Learning Hubs: Breaking Down Barriers with New Models of Working

Abigail Mawhirt: Senior Learning Hub Assistant

Challenges

• Impending sector restructure: Regionalisation of 42

colleges down to 13, funding 13 regions, not 42 colleges

• Internal restructure to absorb funding cuts to FE

• Job role changes for academic and support staff

• Continuing curriculum reform in Scotland (CfE)

• Move from five campuses to two

In 2010, Dundee College was facing:

Challenges

• Managing significant change, including cultural

• Working with less staff overall

• Removal of traditional, comfortable job roles

• Still to improve retention and achievement

• Decision to be made: Sink or swim as libraries face

uncertainty and can be seen as obsolete

In reality this meant:

Melrose

Kingsway

Graham Street

N

Constitution Road

Gardyne

Overgate

© Google

Dundee College: Old Estate

Kingsway

N

Gardyne

© Google

Dundee College: New Estate

Dundee College: Old Buildings

Dundee College: Old Buildings

Dundee College: Gardyne Campus

Dundee College: Gardyne Campus

Dundee College: Gardyne Library

Dundee College: Gardyne Learning Hub

• New location, new building, new working styles

• New systems developed and purchased:

CELCAT central timetabling system

New LMS and move to RFID security

Bespoke student dashboard developed

Online applications and matriculation

Moodle replaces Blackboard VLE

• New job roles for Hub staff and many academic staff

Changes Presenting Challenges

• Two significant things brought change:

• Internal financial savings proposals created new

Learning Hub Assistant posts

• Opportunity presented by new building

Impetus for Changes to Library Service

• Library staff roles were completely reinvented

• Team recruited with a variety of backgrounds and skills

• Opportunity to redefine model of working

• Staff redeployed to areas outside the library

New Job Role and Staff Team

• Library teams have the skills to deliver study skills

• Libraries have always offered referencing sessions, IT

drop-ins and support using resources

• We’ve never had such a good opportunity to promote

our skills and diversify methods of delivery and our role

• Formalisation of library’s role in learning and teaching

• Curriculum staff are being given an opportunity to utilise

library skills properly

Learning Hub Rationale

• Three open plan IT suites each split into two class areas

• Formally timetabled sessions, organised by lecturer

• Hub staff responsible for register, behaviour management

• Hub staff support tasks, demo websites, deliver sessions

What is a Learning Hub?

• Key partners to fulfil the Hub vision are:

• Buildings and Estates team

• IT Services

• Curriculum staff

Working with other Departments

• Creating suitable learning spaces which can also be social

• Close liaison when plans did not translate to reality

• Repurposing furniture and changing layouts

• Coordinated move and library stock merge

Working with Buildings and Estates

• Selecting an LMS which could be hosted internally

• Ongoing support for LMS and RFID solutions

• Significant work supporting online matriculation

• Facing front line issues, persuading IT they exist!

Working with IT

• Financial climate led to reduction in PT lecturing hours

• Lecturers being encouraged to utilise Hubs

• Less teaching hours yet support staff numbers increase

• Mindset had to change to embrace new library service

Working with Curriculum Staff

• Concerns from curriculum that Hub staff replace them

• Worries Hub team are moving into ‘teaching’

• Hub team growing whilst academic teams are shrinking

• New ways of working not always embraced

Challenge 1: Suspicion

• Academic staff not realising potential of model

• Hubs considered ‘babysitting’ / place to leave class

• No liaison with Hub staff, disengaging students

• Students unsure of value of Hub sessions

Challenge 2: Misunderstanding

• Hubs are new and sold as a great innovation to staff

• Academic staff overlooking Hub staff abilities

• Purposeful learning not always taking place

• Success a little too hit and miss, demoralising staff

Challenge 3: Motivating Hub Staff

• Full buy in from curriculum staff required for success

• Students understand value of what they are doing

• Time is productively spent by all involved

• Service worthwhile for students and staff

Buy In

Breaking Down Barriers

• Focussing on the support aspect of our role

• Securing buy in from heads of teaching areas

• Liaising with staff regarding under-utilised Hub sessions

• Removing bookings from staff expecting babysitting

Year One: Outcomes

• Some areas bought in, others still sceptical

• Service had changed, but not fulfilling potential

• Hubs successful on paper in terms of bookings

• Keen to deliver more but sensitive to climate of change

Year Two: More Challenges

• Working harder to develop & deliver high quality service

• Building relationships with key curriculum areas

• Delivering 100+ hours of Hub sessions weekly

• Looking for ways to expand and ensure validity

Students said:

they feel involved in the learning process (91.7%)

the level of materials is good /correct for them (91.7%)

Learning Hub staff support their learning

Only 8.5% of students claimed they did not feel more

confident in the aspects of independent learning after

having attended the Learning Hubs

Breaking down barriers to learning

Impact Assessment

Impact Assessment

Staff said:

The students really got a lot out of the [Hub] session. Internet research is increasingly important to cooperative study so these sessions give them a good foundation for future independent study.

My history students (particularly the ones who are moving on to university) have really benefited from the “how to learn” type of skills Hub staff deliver.

My students are much more capable of working together and sourcing information for their projects. This year the project work has been of a much higher standard with evidence of wider reading.

• Always open to new ideas for service delivery

• Focussing on information literacy levels and support

• Working to reach entire curriculum, focus is on Kingsway

• Piloting new sessions and fundable course

Moving Forward

Learning Hubs: New Models of Working

Abigail Mawhirt: a.mawhirt@dundeecollege.ac.uk

Any questions?