The new Learning Commons at York High School opened Monday, and in just a few short days it has already become an integral part of the school’s learning routine.
“Our purpose here was to design a space that gives students a little more control and oversight of their learning,” said Katherine Goff, spokeswoman for the York County School Division. “They are directing it now, when they come in and they start building and creating, they’re leading their own learning.”
The new space took the spot where the library had previously been. It has been redesigned to feature Makerspaces, small group workrooms, an alternate classroom, and a variety of interactive technology.
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In the Learning Commons, students can work on computer stations, use virtual reality gear, create work on a 3D printer, use the new green room and more.
“It’s absolutely amazing,” said Shannon Butler, the school’s principal. “It’s technology I never even knew existed.”
There’s even a chocolate and hot coffee bar that sells products in the morning as part of the district’s Project Explore initiative, which gives students with disabilities the opportunity to learn about customer service and business.
With all the new equipment and the wide-open space, Goff said the district hopes it will provide a space that encourages more collaborative work from students.
And so far, it’s working.
“I never went to the library before,” said Julie Soto, a junior at the school. “But I’ve come here everyday.”
Even on a slow morning, the Learning Commons is filled with groups of students working on various group projects or independent work.
When the school was originally constructed, the space was built as a gym and then eventually converted into a library. Before the Learning Commons, the upstairs portion was used for storage and parts of the area were cut off with a shorter ceiling.
The space is now wide open with bright windows and modern designs.
The idea for the space first came about two years ago when the district started researching and developing a new media space and eventually incorporated it as part of the the Capital Improvements Project, Goff said.
Construction started in June and ran through the summer, which prepared the location to open this week. The project cost approximately $1 million to complete.
The area is designed with all movable furniture, which helps promote group projects and collaborative workstations.
For example, on Thursday morning a group of students was working on Thanksgiving budget for their Econ and Personal Finance class. They were able to pair their own devices to a touchscreen monitor that allowed the entire group to visualize, collaborate and work with greater ease all at once.
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“It’s nice because we get to work all together instead of on our separate computers,” said Joshua Evans, a junior. “If we are working on the group project, we can talk to each other, see what we all want to do, rather than doing individual work.”
Anthony Jones, a teacher of technology education, said Thursday was the first time he has used the space and he was impressed. In his classes, students used advanced software to work in architecture, engineering and other fields. He said using the collaborative space also allows other students to see what his classes are doing which might make them more interested.
The area is open until 3:15 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and 4:45 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. However, Butler said the school will start looking at additional operating times, such as Saturdays or late weekday evenings, once students return from break.
Goff said the district is planning on implementing the Learning Commons design at other schools, with Bruton slated to begin work this summer.
