From media centres to learning commons

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.

Almost 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 requirements 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.

A K-8 school learning commons that wanted the lounge to be the focal point of the space. Curved bright mobile shelving with books facing forward really make this space fun. A multicultural secondary school updated a traditional library into a 21st century learning commons. The new space encourages access to technology and offers sitting and standing-height workspace.

group may prefer to work at standing-height work surfaces – as research is increasingly showing that there are real benefits for students to be working in a standing position, or using “perching” stools. Still others would prefer to be seated on soft seating or loungetype furniture.

Obviously, a key type of furniture being required today is lounge furniture, furniture that is comfy and durable – where students can hang out. This lounge furniture should be available in various shapes and include sofas, side chairs (some with tablet arms), and ottomans.

Along with the lounge furniture, there is an increasing demand for much of the furniture to have power available, power that is integrated into furniture itself. This is particularly important for the lounge furniture.

As you will no doubt be aware, many of the products that are needed to meet these new requirements have not been previously available. Schoolhouse Products, as one of the leading suppliers of furniture for the education market, has had to work with a group of existing and new suppliers to help develop the products necessary to meet these new requirements.

For example, one of the key requirements in these new facilities has been the need to bring power to all areas of the renewed space. While this can often be done relatively easily, it is often difficult to provide power to spaces within existing buildings that are often 50 to 60 years old – when the spaces being renewed were not designed to support modern power needs. So we have found or helped work with our suppliers in providing tables and lounge furniture with built-in power, or power towers that can be placed within the room. We even have a supplier that provides mobile tables with a built-in battery – you can place it anywhere in the room during the day (and recharge the battery at night, so it will be ready for the next day classes).

Obviously, the solution to convert an existing space to a modern learning commons is not prepackaged – every space is different. To help ensure that the schools we are working with get the best solutions, Schoolhouse Products has a team of designers available to work with the designated school personnel to come up with appropriate solutions. As noted previously, we have found manufacturers with a wide range of creative products, products that if used properly, can transform and enhance a new or existing space into a true 21st century learning commons. n

For more information on 21st century learning commons, please do not hesitate to contact our B.C. representative.

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Call Tricia Thomas - (604) 562-6650 Toll-Free: 866-962-6650 www.schoolhouseproducts.com •

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