The Learning Commons’ Ethos: Peer-Peer Learning Support
The Chapman Learning Commons (CLC) is a central hub on campus that provides access to advanced technologies, collaborative work areas, workshop space and learning support. We strive to enrich academic support and enhance the experience of all UBC students, with an emphasis on the first-year undergraduate experience. Our learning support services and resources emphasize the acquisition and application of learning skills, which help students become oriented to and succeed in university learning.
We emphasize a learner- and student-centred approach to services, with peer-led, student-driven initiatives and shared-decision making. We employ a peer-peer service model at our CLC Help Desk and in the creation and implementation of our online resources. Our friendly team of CLC student Assistants work on the level 3 Help Desk in the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre and assist users with technology, loan out equipment and help students connect with key learning resources and services on campus. Peer leadership is a central tenet of our services, reciprocally benefiting our student staff and students who access our services: Peer-peer service models are evidenced to contribute to student academic success, persistence and retention, social connection, and professional development.
To read more about the research behind our peer-peer service model, see the following articles [links to external site]:
Mitchell, J. & Bell, M. (2012). Common Ground: UBC Library and Student Development in the Chapman Learning Commons.
Mitchell, J. & Soini, N. (2014). Student Involvement for Student Success: Student Staff in the Learning Commons.
To read more about our program scope and impact, see [download PDF]:
Get Involved
We invite faculty to participate in the Profs-in-Commons program, a project that seeks to increase meaningful engagement between students and professors outside of the classroom, by hosting office hours in the Learning Lounge on Level 3 of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre. The office hours take place alongside other Peer Academic Coaching support programs and the Centre for Writing and Scholarly Communication.
For more information or to become involved, reach out to Lisa Popplewell, Learning Commons Coordinator, at lisa.popplewell@ubc.ca.
