Resources

The Elementary School Learning Commons: A Manual

David V. Loertscher and Carol Koechlin; Learning Commons Press, 2015, ISBN: 1-933170-79-4.

Since the publication of The New Learning Commons Where Learners Win! 2nd ed. In 2011, both authors realized the need for a more practical guide to the transformation of the school library into the learning commons.

In this manual designed for elementary grades K-6, we have identified 12 important characteristics of the learning commons and then under each of those characteristics, we provide a number of activities designed to be used by librarians, other specialists in the school, administrators, and teachers to are trying to implement the LC concept. We provide the activity, resources, and a wide variety of short videos that will guide thinking and planning. And, because there is overlap of the topics within the 12 characteristics, we provide an index by topic, so that various activities can be compared and conversations, professional development, and planning can happen.

Since this book is a companion to The Secondary School Learning Commons: A Manual, the two books can be used in the same workshop with mixed grade levels. Each activity has a companion in the other volume but with resources and ideas that might be different for the various age and grade levels.

We think readers will find a plethora of ideas and resources that will fulfill many needs as the learning commons concept is planned and implemented.

The Secondary School Learning Commons: A Manual

David V. Loertscher and Carol Koechlin; Learning Commons Press, 2015, ISBN: 1-933170-80-8.

Since the publication of The New Learning Commons Where Learners Win! 2nd ed. In 2011, both authors realized the need for a more practical guide to the transformation of the school library into the learning commons.

In this manual designed for secondary grades 7-12, we have identified 12 important characteristics of the learning commons and then under each of those characteristics, we provide a number of activities designed to be used by librarians, other specialists in the school, administrators, and teachers to are trying to implement the LC concept. We provide the activity, resources, and a wide variety of short videos that will guide thinking and planning. And, because there is overlap of the topics within the 12 characteristics, we provide an index by topic, so that various activities can be compared and conversations, professional development, and planning can happen.

Since this book is a companion to The Elementary School Learning Commons: A Manual, the two books can be used in the same workshop with mixed grade levels. Each activity has a companion in the other volume but with resources and ideas that might be different for the various age and grade levels.

We think readers will find a plethora of ideas and resources that will fulfill many needs as the learning commons concept is planned and implemented.

The New Learning Commons Where Learners Win! Reinventing School Libraries and Computer Labs; 2nd Edition

David V. Loertscher, Carol Koechlin and Sandi Zwaan; ISBN: 978-1-933170-67-1; Hi Willow Research and Publsihing; 2011.

Originally published in 2008, the first edition of this book proposed a complete rethinking of the school library and computer lab in a 21st century school. After four years, the concepts of the Learning Commons have gained momentum across North America and in Australia. This second edition is rich in the further development of the concept and its implementation and draws upon many schools that have developed their programs and recreated their physical space and turned their library websites into virtual learning commons. For those who purchase the print edition, a Book2Cloud version is accessible. In this collaborative digital work, the many links to resources are live and readers can comment, add material and join with other readers in the discussion beyond what a static ebook version would have been. Every chapter has been totally revised and rethought to include the latest research in education, technology, and library science. The book also contains a new chapter concerning the building by students of their own personal learning environment. In this life0changing project, they learn to create their own portal into the world of the Internet, construct a personal learning network, and construct their own portfolio and public face on the Internet. Readers of the first edition will be pleased to encounter many more resources, ideas, experiences from the field, and a host of ideas from educational authorities around the world. And with the Book2Cloud edition, you can join in the conversation with the authors.

Building a Learning Commons

Carol Koechlin, Esther Rosenfeld, and David V. Loertscher; Hi Willow Research and Publishing; ISBN: 978-1-933170-59-6; 2010;

As a companion to The New School Learning Commons Where Learners Win!, this book is a planning guide for administrators and those interested in establishing a Learning Commons that reinvents the role of the school library and computer labs in the school. Chock full of checklists, planning forms, an organizational suggestions, this guide is a handy tool. It begins with a brief explanation of what a Learning Commons is and its role in total school improvement and then step by step goes through the aspects of program, physical facilities, changing technologies and ends with a variety of assessment tools to gauge progress. The appendices provide a number of handouts and other resources for planning teams. Teacher Librarians and Teacher Technologists contemplating the development of the Learning Commons should read the guide together and see that administrators have a copy as a prelude to assembling the leadership team of the Commons. As an additional help, take a look at another book linked to these two books: Learning Commons Treasury edited by Loertscher and Marcoux available from LMC Source. All three publications provide a wealth of information for the leadership team. Indispensable.

