Open Classroom /

The Karl E. Mundt Library began its transition toward becoming a learning commons several years ago. The "Electronic Classroom as Open Lab," described below as it was in 1999, turned the library into an information commons. As stated in that 1999 account:

Scott Bennett defined "information commons" in November 2003 in "Libraries Designed for Learning" (Washington, DC: Council on Library and Information Resources, pp 37-41). In 1999, the Mundt Library exhibited the key characteristics of an information commons that Bennett describes:

In 2000, tutors were placed in the library to provide peer-to-peer expertise.

In Fall 2004, all freshmen and sophomores received Tablet PCs. In combination with the wireless network, the Tablets allowed students to work anywhere in the Library and to no longer be tied to a lab of computers. The open electronic classroom remained for information literacy instruction in upper class courses where some students did not have their own Tablet PCs or laptops. However, for classes of freshmen and sophomores, we installed a wireless projector in a room with tables on the second floor to create a second instructional space. This new wireless classroom became our primary instructional environment. However, the tablets allowed us to move outside of both the wireless classroom and the electronic classroom for certain kinds of activities. For example, students can carry the Library Catalog with them (with access via their Tablets) into the stacks or move to tables near the Periodical collection to examine and evaluate the differences among journals, trade publications, and magazines -- in print and online. Additional electrical outlets were added on both floors of the library.

In Fall 2004, the University's Computing Services unit opened the Technology Support Desk on the main floor of the library to support the Tablet PC initiative, thus adding their expertise to the information commons.

Then, in Fall 2004, we began to refer to the Library as a "learning commons." As defined by Bennett, a learning commons extends the information commons by adding:

Bennett states, an information commons �emphasizes the interdisciplinary character of information and the power of digital technology to manage apparently disparate information resources as one...� (p. 37). A learning commons �bring[s] people together � around shared learning tasks, sometimes formalized in class assignments. The core activity of a learning commons would not be the manipulation and mastery of information, as in an information commons, but the collaborative learning by which students turn information into knowledge and sometimes into wisdom� (p. 38).

In summer 2005, in combination with re-carpeting the second floor, we repainted and rearranged stacks on that floor to make the space more attractive and useful to students. Stacks were moved inward and away from windows in order to place student workspaces beside windows and near light rather than in the interior. Some leather chairs, a sofa, and inexpensive footstools and coffee tables were purchased to provide more comfort.

In summer 2005, we added a computer projector in an open area on the second floor, just outside the wireless classroom. This second-floor open classroom provided additional instructional and presentation space.

In fall 2005, all freshmen, sophomores, and juniors were required to have tablet PCs. The open computer lab on the first floor was rarely used for instruction but continued to be used as an open lab by students who did not have tablets or laptops. It was reduced to twelve computers. The extra table space was used for two tablet PC docking stations that were attached to large screen monitors (for group work or individuals wanting the larger screen for a project). The wireless classroom remained our primary instruction space, with the new second-floor open classroom providing backup space. The wireless classroom became the regular meeting place for General Faculty meetings and for faculty development activities (which were scheduled to not conflict with classes).

In fall 2006, all undergraduates were required to have tablet PCs. The computer lab that had been the open electronic classroom on the first floor officially disapppeared. The central first floor space was rearranged. To accommodate primarily graduate students who did not have tablets or laptops, eight of the computers were placed in two pods. Four scanners that had been attached to computers in a separate area of the library were attached to the four computers in one of the pods. A couple of leather chairs, a round table, the two pods, and tables with the two docking stations for tablets filled the space. More power cords were adding around the docking station areas to accommodate tablet use and recharge. The wireless projector that had been in the Open Electronic Classroom was moved to an area of tables on the first floor where it could continue to be used for instruction near the reference and periodical collections.

Open Electronic Classroom

Written by Ris� Smith, Public Services Librarian, in June 1999. Revised February 2001; September 2002; & March 2005.

