Collaborative critical making in higher education: a case study of a community-centred storytelling effort to transform harmful narratives of gun violence in Boston

Figures & data

Table 1. Representation of the infrastructuring of the three dimensions of critical making at the scales of classroom, college, and community in the liberal arts.

	a Listening	b Expression	c Governance
1 Classroom	1a. Class is oriented towards holding space for multiple perspectives. Positionality and privilege is acknowledged, and shared understanding is sought through storytelling.	1b. Class is oriented towards a collaborative outcome. Students, partners, and faculty, are working towards the creation of an artifact.	1c. Class supports creative and analytic decision-making by faculty, students, and partners in the creation of the artifact.
2 College	2a. Needs and aspirations of community partners are accommodated in curricular design, contracting, credit offerings, and curricular design. Partners participate in the course fully for credit or stipend.	2b. Faculty, across disciplines, are trained and supported to develop collaborative curriculum and evaluate student and partner work. Assessment criteria are established to support collaborative work in the classroom.	2c. College supports partners’ participation in decision-making about new studios so that they align with community needs.
3 Community	3a. Curriculum supports student and faculty visits to community spaces. Listening happens by structuring time to show up and to listen without specific agenda.	3b. Once the term concludes, structures are in place to support community partners in their use of the artifact.	3c. Structures are in place to support faculty, students, and community partners to continue to develop artifacts after the semester has concluded, and to strategically decide how they get used and evaluated.

Image 1. The outcome of the VR studio was a virtual rendition of Peace Play in Urban Settings, a therapeutic activity adapted by the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute to promote healing.

Image 2. Piece or Peace?, a role playing game about violence escalation designed for teens.

Image 3. Students, faculty, and learning partners on the set of Quiet Rooms.

Image 4. Students listening to learning partners in the Dorchester community while on a tour.

Image 5. Doctors and survivors discussing the renovation of MGH’s quiet room in fall 2023.