Using a Student-Generated Survey to Inform Planning For a User-focused Learning Commons

Abstract

A master's comprehensive University is planning a learning commons to support undergraduate learning. The planning process included a literature review, site visits to commons, consultations with experts in the field, discussions with campus specialists, and surveys of patrons. The literature reports two primary forms of data gathering for learning commons: interview/observation and purposive surveys. This report describes the findings of a survey conducted to determine students' perceptions of services relevant in learning commons. The findings indicated that the students wanted help with their information processing needs. IntroductionTo support undergraduate learning at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, the Library planned a learning commons as part of an extensive renovation project. The planning process included a review of the education and library literature, site visits to existing commons, consultations with experts in the field, involvement of key campus stakeholders, and survey data. This article is a report of a pilot survey conducted to engage students in the planning process and identify their needs related to a learning commons from a student perspective. This survey was developed and administered with the assistance of undergraduate students in introductory statistics courses.