Learning Commons Grant Application 2012

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 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

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?


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.**


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


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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