University of Sheffield, CILASS CETL
| Contact Details: | Dr Philippa Levy, CILASS Academic Director, p.levy@sheffield.ac.uk Nicola Reilly, Programme Manager, n.reilly@sheffield.ac.uk |
| Type of Project: | Initial stage was a refurbishment. Second stage was part of a larger new build project. |
| Start/End Date: | First stage opened in Autumn 2006. Second stage project opened Spring 2007. |
Background & Context
CILASS - the Centre for Inquiry-based Learning in the Arts and Social Sciences - is a HEFCE-funded CETL (Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning) based at the University of Sheffield. The CETL's main activities are based around Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL). CILASS has provided learning and teaching spaces, known as collaboratories, in order to facilitate IBL activity at the University of Sheffield.
CILASS originally based its collaboratories on a model devised by Dr Philippa Levy (Academic Director) taking further the development team's ideas of the design of innovative spaces to support collaborative approaches to learning.
CILASS is all about inquiry-based learning so the spaces had to be appropriate for facilitating and supporting inquiry-based learning and collaborative activity.
It was important that the CILASS facilities should be readily accessible for users - hence its situation on the first floor of the Information Commons.
CILASS is based in the Information Commons (IC) at the University of Sheffield and offers a vibrant focal point for educational development in inquiry-based learning. Its two state-of-the-art 'collaboratories' and group spaces have been designed specifically to enable students and staff to work together on inquiry and research activities. CILASS brings together students, academic staff, library specialists and learning technologists and has good links with the wider learning and teaching community outside of the University. The innovative, evolving IC environment supports development and testing of new learning strategies - their effectiveness monitored and assessed within the building itself. Successful strategies are then disseminated throughout the University of Sheffield.
In addition to the collaboratories there are also smaller bookable rooms for small group work or breakout purposes and a social networking area.
The facilities are split over two sites. The CILASS approach to space was initially 'test driven' in the Bartolome House Collaboratory at the University of Sheffield. This is a refurbished teaching and learning space with moveable/light weight square tables and chairs allowing a large number of different layouts. Bartolome House has had a considerable impact on the CILASS community. Nicola Reilly, Programme Manager at CILASS, feels that it has encouraged colleagues to explore collaborative IBL approaches in their teaching.
