Remember the days of talking in hushed tones in the library. If you got even a little bit too loud, the librarian would give you a dirty look and put their finger to their mouth - warning you that you would face certain punishment for being too loud.
Well...the times they are a-changing. In a recent article by Bryan Sinclair (Educause Quarterly), the social norms that surrounded learning environments like the library are changing. Sinclair writes,
The "Commons 2.0" brings together a wide range of elements to foster student learning in new and creative ways. It is not a static computer lab; rather, it incorporates the freedom of wireless communication, flexible workspace clusters that promote interaction and collaboration, and comfortable furnishings, art, and design to make users feel relaxed, encourage creativity, and support peer-learning. To this add self-help graphics services, color imaging, audio and video editing, and other production and presentation software catering to student learning and needs, and the Commons 2.0 becomes a one-stop collaboratory for out-of-class assignments, writing, research, and group projects.
With the rise of Web 2.0 and social software we are witnessing a major shift in the ways students approach and use information. They no longer merely consume and download information; increasingly, they create and participate in it. They are social creatures in every way that past generations were and in some new ways, sharing information digitally and using each other as sounding boards. They value social experiences that blend communication and learning.
Social software in the form of blogs, wikis, MySpace, Flickr, and YouTube is merely an extension of this socialization in a wired culture. The software, spaces, and instruction provided to today's students should encourage them to become well-equipped participants in an online global community, skilled in written and visual communication and critical thinking.
What we're beginning to see is the merger of the coffee shop, the Mac Store, and the library all into one. I think it's about time. Learning is becoming more and more collaborative. The individualistic paradigms that promoted the personal study cubicle is fading from view.
If you could change your library, what would you do to make it more Commons 2.0 friendly?
Read the rest of the article: Commons 2.0: Library Spaces Designed for Collaborative Learning
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