student population.
Roucaud, V. (2025). Increasing student engagement and well-being through STEAM in the LLC and beyond. Paper presented at the Treasure Mountain Canada 8 Symposium, Toronto, Canada. https://researcharchive.canadianschoollibraries.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/TMC8_2025_Roucaud.pdf
In this paper, a teacher-librarian in Ontario outlines the implementation of modern learning models in school library learning commons (LLC) to help students become innovative problem solvers and changemakers. Exploring three key educational approaches—Inquiry, Engineering Design Process, and Design Thinking— the author emphasizes the effectiveness in promoting student agency, collaboration, and real-world problem-solving, using specific examples in action, to showcase the positive impact on student engagement and learning outcomes.
Schuermann, K. (2025). Helping learners build innovative solutions in the LLC. Paper presented at the Treasure Mountain Canada 8 Symposium, Toronto, Canada. https://researcharchive.canadianschoollibraries.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/TMC8_2025_Schuermann.pdf