Beyond bird units! Thinking and Understanding in Information-Rich and Technology-Rich Environments Refresh Edition

David V. Loertscher, Carol Koechlin, and Sandi Zwaan; Hi Willow Research and Publishing; 2011; ISBN 978-1-933170-64-0; $35.00

Since the publication of the original best selling edition, the authors and users have discovered even more effective ways of constructing super learning experiences. Thus, every unit of study represented in the original volume has been updated and improved to demonstrate powerful ways of boosting thinking and learning through technology. The book provides 18 powerful instructional designs with examples across the disciplines and grade levels that can by used by teachers, Teacher Librarians, and Teacher Technologist to maximize both content knowledge and 21st Century Skills. At the conclusion of each learning experience, the authors demonstrate meta-cognitive strategies to probe what was learned and how future learning experiences can be improved. An essential tool for collaborative construction and assessment of learning!

The Virtual Learning Commons: Building a Participatory School learning Community

David V. Loertscher, Carol Koechlin, and Esther Rosenfeld; Learning Commons Press, an imprint of Hi Willow Research and Publishing; 2012; ISBN 978-1-933170-70-1

This book is a companion to and an extension of, The New Learning Commons Where Learners Win! 2nd edition, published in 2011. In that volume, we presented the idea that the school library and computer lab be merged into a single entity in the school, and that this new place be reinvented from the ground up in order to become a giant collaborative. In the past year, as we have watched Learning Commons develop around North America, we have discerned the need to elaborate on the virtual part of the Learning Commons that would replace the often bypassed school library website. Our contribution is brief by design. It is what we hope is just enough of a spark to get you, the reader’s. imagination going. In the first part, we lay out the foundational ideas of what a giant participatory Virtual Learning Commons could contribute to teaching and learning in the school. Then, using Google Sites as just one possible tool, we guide the reader to download our free template and get started. The last few chapters of the book deal with some of the important additional issues that are sure to come up as a school launches this grand experiment. We hope that the reader will be as excited by the possibilities as we are. Education across the world is changing, and we hope that the Virtual Learning Commons will be the vehicle to help both young people and adults learning to work in a global community. It is time to focus on building young people who are in charge of their own learning - a habit that will serve them their entire lives.

Co-teaching and Collaboration: How and Why Two Heads Are Better Than One

David V. Loertscher and Carol Koechlin, Editors; Teacher Librarian Press, 2015, ISBN: 978-1-61751-032--8.

From both a theoretical and research perspective, co-teaching is simply the most powerful foundational program element a Teacher Librarian can have to make a difference in teaching and learning. This collection of articles from Teacher Librarian bring together the power of co-teaching between Classroom Teachers and Teacher Librarians. Thus, this collection can serve as a conversational piece of professional development or the basis of explaining and working with a school faculty on this powerful tool and strategy. The collection begins with the eloquent theoretical background of co-teaching by Dr. Ross Todd and others, followed by a new and simple building level measure of co-teaching impact by David V. Loertscher, Keith Curry Lance, and others who have successfully measured the impact of co-teaching. In another section, various authors outline exemplary practices used by Teacher Librarians as they embed themselves in various aspects of learning experiences. Finally, there are a number of articles by Teacher Librarians reporting and showcasing their success in their schools and how they went about building their own track records. This essential collection, all in one handy volume is a treasury of the best thinking and practices as Teacher Librarians build a learning commons program and demonstrate their indispensability.

Free Posters dealing with Library Learning Commons Topics:

A number of posters can be downloaded and printed on a large printer or at a place like COSTCO.