The 21st century learning commons accommodates technology, allowing students to gather and learn around collaborative tables. With furniture that provides comfort and flexibility, it is easy for students to collaborate or work individually on projects. Mobile furniture on casters allow students and faculty to easily reconfigure the space.
From Media Centres to Learning Commons
A
lmost every school in Canada has an area in the school set aside for student personal study or research. It was originally called the school library, subsequently named the media centre. While advances in technology used in the schools has been going on for a number of years, these advances have finally led to a requirement for accelerated changes in these libraries and media centres – with many school districts deciding to convert
these areas to what is being called learning commons. Education wants to encourage active, project-based learning, and use online tools and other technology to deliver a more personalized education experience. These requirements have had a dramatic effect on how we think about the design and layout of these learning commons spaces and the nature of the furniture used within. Whereas historically the furniture in the libraries/ media centres consisted largely of book shelving and tables and chairs, the new re-
quirements are for a more informal range of furniture – with a dramatically increased emphasis on lounge furniture, intermixed with “face out” display shelving. Overall requirement for all the furniture is a requirement for areas of the room to be mobile and flexible, so that it can be reconfigured easily and quickly. Why are there these new requirements? Well, we are finding the students can learn in different ways. Some students would like to work in groups, with tables that are available in various configurable shapes. Another
A K-8 school learning commons that has seating within the shelving units to make it more tempting for students to want to pick up a book and read. All shelving and lounge is mobile for easy mobility and reconfiguration of the space.
54
Ops Talk • Spring 2017
