Ideall

y,A Virtual Learning Commons should be an

active and dynamic

extension of the Physical Learning

Commons.

Question: What does/should this mean?

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A VLC is: an active, interactive, dynamic, and collaborative learning space

an “instead of” or a replacement for a physical learning commons

http://bit.ly/1lEm

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p://bit.ly/1dux6ex Ged Carroll

http://bit.ly/NaWAIZ Unfortunate Bystander

Unfortunately and all too

often…this is what kind of extension it ends up becoming.

Why??? What needs to change?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/plugusin/8436966772/ William Ferriiter

http://www.flickr.com/photos/plugusin/9223386478/

Goals of a (Virtual) Learning Commons

• Innovation• Collaboration• Exploration• Critical

Thinking• Digital

Literacy• Multiple

Literacies

• Social versus Single Direction information

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/plugusin/8612735435/

http://bit.ly/1g81D6q zzpza

• A place for tools and tutorials including those created by staff and students

To Consider when Designing a VLC:

Student made video from Western Canada HS - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p219FyojYWg&feature=youtu.be

http://keelercommons.weebly.com/imovie.html#/

Tools/Tutorials

• Collaborative reading centers and initiatives in support of school improvement and literacy goals

http://bit.ly/1lMQ61Z Mark Hillary

Mission High School VLC http://bit.ly/1jmLTQT

Users post for others to view

• The center of school culture (showcase)• The virtual school yearbook• Collaborative construction of all kinds of lists,

projects, etc.

http://bit.ly/1m0u8ZB kjarrett

Professional development in the VLC

http://keelercommons.weebly.com/professional-development.html

• Connections to all types of libraries, system resources and community agencies

• Connection to an OPAC that is collaborative (i.e. CBE Library [Webcat] or CCSD’s Destiny)

• Connections to databases and other resources where everyone is helping find and recommend the best

LearnAlberta.ca & theOnline Reference Centre (ORC)

CORE Resources(Video, lessons, activities, games, etc.)

Current events (local, global, school and community based) and an area for commenting / engaging. Consider a news feed, Twitter feeds, school calendars, etc.

Activities that draw kids and adults to the VLC and LC and school

• Connections beyond the school to the community and on into the world

• Connections to experts of all kinds

• School-wide projects (inquiry)http://bit.ly/1aTIFRO Mishel Chirken

https://sites.google.com/site/stampedegrade4socialstudies/

• The center of the curriculum and teacher's learning activities and programs; courses, etc.

Items adapted from: http://www.schoollearningcommons.info/the-virtual-learning-commons

• Use of Collaborative tools and shared cloud computing

e.g. Google Apps for Education• Drive• Google Sites• Forms, Calendar, Groups• Spreadsheets, etc.

Can you think of other items/ideas/sections that would suit a VLC in your setting?

Question – who should be involved in the creation and maintenance of the VLC?

Answer – Many people!

Avoid bottlenecks and stagnant sites!

• Decide format as a team and then get individual(s) with know-how to execute design

• Have more than one person with access for updates • Include many spaces where students can post and

participate (i.e. forums, wikis, blogs, etc.).• Have students create content and take ownership too

Avoid

Foster

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Digital and Information

Literacy

Digital Citizenship

Research Skills

Literacy & Numeracy Competencies

http://bit.ly/1buOlwH Doug Belshaw

Necessary Skills…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/plugusin/8612729409/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/plugusin/5696272136/ William Ferriter

Digital Curation

i.e. Scoop.it! or Pinterest

http://www.flickr.com/photos/plugusin/9207086067/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/plugusin/11410157813/

Discuss…. Ponder…

• What can you do next?

• What are you already doing?

• What needs tweaking?

• First steps?

http://bit.ly/1iAq5xG lovelorn poet

Resources

Presented by:

Erin Hansen & Dan Tinaburri

Twitter: @hansenep @geekteacher

Resource Website: http://uncommonlearningcommons.weebly.com/

• Most ideas presented are in alignment with/adapted from Loertscher, Koechlin, Zwaan & Rosenfeld: http://www.schoollearningcommons.info http://www.schoollearningcommons.info/the-virtual-learning-commons

• and Gino Bondi, VSB District Principal of Specialty Programs http://learningthenow.com/blog/?p=2222