Learning  Commons  Grant  Application,  22  May  2012   Page  1    

 

Guiding  Principles  for  the  Learning  Commons    Grant  Program  

School  library  programs  require  a  grand  conversation  and  a  re-­‐design  process  to  which  everyone  contributes  in  order  to  construct  what  will  work,  to  be  an  educational  community  where  everyone  has  ownership  of  the  new  space,  where  active  and  engaged  learning  for  all  members  of  the  community  is  the  central  tenet.    (Moira  Ekdahl:    “YSL  3:  Designing  the  Future”)  

What  does  this  vision  of  the  Learning  Commons  look  like?    

The  Learning  Commons  Grant  program  provides  an  opportunity  for  educators  to  work  together  to  create  a  physical  and  virtual  space  to  provide  optimal  teaching  and  learning  experiences  for  their  students.    

The  following  questions  may  help  guide  your  conversation  as  you  consider  a  Learning  Commons  grant  application  for  your  school:  

• Where  are  we  now  in  our  school  library  program,  and  what  would  we  like  our  Learning  Commons  to  be  like?    • How  can  we  work  together  to  envision  and  design  this  physical  and  virtual  space?    • What  specific  steps  do  we  have  to  take  to  realize  our  vision?  • How  will  we  promote  and  extend  our  vision  to  reach  all  members  of  the  school  community?  

 

Some  initial  considerations:    

• Does  your  school  community’s  vision  for  the  Learning  Commons  project  connect  to  existing  practices  already  embedded  in  the  school?    

• Is  your  school  community  ready  to  engage  with  critical  questions,  such  as:   What  instructional  innovations  have  the  greatest  impact  on  student  engagement  and  learning?       What  conditions  allow  students  to  gain  a  greater  sense  of  ownership  of  their  learning?   How  might  learning  activities  which  integrate  technology  engage  and  sustain  students  in  learning?  

• Do  you  have  a  core  team,  which  may  include  teachers,  administrators,  the  tech  facilitator,  and  the  teacher-­‐librarian,  who  can  make  an  ongoing  commitment  to  this  project?      

• Is  your  team  committed  to  promoting  a  collaborative  culture  –  one  that  opens  the  doors  to  the  Learning  Commons  and  invites  colleagues  in  to  learn  together  about  what  sustains  and  engages  students  in  their  learning?  

 • Have  you,  as  a  school  community,  considered  the  ramifications  of  sharing  the  digital  devices  provided  by  the  

grant  program?    Considered  the  most  effective  deployment  of  the  equipment  within  the  Learning  Commons  itself?  

       What  is  included  in  the  Grant?  

Staff  Development  Features:  

• Release  time  for  Teacher-­‐Librarians  for  ongoing  professional  development  • Support  from  District  Helping  Teachers,  Education  Services  

Learning  Commons  Grant  Application,  22  May  2012   Page  2    

Learning  Commons  Features:  

Elementary  Sites   Secondary  Sites  

•   iPad  cart  with  class  set  of  30  iPads(with  cases)   •   iPad  cart  with  class  set  of  30  iPads(with  cases)  

•   Projector  or  TV  (55”)  with  Apple  TV   •   Projector  or  TV  (55”)  with  Apple  TV  

•   Mac  Book  Pro  13”  with  Lion,  iLife/iBook  Author   •   Mac  Book  Pro  13”  with  Lion,  iLife/iBook  Author  

•   10  Canon  Digital  Cameras   •   10  Canon  Digital  Cameras  

•   $1000  grant  for  infrastructure;  this  grant  must     be  matched  by  school  funds.  

•   Photography  Green  Screen  Background  and       lighting  

  •   Whiteboard  Wall  

 PLEASE  NOTE:    Equipment  will  be  delivered  to  schools  in  September,  2012.      

•   $1000  grant  for  infrastructure;  this  grant  must     be  matched  by  school  funds.    

 

What  is  the  school  team  committing  to?    

-­‐ Collaborative  Inquiry:     Creating  a  collaborative  team  that  is  committed  to  the  design  and  execution  of  project  goals;   Articulating  an  action  plan  that  identifies  clear  project  team  goals  (see  application  below,  pp.  4-­‐6);   Working  together  in  a  variety  of  ways:  for  example,  collaboratively  planning  and  teaching,  and  sharing  reflections  

on  evidence  of  student  learning  and  professional  growth;     Determining  the  effectiveness  of  the  innovations  and  setting  future  directions;   Sharing  out  to  a  wider  audience.    

 -­‐ Structural  Design:    

Optimizing  the  physical  space  of  the  Learning  Commons  to  promote  transformative  teaching  and  learning;   Creating  virtual  spaces  which  encourage  a  range  of  teaching  and  learning  activities;     Designing  a  wide  variety  of  differentiated,  student-­‐centered  learning  activities  which  integrate  technology  at  many  

levels  (literacy  [practical]  level,  adaptive  level,  and  transformative  level)   Provisioning  for  anticipated  need  –  new  uses  of  space/technology/tinetabling.  

 Project  Timeline:    May  22,  2012       Learning  Commons  Grant  Program  Introduced  June  8,  2012       Applications  Due  June  18,  2012       Successful  candidates  contacted    September,  2012       Equipment  arrives  in  schools  Spring,  2013       Project  Sharing    

Learning  Commons  Grant  Application,  22  May  2012   Page  3    

Learning  Commons  Grant  Application    

School

Date

LEARNING COMMONS DESIGN TEAM:

Teacher-Librarian:

Principal:

Learning Resource Contact:

Other Staff Members:

CONNECTION TO EXISTING WORK:

How will the team members’ work on this project connect to and extend ongoing priorities and passions at your school?

Learning  Commons  Grant  Application,  22  May  2012   Page  4    

PROJECT DESIGN – SPACE:

How will the equipment provided by the grant program be deployed?

What additional changes to the space will be made?

**Please  include  a  floor  plan  which  demonstrates  “before  and  after”  conditions  in  the  Learning  Commons.**

   

Learning  Commons  Grant  Application,  22  May  2012   Page  5    

ACTION PLAN – PROMOTION AND IMPLEMENTATION: How will the Library Commons be promoted to the school community?     Please  return  your  completed  grant  application  to  the  office  of  Elisa  Carlson,  Director  of  Instruction,    

By  emailing  _____________with  attachments.  All  applications  must  be  received  by  _____________.  

 

 

Criteria  for  Successful  Applications    

Learning  Commons  Grant  Application,  22  May  2012   Page  6    

Connection  to  Existing  Work:  The  project  clearly  and  specifically  connects  to  ongoing  school  initiatives  and  priorities.      

Project  Design:  The  project  clearly  and  specifically  articulates  how  student  engagement  and  student  learning  will  be  enhanced  and  how  the  all  members  of  the  school  community  will  be  invested  in  the  Learning  Commons  experience.      

Action  Plan  –  Promotion  and  Implementation:  The  project  action  plan  provides  specific  suggestions  about  structural  modifications;  how  teaching  and  learning  may  be  extended  and  transformed  by  the  technologies  provided.                      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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