Designing Collaborative Learning Experiences for Library Computer Classrooms

Abstract

Collaborative learning, a form of active learning, can be used in computer classrooms to provide effective library instruction. Librarians have used collaborative learning in traditional classrooms and are beginning to incorporate it into hands-on computer classrooms. As librarians develop computer-based collaborative environments, they will likely face issues that lead them to reconsider how they approach facility design, curricular strategies, student expectations, teaching styles, and classroom time management. This article makes a case for using collaborative learning within library computer classrooms and describes how librarians at a medium-sized university made the transition from hands-on individualized learning to hands-on collaborative learning.