Assessment in Hands-On Library Learning Spaces

Abstract

Hands-on learning experiences, such as making and tinkering, are often viewed as a learner-driven approach that can be integrated into any subject or topic area, inherently interdisciplinary. In recent years, libraries have become prominent places for designing and facilitating hands-on learning experiences. As these experiences and programs increase, there has emerged a need for assessment to communicate impacts to various stakeholders and provide useful information to practitioners to make ongoing improvements. This session brings together researchers and practitioners from four projects that are designing and using assessments within libraries. These projects highlight different tools, practices, purposes and foci for assessment. Through this session, participants will become aware of these projects, engage with the tools themselves and consider the theoretical and practical implications for the different approaches.