PurposeThis paper seeks to provide support and direction for academic libraries collecting popular materials.Design/methodology/approachThis paper offers a case study format supplemented by statistical and descriptive analyses.FindingsThe paper presents literature and case history‐based information on the debate surrounding popular materials collection in academic libraries. The case study provides concrete, cost‐effective steps for academic libraries to use in building popular materials collections.Practical implicationsThe authors make the case for support of popular materials collections through detailed evaluation of circulation records.Originality/valueThis paper offers a level of statistical analysis of circulation records unique to the library literature on popular materials collection. It also provides a distinctive case history of the evolution of a successful collection and includes easily adaptable steps.
Introduction and BackgroundHow do you redesign an electronic classroom to allow for best pedagogical practice? Can a learning space be flexible enough to adapt to different teaching methods and class sizes? The librarians at one mid-sized public university dreamed of such a setting--a classroom that was truly free of wires and cords, where every device and piece of furniture could be reconfigured at the point of need (and according to the size of the class). This classroom would accommodate active and cooperative learning and include a robust range of technology including laptop computers, flat screen monitors, and the ability to digitally project images and data around the room--to small groups or to the entire classroom. In 2013, the university librarians at X University obtained a grant to make their dream classroom a reality-attempting to merge the sophisticated technology of a hardwired active learning classroom with the mobile features of a flexible learning space. This article details a three-year implementation process and outlines the logistical and technological opportunities, challenges--even failures--encountered along the way. This experience can serve as a case study for those who are planning their own high-tech teaching spaces.
Review of LiteratureBest practice in higher education instruction emphasizes student-centered learning over traditional lecture-model instruction. This student-centered model includes cooperative and active learning. Cooperative learning, where students work together to solve problems, is "more effective than individualistic methods-pointing again to the power of peers in the learning equation" (Hattie, 2009, 12). Active learning includes various types of student-centered instruction such as problem-based and experiential learning. It is used as an alternative to the traditional lecture method in college classrooms in order to engage students in more meaningful learning experiences (Fink, 2013;Svinicki, 2014). Bonwell and Eison (1991) define active learning as "instructional activities involving students in doing things and thinking about what they are doing" (p. iii).In 2011, when the librarians in this case study were planning their renovation, many institutions were building classrooms that facilitated active learning, but there was a dearth of literature on the subject. Librarians relied heavily on universities' websites--which featured photos and descriptions of their active learning classroom projects--and an EDUCAUSE report on learning spaces (Obinger, 2006). The leaders in active learning classrooms were primarily in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines; classrooms were designed to provide problem-based and cooperative learning to large classes. Examples include NC State's SCALE-UP (Student-Centered Activities for Large-Enrollment Undergraduate Programs) model (Beichner, 2006), University of Minnesota's Active Learning Classrooms (ALCs) (Brooks and Walker, 2010), and MIT's TEAL (Technology Enabled Active Learning) classroom (Dori and Belche...
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