Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne
16 septembre 2011 1
The Avans rich learning-environment:
the new role of the librarian
Ellen Simons (Learning and Innovation Centre)
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011 2
Avans University of Applied Sciences
• 3 locations• 25.000 students• 80 bachelor’s programs• 7 master’s programs• 22 research groups• 2.000 staff• 1 Learning and
Innovation CentreBreda Den Bosch
Tilburg
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011
Avans University of Applied Sciences
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Executive board
19 Schools- Engineering & ICT- Business- Law- Health- Education- Social studies- Art
Learning & Innovation
Centre
4 Support Units- ICT & Facility management- Finance & Student administration- Human Resources- PR & Communication
Staff
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011
Organizational chart Learning and Innovation Centre
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Management
Educational policy advisors (13 fte)
Researchers on Avans topics (5 fte)
Policy advisors on quality management (6 fte)
Multimedia staff and online training support staff (9 fte)
Assistant librarians and librarians (27 fte)
Administrative staff (11,5 fte)
Information specialists (8 fte)
90 fte’s 120 staff working in
Breda, Den Bosch and Tilburg
Leer- en Innovatiecentrum
Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011
Traditional education
• Teacher-centered
• Passive role for the student
in the classroom
• Subject-oriented learning
• Limited use of information resources (one or two textbooks)
• Learning happens at home/outside the classroom /the institution
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011
Modern education
• Student-centered
• Active role of the student in the classroom
• Students formulate their own learning goals
• Students select their own learning resources
• Learning also happens inside the institution
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011
Consequences for Library
• The traditional library must change into a rich learning environment
• Library staff takes part in the educational process
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011 8
From library to learning centre:
• Xplora provides social spaces, student services and study support,
information resources, access to IT, and different kinds of working
environments, from comfortable seating for collaborative group work, to 'board
rooms' for practice presentations.
• Xplora is the social and
academic hub of the campus
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011 9
Partner to education
• Strong contacts with school faculty to ensure adequate connection between service (supply) and users' wishes (demand)
• To meet school faculty needs working-relations between Learning Centre and schools must be built and maintained
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011 10
The New Way
• Fixed, recognizable contact persons within Learning Centre for each school
• Information Specialist (new function) : primary tasks are translating schools' wishes towards Learning Centre, advising school faculty on possibilities of Learning Centre in offering support to education
• A team of subject librarians and information specialists is allocated, specialised on knowledge area of that particular school
• Cooperation with educational officers in education-development teams within schools, thus improving quality of information supply
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011 11
Consequences for Xplora Staff
• Relationship to student changes
• Relationship to teacher changes
• Different competences needed
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011 12
Training programme 2006-2011
• 2006
Major training programme with Avans library school
• 2006-2010 : Short courses on various topics
• 2010/2011:
Training programme based on Web 2.0: The 21 (23) things
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011 13
Training programme 2006:
• FOBID* document as a starting point
• Styled like conventional modern education
• Includes the use of electronic learning products
• Train the trainer concept
• Two modules:– Customized Information – Digital Collection development
* FOBID Netherlands Library Forum : national umbrella organisation and forum for co-operation between the national library organisations
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011 14
Training programme 2006: Approach
• The competences of the learner/librarian are central
• Assignment very important tool in acquiring the skills
• Assignment is leitmotiv for training and lectures
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011 15
Training programme 2006 Module 1 : Customized Information
• Individual assignment: – Perform a literature survey of Internet resources on a self
chosen topic and make a report with a clear justification of the choices.
• 7 sessions
• Training in formulating questions, interviewing, reporting and information retrieval
• Personal coaching throughout training process
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011 16
Training programme 2006:Module 2: Digital Collection development
• Group assignment: – Develop a collection of free accessible information for an academy with a
group of fellow students– Evaluate outcome and make a preliminary project plan– Complete with a presentation of evaluation
• Training in: – Project management, collaboration skills, meeting skills, presentation
techniques, feedback techniques, – Identifying customer needs, digital collection development, copyright,
etc.
• 10 sessions
• Group coaching throughout training process
Leer- en Innovatiecentrum
Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011
Training programme 2006-2010 : Short courses on various topics
• Educational knowledge;• Culture shift from control-directed to student-directed;• result-oriented and customer-directed;• E-learning;• Advisory skills and negotiating techniques;• Broader knowledge of the learning environment;• English;• Didactics;• Presentation techniques.
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011
Training programme 2010/2011 Web 2.0 training
• ‘The 23 Learning 2.0 Things’ of Helene Blowers* – a discovery learning program designed to encourage staff
to explore new technologies and reward them for doing 23 Things.
• Application to field of higher education in the Netherlands: ‘21 web 2.0 things for ICTO staff and teachers from Higher Education
institutions’ **
• Internal Avans coaches
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* Learning 2.0 / 23 things Helene Blowers / http://plcmcl2-things.blogspot.com
• ** 21e eDingen / Surfacademie http://www.21edingen.nl/
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011
Training programme 2010/2011 The 23 Learning 2.0 Things for librarians
• Weblog• RSS• Copyright and plagiarism• Online photos editing and
sharing• Social bookmarking• Safety and privacy on the
internet• Social networks• LibraryThing• Webtools
• Microblogging (Twitter), office tools and chat
• Podcasting• Vodcasting• Screencasting • Instant Messaging• Media literacy• Education 2.0• Make and share Online
documents• Wiki's
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011
Training programme 2010/2011 Example 23 Learning 2.0 Things*
Week 2: Blogging
• Set up your own blog & add your first post.
• Register your blog and begin your Learning
2.0 journey.
Week 3: Photos & Images
• Explore Flickr and learn about this popular image hosting site.
