The Informed2Learn initiative in the Discovery Centre (MacOdrum Library)
This initiative explores how technology, innovative virtual/physical spaces and new ways of learning converge to provide insight and prepare students for lifelong learning.
The proposed conceptual framework taps into six dimensions of the self to create awareness, inform and develop skills. Discovery Centre activities and spaces allow students to explore learning in a social context using innovative technology while Personal learning environments (PLEs) allow them to build a personalized space to reflect and learn. Unlike Learning Management Systems (LMS), PLEs are portable and adaptable and provide a seamless transition into the workplace. Activities and events in the Discovery Centre are created to spark students’ interest in the pragmatic application of the research on learning that takes place on campus and elsewhere. The multidisciplinary nature of many of the events organized featuring graduate students and faculty research also create opportunities for collaborative research partnerships. Finally, the Informed2Learn blog/website is meant to connect students with scholarly knowledge in related areas and to keep them informed and engaged in questioning who they are as learners and how best to learn. It is hoped that the collected synergy of these activities will enable new ways of thinking about learning and will, at an institutional level, instill a curiosity to investigate how informal learning can complement and enrich the students’ formal learning experiences to better prepare them for lifelong learning.