Developing Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships in Libraries for STEM Learning

• In Event: Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships for Developing and Assessing Informal STEM Learning Experiences

Abstract

Objective: Design thinking for libraries is both a very familiar aspect and an innovation in librarianship (Clarke, forthcoming). An area of librarianship that fits into design thinking is the development of children and youth services in libraries. In the past, children’s librarians needed interpersonal skills, a love of children, the ability to manage resources, and a good knowledge of children’s literature (Adkins & Esser, 2004). Today, there is increasing demand for children’s librarians to have technological skills (Adkins & Esser, 2004), particularly when it comes to creating and instituting libraries as digital STEM learning spaces for children (Subramaniam et al., 2012; Ito et al., 2013). Libraries are playing a central role in connected learning spaces for youth (Ito et al., 2013). The goal of our research is to demonstrate how participatory design (co-design) with librarians can be a way to develop a research-practitioner partnership for STEM learning.

Perspective: Our team focuses on using Cooperative Inquiry (Author et al., 2017; Druin, 2002), a participatory design (PD) method that emphasizes children and adults as equal and equitable design partners. In this study, we used Cooperative Inquiry (Author et al., 2017; Druin, 2002) to work closely with children, libraries, and researchers as equal design partners. In a framework of equal partnerships between adults and children, we examine relationship building, facilitation, designing together, and idea generation.

Method & Results: For this study, we employed the comparative case study method (Merriam, 2009) to examine the role of Cooperative Inquiry in the design of digital learning activities for youth patrons of a library and the development of a research-practitioner partnership. We develop a case study of three library branches at The Seattle Public Library and co-design engagements with an academically-based community service course (Harkavy et al., 2017) that focused on integrating librarian master’s students (MLIS) with co-design in the community. Using the equal design partnerships framework (Author et al., under review), we analyze video recordings and stakeholder interviews on how researchers, MLIS students, librarians, and children (ages 7 – 12) worked together to develop new digital STEM learning activities for patrons. For this study, we (1) closely examine what engagements and interactions happen in PD sessions that are important in the co-design of digital learning activities for libraries and (2) how youth, community, and MLIS student stakeholders considered their co-design interactions. Despite benefits in co-design, there are also tensions in co-design, such as challenging the traditional role of librarians and finding ways to help librarians and MLIS develop comfort as design partners.

Significance: This research sets up future work for developing intergenerational co-design teams to create new learning innovations for libraries. Through co-design work in libraries, we argue that librarians, MLIS students, and youth can develop research-practitioner partnerships focused on PD. At the same time, libraries are foundation towards upholding democracy. We believe that co-designing with youth means that design processes can also be democratic and be consistent with the mission of libraries.

Author

• Jason Yip, University of Washington - Seattle