the key role of xplora in the educational concept of avans university

7 december 2010LEARNING CENTRES : VERS UN MODELE A LA FRANCAISE ?

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The Key Role of Xplora in the Educational Concept of Avans University

Ellen SimonsLearning and Innovation Centre

2010

Learning and Innovation Centre

LEARNING CENTRES : VERS UN MODELE A LA FRANCAISE ? 7 december 2010

autonomy(= “la loi Pécresse” 2009)

has been reality in the Netherlands since 1986



Dutch universities: more than 20 years of experience

in creating their own policies as to crucial fields like:•Staffing•Finance•Educational approach•Facilities and buildings•…..


LEARNING CENTRES : VERS UN MODELE A LA FRANCAISE ? 7 december 2010 4

Avans University of Applied Sciences

• 3 locations• 24.000 students• 103 bachelor programs• 5 master programs• 1 Learning and

Innovation Center• 22 research groups• 2.000 staff

Breda Den BoschTilburg



Concerning the 2009 French report on learning centers

Four observations based on our own experience

with a learning center over the last 5 years



Observation 1

• Facilities and buildings should be designed based on the chosen policy of learning and teaching



Observation 2

• “Learning and understanding” does happen (or not) in the student’s head

• The university’s task is to actively stimulate this process

• The traditional way of whole class teaching is only one out of many ways to make this happen



Observation 3

• Does the teaching-concept change? change facilities accordingly!

• Does the teaching-concept change fundamentally? change the ‘experience’ by changing the facilities in an architectural striking way!



Xplora Breda

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Observation 4

• But do not copy other universities’ successful choices blindly:

your students may have different needs because their situation is different

• (Example: experience Avans university)



Example: experience Avans university

Basic needs Avans students proved to be different from Sheffield students

•Characterization Dutch students:– 70% still live at home– have excellent ICT facilities at home

•Outcome– Avans Learning Centre never had nighttime opening

hours– Only low interest for weekend opening hours



Traditional education



Modern education



The influence of the learning environment

“We know that space can have a significant impact

on teaching and learning. Exactly how we bring

together space, technology, and pedagogy will

continue to evolve.”

Diane G. Oblinger, Space as a change agent in Learning Spaces,

Educause, 2006

“Spaces are themselves agents for

change. Changed spaces will

change practice.” JISC, Designing Spaces for Effective Learning: A

guide to 21st century learning space design, 2006



Consequences for Library

• Adequate resources

• Library staff becomes part of educational process

• Library must change into a rich learning environment



Vision on learning and teaching is leading

• Connecting people: student – teacher – professional field

• Recognising diversity

• Creating knowledge

• Establishing a dynamic learning environment physical and virtual

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From library to

The New Learning Environment



Xplora visitors per year 2007-2009

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Positioning of the Learning centre

• Just a facility or a key element in the institution’s vision on teaching and learning?



Facility or Strategic instrument?

“A learning space should be able to motivate learners and promote learning as an activity, support collaborative as well

as formal practice, provide a personalised and inclusive environment, and be flexible in the face of changing needs.”

JISC



Key element in strategic vision:

“What is important is that designs of physical spaces are linked to

the institution’s strategic vision for teaching and learning, and

that this is articulated in every detail of the design and shared with

all stakeholders, including learners.” JISC



Positioning of Xplora in Avans University

Xplora as part of Learning and Innovation Centre:

•Provides an integrated learning environment (physical and virtual)

•Advisory role towards schools on the subject of educational programs



Organizational consequences

• Position: from side-line to centre

• New role: information specialist

• Role of information specialist comparable to educational officer

• Library merged into Learning and Innovation Centre



Partner to education

• Strong contacts with school faculty

• Working-relations between Learning Centre and schools must be built and maintained

• Important role for information specialist



The New Way

• Contact-persons for each school

• A pro-active approach

• Subject-teams

• Close cooperation with educational officers

• User research and feedback groups



Consequences for Xplora Staff

• Relationship to student changes

• Relationship to teacher changes

• Different competences needed

• Special staff training-programme



Learning Centre Staff 2005-2009

• New job descriptions set up with team members (2005)

• Reorganization (July/October 2005)

• Board approval of staff formation plan 2005-2008 (September 2005)New job descriptions Increase of staff in 2006/2007 of 18 fte’s (35 fte’s 53

fte’s) (opening Xplora’s in 2006 and 2007)

• Training program for all staff (November 2005-today)



Training programme 2006-2010

• Training programma library school: wiki’s, weblogs, vodcast/podcast, google-scholar/printing, digital collection development, search engines, digital rights management , project management etc.)

• advisory skills

• 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

• Web 2.0

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Near Future 2010-2012

• Because of new services a further improvements of the Xplora’s buildings

• Expansion Xplora Den Bosch

• New “Engineering” Xplora in Breda



Conclusions (1):Student surveys 2008-2010:

8.000 responses/year

• Primary use for group work and pc-applications

• High occupancy rate

• Environment described as attractive and inviting

• Service level judged as high

• High demand of teacher presence

• Wish for more PCs and more outlets

• Wish for more workspaces for quiet study



Conclusion (2): Library merged into Learning and Innovation Centre

Mutual benefit:

• “Library staff” have more appreciation for educational processes

• Educational officers have improved understanding of the relationship between information and knowledge



Conclusion (3): General

• Xplora is widely known even outside the professional field

• Xplora is a highly successful concept (1,4 million visitors in 2009)

• Staff involvement and training important

• Continuous improvement

• Student population increases from 19.000 to 24.000 students since opening new buildings in 2006



Observation 1

• Facilities and buildings should be designed based on the chosen policy of learning and teaching



Observation 2

• “Learning and understanding” does happen (or not) in the student’s head

• The university’s task is to actively stimulate this process

• The traditional way of whole class teaching is only one out of many ways to make this happen



Observation 3

• Does the teaching-concept change? change facilities accordingly!

• Does the teaching-concept change fundamentally? change the ‘experience’ by changing the facilities in an architectural striking way!



Observation 4

• But do not copy other universities’ successful choices blindly:

your students may have different needs because their situation is different



Further Information:

• Ellen SimonsE-mail: [email protected]

• Video “Xplora, Discover it yourself”: http://www.surfmedia.nl/app/video/QV1wz15xVfVrqwzfstEEcDNT/play?format_id=6pyORf6BDHfvNVuLSXWGI4Cj&mode=url

• 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

the key role of xplora in the educational concept of avans university

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