Flipping the Third Space

Abstract

Our school faced a particular problem. As in many other schools, teachers and students are increasingly mobile savvy and internet connected while at school. This affects how teaching is done and how libraries are used. In response proposed to bring the Library to the classrooms. We would move the existing library, from its own building, to share the center of the action, into learning spaces once occupied only by classrooms. While the digital integration had already begun, the physical integration would serve both the traditional and new ways in which libraries can be used. We propose that both library and classroom practices will be “flipped” so that putting ideas and information into action and thinking about what you have learnt will become the focus, using the new library to extend and enrich that practice. This paper will report on the practical implications and experiences of such an undertaking. In addition, the paper will outline some of the research concerning how the elements of the learning process are distributed across the day.