Knowledge-building, creativity and innovation, and honing of information management and literacy skills are key goals of the learning commons. The intentional teaching of these skills, as well as opportunities to utilize a variety of resources, technologies and spaces to support learning require collaboration and planning and thoughtful instructional design, as does the effective assessment of learning. Learners also need to ‘learn how to learn’ through deliberate design of opportunities to build metacognition of learning skills, process and content. It is essential to support both student and teacher growth and success in these areas.
| Themes | Growth Indicators | |||
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| Instructional Leadership How might we empower the school learning community around instructional practices and pedagogy? | Library Learning Commons (LLC) leadership team applies information literacy instruction to the design of resource based learning experiences. SEE IT IN ACTION | LLC leadership team works with teachers to apply information literacy instruction to the design of inquiry learning experiences. SEE IT IN ACTION | LLC leadership team works with teachers to understand and implement inquiry models to the design of excellent learning experiences. SEE IT IN ACTION | LLC leadership team empowers personalized professional learning of inquiry approaches. SEE IT IN ACTION |
| Instructional Partnerships How might we work collaboratively with the school learning community to develop engaging and effective learning experiences? | Teacher-librarian/LLC teacher and classroom teacher cooperatively plan instruction that enables learners to work effectively with information and ideas. SEE IT IN ACTION | Teacher-librarian/LLC teacher and classroom teacher cooperatively develop units of instruction that engage learners in inquiry learning. SEE IT IN ACTION | Teacher-librarians are active participants with all faculties in the design of guided inquiry to plan, teach, assess and reflect on effective learning experiences. SEE IT IN ACTION | Teacher-librarians foster student and teacher technological capacities and digital literacies. SEE IT IN ACTION |
| Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being (First Nation, Métis and Inuit Ways, Traditional Skills and Knowledge) How might we build student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy and mutual respect? | Students are provided with opportunities to connect with authentic Canadian Indigenous stories, literature, art and dance in the LLC. SEE IT IN ACTION | Students learn about Indigenous culture and respectfully apply Indigenous perspectives, ways of knowing and being in the LLC that go beyond residential schools, MMIWG and stereotypes. SEE IT IN ACTION | Students have opportunities to build allyship with Indigenous peoples in Canada through experiential learning in the LLC, specifically focusing on local, then pan-indigenous opportunities. SEE IT IN ACTION | Students have opportunities to reflect and be active participants in decolonizing action on Indigenous issues in Canada and make contributions to reconciliation through experiences in the LLC. SEE IT IN ACTION |
| Engaging with Inquiry Approaches How might we design learning experiences that offer students real-world relevance? | Learning experiences are designed to give students research experience. SEE IT IN ACTION | Learning experiences are designed to have real world context and relevance for students. SEE IT IN ACTION | Learning experiences are designed to engage students in choice of topics they care about. SEE IT IN ACTION | Learning experiences are co-designed and planned with students to empower real-world and relevant learning experiences. SEE IT IN ACTION |
| Inquiry Project Organization for Success How might we model and teach skills to manage time, information and resources in complex projects? | Students are provided with structured research and inquiry assignments and supported with information skills instruction during the process. SEE IT IN ACTION | Students follow an inquiry model and use prepared organizational tools to manage and analyze information and project flow. SEE IT IN ACTION | Students can plan their research steps and self-assess by mapping their own personal inquiry journey and setting goals for improvement. SEE IT IN ACTION | Students utilize digital tools and collaborative spaces to store and share resources and ongoing project work and presentations. SEE IT IN ACTION |
| STEAM /Maker Pedagogies How might the LLC support students in developing solutions to problems? | LLC has a makerspace or area for hands-on learning. SEE IT IN ACTION | Teacher-librarians/LLC teachers use provocations along with a makerspace to provide hands-on or experiential projects. SEE IT IN ACTION | Teacher-librarians co-design experiential projects with teachers and students to address real-life problems. SEE IT IN ACTION | Teacher-librarians lead the school and district in design thinking, and thoughtful and collaborative hands-on or experiential projects that address real life problems. SEE IT IN ACTION |
| Differentiated Learning How might we utilize LLC resources, technologies and spaces to deliver and support learning for all? | Learning experiences accommodate multiple learning approaches, needs and abilities. SEE IT IN ACTION | Learning experiences are supported by differentiated content. SEE IT IN ACTION | Learning experiences support differentiated learning approaches and processes. SEE IT IN ACTION | Learning experiences support the personalization of learning for all learners. SEE IT IN ACTION |
| Technology for Learning How might technology facilitate students' engagement with the world around them? | Students understand how to use technology for socializing, entertainment, basic productivity and information gathering. SEE IT IN ACTION | Students learn to use a variety of digital tools to critically curate a variety of resources, communicate learning, and interact with others. SEE IT IN ACTION | Students choose appropriate digital tools to broaden their perspectives, construct knowledge, create and communicate their learning. SEE IT IN ACTION | Students leverage the power of technology in the LLC to solve problems, create, read, respond and interact with others to build knowledge collaboratively, both locally and globally. SEE IT IN ACTION |
| Assessment for, of and as Learning How might students use assessment and metacognitive strategies in the LLC to improve their learning? | Students are guided through the learning experience and given feedback by instructors at critical stages in the inquiry/project process. SEE IT IN ACTION | Students self and peer assess throughout the inquiry/project process and set goals for improvement. SEE IT IN ACTION | Students engage in reflective strategies to ensure metacognition of content and process learning. SEE IT IN ACTION | Students understand inquiry learning and can articulate how the experience helps them grow as learners. SEE IT IN ACTION |
| Evidence-Based Practice How might we engage in life-long learning and contribute to educational and pedagogical scholarship? | Teacher-librarians/LLC teachers work with the LLC leadership team to review the LLC learning experiences and set goals for improvement. SEE IT IN ACTION | Teacher-librarians and teachers build and share their professional knowledge of approaches and environments to support inquiry learning and assess its effectiveness. SEE IT IN ACTION | Teacher-librarians intitiate collaborative action research with teachers to build best practice strategies and approaches to learning in the LLC and assess its effectiveness. SEE IT IN ACTION | Teacher-librarians contribute their knowledge of best practice results in their LLC to the broader education community. SEE IT IN ACTION |
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