Project 6 – A Different Space for Learning: Developing a Learning Organization

Abstract

Librarians, their academic colleagues, and students face many challenges as a result of the increase in student numbers and the move to student‐centred learning. At Bristol Business School (BBS), these were addressed by a number of staff development projects. Project 6 researched the lecturer, the student and change. The project group comprised members with varied backgrounds including the BBS subject librarian. The research took the form of focus group discussions with first‐year undergraduate business studies students. The results suggested that the most important issue for them is leaving home; they developed coping strategies to deal with overcrowding and lack of study space; assignments and tests are the greatest motivators to student learning. The research process and results of developing the learning organization of Project 6 were demonstrated and disseminated via a BBS workshop and a national conference at Bolton Business School. The experience of Project 6 has been instrumental in effecting a culture scheme within BBS as other learning sets now operate looking at specific teaching and learning issues which recognize the primacy of the student experience.