South Devon College, Learning Resource Centre, Paignton
| Contact Details: | Karen Brazier, LRC Manager Karen.Brazier@southdevon.ac.uk Fiona Mills (responsible for IT and ILT across the College) Fiona.Mills@southdevon.ac.uk Stephen Criddle, Deputy Principal Stephen.Criddle@southdevon.ac.uk John Evans, Head of Technology Department John.Evans@southdevon.ac.uk |
| Type of Project: | The whole college moved to a three-year old building that was originally used as a factory so was a very big open space with few internal walls and limited natural light |
| Start/End Date: | The whole project took 3-4 years. The move took place in 2 phases: the technology department (construction and motor vehicle) moved in Sept 2005 and the rest of the College moved Dec 2005/Jan 2006. |
Success Factors
The LRC moved into the main building first which meant that staff had time to settle in and prepare for the students arriving so that they felt the move went unexpectedly seamlessly. The early opening of the LRC allowed teaching staff to work away from others unpacking in staff rooms and meant they were fresh and fully prepared for the start of term.
What Makes The Space Successful?
Much of the change is cultural. The new space with new equipment the makes the College feel like a 'buzzing' environment. Student numbers are up and it is felt that word has got around that it is a great place to come and study and to learn so the whole College ethos of e-learning and embedding IT has encouraged students to go there instead of staying on at school.
Since the move the College has developed a strong programme of initiatives such as 'student ambassadors' whereby they hold open evenings and students show other people around. There is plenty of opportunity for students to learn anywhere in the college, whether it be in the quiet atmosphere of the main LRC, in a open access drop-in IT zone or in one of the café areas. All space is used flexibly by both staff and students for learning.
The College also received a 'Highly Commended' at the Beacon Awards in the category of The Becta Award for An e-Enabling College.
What Is Innovative About The Design And The Use Of The Space?
The flexibility of the space is new as is the creation of open access PC zones that can be booked by staff or students. The zones are close to departmental offices so that there are always staff on hand.
Plasma screens are being used in an interesting way: for example members of the public using the restaurant in the evenings can watch the students cooking their meal inside the kitchens on the plasma screens. This can then be recorded and used back in the classroom. A current project is looking at other ways of using plasma screens innovatively for learning.