• Have some Flickr fun and discover some Flickr mashups & 3rd party
sites.
• Create a blog post about anything technology related that interests you
this week.
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* Learning 2.0 / 23 things Helene Blowers http://plcmcl2-things.blogspot.com
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011 21
Training programme 2010/201121 eThings: for ICTO staff, teachers and librarians!
• Creative Commons• Digital learning environments• Collaboration Environments• Chat• Social networks• Social bookmarking• Google Apps• Twitter and other
microblogging tools• Reference Programs• Plagiarism
• Weblog• RSS• Voting tools• Searching and using videos• Making videos• Calls via internet • Wiki’s• Web lectures• Screen casting• Repositories• Information literacy• Video communication
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011
Training programme 2010/2011 Example 21 eThings
Week 8 Weblectures
• Find a Web lecture in your professional field.
• Discuss on your blog: – What you see and how the technique works. How you navigate the web
lecture? – What you like and dislike about the lecture and what your own approach
would be.
• Consider an assignment at the web lecture so students will want to look and describe it.
• Explain why you would or not would make web lecture of your own lecture. Are you going to just use them if there are reasons not to do this?
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011
Profile librarian/information specialist(1)
• Friendly and customer-oriented
• Accessible, professional, curious, proactive, quality-oriented, flexible,
good listener, networker, cooperative, analytic skills, creativity
• Innovative
• Initiates collaboration with colleagues from other teams
• Develops through training, keeps up with literature and attends relevant
conferences / symposia and shares knowledge
• Participates in various knowledge-sharing sessions
• Able to self-reflect and cope with criticism
• Able to think out-of-the box
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Leer- en Innovatiecentrum
Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011
Profile librarian/information specialist (2)
• Can translate theory into practice in collaboration with colleagues, teachers
and students
• Builds and maintains contacts with schools and works closely with teachers
in e.g. course–development of instructions
• Is familiar with content of curricula of schools through attending classes
• Has communication and marketing skills for the public relations to schools
concerning current developments within Xplora
• Works closely with colleagues from different teams to offer students /
teachers within Avans the best possible service as to collection, instruction,
workshops
• Is familiar with Web 2.0 applications like social media and advises on their
practical application in education
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Leer- en Innovatiecentrum
Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011
Profile librarian/information specialist (3)
• Is active in working groups in the area of collection-development,
information literacy, teacher and student support, developing new
services Xplora, etc
• Is ‘business card’ for Xplora/Learning and Innovation Centre
• Has a natural attitude of sharing
knowledge with others
• Operates in relevant networks;
• Support educational innovation;
• Instructs students, staff and colleagues’
• Identifies relevant internal and external developments and if necessary
translate them into new products of services
• Is curious about new technical possibilities
• About new technical possibilities
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Leer- en Innovatiecentrum
Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011
Profile librarian/information specialist (4)
• Look at it from a team standpoint:
– Your team needs an adequate mixture of the assets just listed
– Each individual team member will have his and her own talents and abilities, this is only to the good
– Optimally your team is a functioning unit where the qualities of individual members work together to cover the whole profile of assets: the whole is larger than the sum of its parts
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011
Input for profile (thank you!): Carla, Marijke, Sandra and Linda
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011 28
So what does the Learning and Innovation Centre do? (Goals)
1. We advise Avans University on relevant developments;
2. We encourage and support innovation in learning and teaching;
3. We promote excellence in learning and teaching;
4. We provide a powerful learning and working environment.
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011 29
1. Advise – Host Group Decision Room (GDR) sessions: electronic meeting support system– Attend national and international conferences
2. Innovate– Support innovation projects in faculties– Provide training for the ‘Master plan Virtualization’ for engineering faculties
3. Excel– Organize annual Avans educational conference and several mini conferences
for Avans university faculty and staff – Organize study days for Avans schools – Provide individual lecturer consultations– Provide information literacy workshops – Host visits from domestic and foreign guests – Present at national and international conferences
Activities by librarians/information specialists (2010)
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011 30
Activities by librarians/information specialists (2010)
4. Learn– Host 1.4 million visitors/year in Xplora– Add books, subscriptions and databases to collection of
educational resources– Lend out resources – Provide guided tours in Xplora– Provide introductions to Xplora– Provide publishing dissertation of students in the national repository
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011
Conclusion
• Staff Xplora can now better meet the needs of the schools
• Staff Xplora now has improved understanding of each other's work and of educational needs
• Profile librarian/information specialist very different in 2011 compared to 2005
• Important: use experienced team members (experts) as trainers for colleagues
• Important: train and re-train continuously
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011 32
New developments Xplora
• Teacher’s centre including new technology experimental zone
• Student Centre
• Mobile Learning Support Pit
• Redesign of the Xplora buildings in Breda and ‘s-Hertogenbosch
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Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011
Redesign of the Xplora buildings
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Leer- en Innovatiecentrum
Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011
"Makeover" requires
investment in training and,
above all, dedicated staff!
Leer- en Innovatiecentrum
Association des Directeurs de Bibliothèques Universitaires, 41e Congrès annuel, Vanne 16 septembre 2011
Further Information: Ellen Simons
E-mail: [email protected]
Article : The New Learning Environment: Impact on Staff and Students / Ellen SimonsLiber Quarterly, october 2010 http://liber.library.uu.nl/publish/articles/000507/article.pdf
Slidesharehttp://www.slideshare.net/pmgsimons
Website Learning and Innovation Centre http://lic.avans.nl/
Video “Xplora, Discover it yourself”:
http://www.surfmedia.nl/app/video/QV1wz15xVfVrqwzfstEEcDNT/play?format_id=6pyORf6BDHfvNVuLSXWGI4Cj&mode=url