The electronic classroom has no walls and sits in the middle of the first floor of the library. I like the arrangement since it allows students to move freely between this area -- the electronic material -- and the print material in the reference and periodicals collections. It represents the world of information as it now exists -- a combination of print and electronic resources.

Because I have "always" done instruction in the open on the main floor of the library (since starting work here in 1984), I had no qualms about teaching in this very open environment.

Details:

1. Designed with 6 rows of computers and 4 computers to a row, a fifth computer was added to each row in January 2001 for a total of 30 computers. In August, 2003, lab size was reduced to 26, arranged as shown in the photo near the bottom of this page.

2. Every two rows are back to back, so that the classroom is 3 double rows with walkways between the three. This arrangement was chosen to facilitate group work. However, it is not ideal for the rows whose backs are toward the teacher.

3. Display devices originally were two monitors connected to a computer. The two monitors sat at the end of the middle double row, side-by-side, but angled out toward the exterior rows. There was some reflection on the monitors from the ceiling lights. But because students were working hands-on, I felt I could live with that. In August 2002, we replaced the two monitors with a computer projector mounted on the ceiling and a screen in the area where the monitors formerly resided. I have a portable whiteboard to write on when I need it.

4. I typically teach from the ends of the rows.

5. A schedule of classes is posted daily. When not scheduled for a class, it is an open lab.

6. Noise was not a problem originally. However, this is not the typical quiet classroom. There is a certain level of noise that comes from photocopiers and conversations in the periphery. Friends will notice if friends enter the library, but students are even more likely to be distracted from instruction by their personal e-mail. We eventually found that students in the outer two rows were most likely to become disengaged because of their computers or peripheral distractions, so a wireless microphone system with ceiling speakers was installed when the number of computers increased from 24 to 30 in January 2001.

First floor of Mundt Library
June 1999

Classroom without walls
June 1999

Electronic Classroom as an Open Lab
(when not used for classroom instruction)

1) Having an open lab in the library pulls in students -- people who might otherwise avoid the library. It gives these students a chance to become really comfortable in the library, joining friends to work on group projects, etc. And the more help we give them when they are having trouble, the more good will we raise on campus toward the library. [Since the lab is within sight of and not far from the circ desk, our assistants do not have to move very far away from the desk to help in the lab.]

2) We don't have any proof, but we think the lab use has spilled over into greater use of other areas of the library -- for studying, research, and group work.

3) The lab appears to increase daily headcount of library users. Because our classroom is without walls and easily visible from the front doors, and because it's always heavily used, the library is visibly always busy. Visitors have commented about the high level of activity.

4) Philosophically, a computer that is "used for everything" makes sense, because it allows seamless integration of a student's work. They can do a little research -- and incorporate it into a paper, an assignment, whatever. You end up with something akin to a scholar's workstation, modeling real-life work habits, rather than separating the research activity (learned in a separate classroom) from its real goal of accomplishing some project, making a decision, or solving a problem.

5. Library student assistants do deal with equipment problems. We handle what we can with the staff, and report problems to campus Computing Services that we can't handle.

6. Library student assistants do answer questions about software and class assignments. We help with what we can -- but, when we can't, we tell them to visit with their instructor or with Computing Services or with others in their class to get the answer.

7. It does seem like I answer more equipment questions some days than reference questions. But this is the nature of our work, because of all the technology needed in libraries. We consider the support we give to the "lab" to be just part of library services. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages for us.

[Dakota State U has approximately 2000 students. The library permanent staff is 6: Director, Public Services Librarian, Instruction/Reference Librarian, Technical Services Librarian, Public Services Library Associate, and Technical Services Library Associate. During the academic year we have about 10 students working about 12 hours each per week. The library is open 8-10 M-Th, 8-5 Friday, 1-5 Saturday, and 2-10 Sunday]

The Electronic Classroom in March 2005.
In 1999, two large monitors were used, but they were replaced by a computer projector in 2002. Wireless projection was in place by the time this picture was taken. Because we came a wireless tablet PC campus, the electronic classroom was reduced to twelve computers in fall 2005 removed in summer 2006 to meet new needs.