Connected learning in the library as a product of hacking, making, social diversity and messiness

Abstract

Learning is most effective when intrinsically motivated through personal interest, and situated in a supportive socio-cultural context. This paper reports on findings from a study that explored implications for design of interactive learning environments through 18 months of ethnographic observations of people's interactions at “Hack The Evening” (HTE). HTE is a meetup group initiated at the State Library of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, and dedicated to provide visitors with opportunities for connected learning in relation to hacking, making and do-it-yourself technology. The results provide insights into factors that contributed to HTE as a social, interactive and participatory environment for learning – knowledge is created and co-created through uncoordinated interactions among participants that come from a diversity of backgrounds, skills and areas of expertise. The insights also reveal challenges and barriers that the HTE group faced in regards to connected learning. Four dimensions of design opportunities are presented to overcome those challenges and barriers towards improving connected learning in library buildings and other free-choice-learning environments that seek to embody a more interactive and participatory culture among their users. The insights are relevant for librarians as well as designers, managers and decision-makers of other interactive and free-choice-learning environments.

Keywords:

• connected learning
• social learning
• informal learning
• free-choice learning
• learning spaces
• hackerspaces
• participatory library
• self-directed learning
• urban informatics

Acknowledgements

I thank The Edge and the State Library of Queensland for their support of this study. Special thanks go to Daniel Flood, Mick Bryne, Matt Fallon and the Visitor Service Operators at The Edge, who supported the launch, organisation and ongoing hosting matters of Hack The Evening. Many thanks to Assoc. Prof. Marcus Foth, Dr Daniel Johnson and Dr Ronald Schroeter, as well as the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments on earlier drafts of this paper. Last but not least, I thank the Hack The Evening group members; I learnt a lot about learning from learning with you and from you.

Notes on contributor

Mark Bilandzic has a background in computer science, media technology and human–computer interaction. After finishing his studies at Ludwig-Maximilians Universität in Munich, Germany, and University of California in Berkeley, he continued with a PhD at the Urban Informatics Research Lab at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane. His PhD research focused on design aspects of smart space technologies to improve connected learning experiences in public libraries and coworking spaces. He also investigated relevant socio-spatial aspects of connected learning in the context of meetup groups and hackerspaces across Australia.