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5. foster supportive
environments that
remove barriers to
learning(1- use technology to extend when, where and how learning takes place. 2- select teaching approaches, resources, technologies, learning and assessment)
activities that are inclusive and effective for diverse students
3. design inquiries using local and global context (support students to initiate and engage in their own inquiries)
4. build and maintain collaborative relationships (provide opportunities for student collaboration.)

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Example of New International School of Thailand (TSM 3.7, p. 4)

A varied range of games

Offer a varied range of books that can be as compelling read alone or as a group

Computers that offer a variety of tools allowing research, writing, visual presentation, art, music… and create opportunities for students to discover interests they didn’t know they had.

An interactive  library catalogue available on iPads/ tablets or computers to give students control over their searches, reducing the reliance on librarian-mediated access ; an observable outcome of this process is agentic engagement with and within the library.

Display students work to give an authentic audience for the authors, as well as providing peer mentor texts for writing, and inspiration for other students.

Making resources accessible to students: the act of searching and discovering is a shared experience that creates opportunities for discussion and thinking around topics of interest. Invariably, student language around these topics is challenged and stretched as they discuss and debate during the search and at the moment of discovery.

Flat-screens supporting literature presentation videos and live streaming of content as with mixed media environment, students naturally transfer learning across technologies - video, iPads, books, magazines, pencil and paper - in the pursuit of a new interest.

A comfortable spot  and a good friend to enjoy the silence with. There is a real learning opportunity when the balance between play, collaboration, research and quiet times.

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3.7 Technology & design of learning spaces in the library

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3.7 Technology & design of learning spaces in the library

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Technology plays an important role in fostering connections that build an open learning community.

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Technology plays an important role in fostering connections that build an open learning community.

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TSM- 3.7

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Agency is the sense of efficacy a student has when they have the power to make choices in their learning and act with effect. The design of learning spaces in the library plays a key role in supporting student agency and learning through play by being responsive to student interests and grounded in what they value. Within this thriving learning community, technology – which can include books, furniture, digital devices, projectors, games, pencils, paper, costumes and lighting – creates opportunities to extend student thinking and challenge their abilities.

The library provides open access to learning before and after school, during recess and lunchtime, for students, parents and teachers. During the day, up to three classes at a time can use the library while a constant flow of individuals and small groups also wander in and out. Emerging out of these diverse ways of experiencing the library is the gentle chaos that is the ebb and flow of the school day.

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2- It allows students to actively participate in the design of their learning space while it promotes learning.(P.151) PYP Principles into Practice

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2- It allows students to actively participate in the design of their learning space while it promotes learning.(P.151) PYP Principles into Practice

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“Summary• A learning environment encompasses multiple learning spaces–built and natural, outdoor and in,formal and informal.• Students actively participate in the design and co-construction of learning spaces including the learning opportunities that occur within those spaces.• Learning spaces are flexible, inviting, and engaging.”

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How students agency can design a learning space: blog

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How students agency can design a learning space: blog

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Inspiring to see how students take action in their own learning starting by creating their own learning space.

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This article talks about Primary Years Programme students inquiring into the p hysical and virtual public spaces. As part of their action, students chose to design the mother tongue space for the library.
The beauty of the Primary Years Programme (PYP) is the empowerment of students during their learning journey and also as a result of their learning. P6 students (8-9 years old) started their academic year by inquiring into the central idea Physical and virtual public spaces provide people with opportunities to make connections and establish a sense of community under the transdisciplinary theme How we organize ourselves.

During the unit of inquiry, students differentiated between physical and virtual spaces and identified the importance, need and purpose for each. They looked at different public spaces in the school and brainstormed several ideas to redesign a space for the learning and teaching community. Some of these ideas included improving the design of the PYP field, the breakout space outside the P6 classrooms and the PYP library.

The students chose to redesign the PYP library by adding a home and family languages section. The teachers and PYP coordinator ensured that students were off to a successful start in their journey by involving experts in the field of architecture and design from our community, and arranging visits to different libraries in the city.

Students visited the Atelier D'Arts & Architecture firm to understand how the idea of a physical space develops from the concept of a virtual space. The architecture firm conducted a design workshop where students were mentored to design the space and shelving for the home and family languages library section. Students came back enriched with knowledge and ideas for their library. The mathematics focus on shape and space for the unit of inquiry enabled them to apply their knowledge to design this section of the library. Students continued to brainstorm additional ideas in the classroom, then worked on a plan and created a second and third draft.

Next, they visited the British Council Library and the Alliance Française to see how the libraries were organized. After their return, students reflected on the overall design, including furniture and arrangement of books in the two libraries, compared them to their PYP library and incorporated a few more ideas into their plan. During the design process, students looked at their peers' plans and gave each other feedback and suggestions for improvement. They were enthusiastic, cooperative and collaborative during the task and used persuasive language to convince others in their groups to include their ideas in the plan. The students' final designs included a description of the space in the library they have chosen for home and family languages section as well as detailed illustrations of furniture with measurements.

For the summative assessment, students presented their final designs, explained why their design was suitable for the PYP students and assessed the other groups using a rubric.

Creativity was evident throughout the unit of inquiry. Some of the ideas for the library included a tree book shelf, a cozy section with stuffed toys, bean bags and synthetic grass carpet, lower book shelves with different flag colours and a colourful caterpillar shelf for different language books.

We have now completed our first unit of inquiry, but action is ongoing and the students are eager to see their virtual designs transformed into reality.

It is great to see students enthusiastically take ownership of their learning.
Syeda Hafsa Quadri is a primary teacher at Stonehill International School, Bangalore, India and have taught in PYP schools for 5 years. She is passionate about inquiry-based teaching and learning and constructivist methodologies that empower students to make a difference in the global world. You can follow her on Twitter

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This article talks about Primary Years Programme students inquiring into the p hysical and virtual public spaces. As part of their action, students chose to design the mother tongue space for the library. The beauty of the Primary Years Programme (PYP) is the empowerment of students during their learning journey and also as a result of their learning.