Learning Commons Website Rationale

Final Vision Project Rationale - Blog Post #2

Learning Commons are the center for learning.  In order to have the learning easily accessible and equitable, it is important to have an online presence that benefits the learning needs of the school community.  It is important for the LC to have a user friendly, literacy rich, information rich, constructive, and meaningful website.

The following are some articles that mention the importance of a LC website:

• Joyce Valenza’s 2010 article, “School library websites Part 1: a tour of high school practice” in School Library Journal mentioned “a virtual library is an essential component of school library practice, and of a school’s learning culture.”  Retrieved from http://blogs.slj.com/neverendingsearch/2010/04/25/school-library-websites-part-1-a-tour-of-high-school-practice/

• National Library of New Zealand stated that a LC website “create[s] a virtual school library to engage readers and support learning with a dynamic website.”  Retrieved from https://natlib.govt.nz/schools/school-libraries/library-services-for-teaching-and-learning/your-school-library-online/creating-a-virtual-school-library

• Carl A. Harvey II’s mentioned on page 36 of his book, The 21^st-Century Elementary School Library Program: Managing for Results, that  “the website is also a great place to share what is happening in the school library…The possibilities are endless.”  Retrieved from https://books.google.ca/books?id=HhZDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA36&lpg=PA36&dq=why+create+online+school+library+website&source=bl&ots=UVK48cwl_F&sig=p7QFS_rtTKyD3cb02LKMmT8MGCM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjI0_mP8czXAhUF3GMKHZZGC6kQ6AEIYDAI#v=onepage&q=why%20create%20online%20school%20library%20website&f=false

Some other rationales for creating a Learning Commons website are that it:

• connects to BC’s new curriculum’s commitment to 21^st century learning, the changing world and personalized learning.

Retrieved from https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum-updates

• supports student learning since they can continue to learn outside of school hours and during holidays for flexible and personalized learning.  It is also an extension of the physical LC.  Teachers and parents can also easily have access to a virtual LC at anytime.

• meets the NCTE’s 21^st century framework goals of “develop proficiency and fluency with tools of technology” and “manage, analyse, and synthesize multiple streams of simultaneous information.”   Retrieved from http://www.ncte.org/governance/21stcenturyframework

• is one aspect of the  “virtual collaborative learning hub” on page 5 of Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada.  (2014).  Retrieved fromhttp://apsds.org/wp-content/uploads/Standards-of-Practice-for-SchoolLibrary-Learning-Commons-in-Canada-2014.pdf

• develops digital and information literacy as well as ICT skills.  Here is the link to the BC Government's Digital Literacy Framework for schools.  The following 2014 video, “Digital Literacy and Why it Matters” created by University of Derby shows the importance of digital literacy and can be retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2k3C-iB88w&t=35s

• allows students quick access to information and resources that they are accustomed to in their everyday lives

• is a reliable source to use for credible databases, resources, and links for literacy & inquiry needs