Penny Dale

Library design, learning spaces and academic literacy

Purpose – To acquire academic literacy students need library buildings that take account of “what the student does”, changing learning styles and preparation for employment in a digital world. Equally as academic staff develop innovative e‐learning activities, library spaces need to accommodate new learning opportunities. This paper aims to consider how the design of library buildings contributes to a complex and evolving range of academic literacies and emerging pedagogical frameworks. The paper also seeks to consider the contribution these literacies make to the experience of students reading for a degree in an increasingly digital environment.Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on the experience at Bournemouth University, where a higher education academy‐funded project accelerated the introduction of new technologies into learning and teaching frameworks. A new library building, The Sir Michael Cobham Library, enabled the creation of learning spaces that are flexible and responsive to the cha...

Redesigning Services for the Net-Gen and Beyond: A Holistic Review of Pedagogy, Resource, and Learning Space

Oblinger and Oblinger (2005) described the Net Generation or Net Gen, who have never known life without the Internet. They note the incremental nature of change: “One generations technology is taken for granted by the next” (p. 2.1). In a world increasingly dominated by technology, the academic library has become a place to learn that is constantly adapting and changing, reflecting “what the student does” (Biggs, 2007). Pathfinder funding from the Higher Education Academy has enabled Bournemouth University (BU) to explore the pedagogies of learning in a hybrid environment and consider how Web 2.0 technologies within a virtual learning environment contribute to the acquisition and development of academic literacy skills. Good library design demonstrates agility and adaptability in the use of space (Heppel et al., 2004). Virtual environments enable integration of resources within the unit of study. Subject librarians, academics, and learning technologists are developing new ways of working together to deliver resources. The rate of change is exponential but is full of opportunity (“Libraries Unleashed,” 2008). In 2009 Bournemouth University will open a new library for postgraduate business students without any books, but with each student equipped with an e-book reader. This article will discuss the academic skills and learning spaces students will need to read for a degree in an environment that is predominantly electronic.

The impact of e‐resources at Bournemouth University 2004/2006

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to survey the impact of electronic resources on the learning and teaching community of Bournemouth University.Design/methodology/approach – Action research was used over a two‐year period, with the results from one academic school were compared the following year with the results from two other schools.Findings – The findings in the paper show how the use of, and enthusiasm for, electronic resources is widespread amongst students and staff.Originality/value – The paper demonstrates the effectiveness and value in using action research to assess service offerings.

Collaboration Between Librarians and Learning Technologists to Enhance the Learning of Health Sciences Students

Collaboration between Librarians and Learning Technologists at Bournemouth University (BU) has been stimulated and cemented by Pathfinder funding from the Higher Education Academy. This paper will consider four case studies collected as part of the eRes Project that describe the use of Web 2.0 technologies in the School of Health and Social Care at BU. The project aimed to enhance the student learning experience in an increasingly electronic environment. This was achieved by developing and disseminating innovative pedagogical frameworks, bringing together learning activities and academically led quality e-resources within the unit of study. An e-reading strategy which encompasses models for resource discovery and e-literacy was developed, drawing on the experiences and findings of the case studies. Issues considered in this paper will include accessing academic electronic reading materials and using a social bookmarking tool integrated within BUs virtual learning environment with students studying away from the main campus. Additionally, the paper will consider how technology can be used to motivate students, especially in large groups and how it can be used to engage students with a subject perceived as “dry” or “difficult.” The rich possibilities of health science materials can be exploited more fully using new technologies embedded within the curriculum.

Using worksheets to encourage independent learning by staff in an academic library: a case study

Describes the development, introduction, use and evaluation of a series of worksheets designed for library staff at Bournemouth University. The reasons for the development of the worksheets, designed to be a part of a range of training and development opportunities, are described in this paper. Their value as a self‐directed learning tool is considered and the question posed as to whether such materials can assist the process of encouraging self‐directed learning. The paper considers the usefulness of such materials and the cost in terms of initial and ongoing development.

Do we connect?: A staff development programme

Staff development as opposed to staff training demands a different kind of learning approach. Library staff who are accustomed to the passive learning of technical skills, often equating training with instruction, can be less confident in an active learning environment. The paper describes the design and delivery of a staff development programme which focussed on issues of customer care, interpersonal skills and rules and procedures. Group interactions and outcomes of the programme are analysed and modifications considered. It is concluded that the benefits of a staff development programme both to the service and to individuals within it can be considerable but that success depends on the willingness of individuals to take responsibility for their own development and on the commitment of management.