Thank you to everyone who answered my question about class use of learning
resource areas. There were six responses.
One respondent said that they do not have classes in the LRC as it was not
big enough, but that tutors took resources to their base rooms for sessions.
Five respondents said that classes do use their libraries/LRC/LRBs on an ad
hoc basis, although most encouraged classes to book. One respondent will
not book computers for classes, although groups do come in with their tutors
and take 'pot luck' for free computers. One respondent tries to limit
bookings to two groups a day. Two colleges insist on tutor supervision for
whole classes.
In two of the responding colleges, students have Resource Based Learning
(RBL) on their study timetable. One college commented that "last year's
foundation students who were booked into the library for RBL on a weekly
basis actually borrowed books and made use of the facilities. This year
they aren't booked in and hardly any of them are borrowing books."
One college has two groups booked in every week for Internet use. In
another college Media Studies and Computer Studies classes come into the
library weekly with a tutor. "They are 'taught' in the library, but this is
mainly a combination of computers, research etc. and seems to work quite
well."
User education/ induction is given in learning resource areas in all six
colleges at the beginning of the autumn term. In two colleges information
skills/ study skills sessions are run throughout the year. One college used
to use the library for a drop in workshop for learning support and also for
learning support sessions on a one-to-one basis. The workshops were a
success, the one-to-one sessions less so.
Most respondents were emphatic that they do not have classes timetabled for
regular teaching sessions in the library/LRC. One college has seven key
skills sessions a week in the centre, 60 students at a time. LRC staff
teach these sessions together with teaching staff.
One college said that they would be having a bookable room available form
September for small group study and teaching purposes. One college cordons
off an area for induction purposes. A third had a bookable area available
for classes. It seemed that the success of such an area depended on it
containing computers so that research could be combined with word
processing.
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