Informed digital learning through social living labs as participatory methodology. The case of Food Rescue Townsville
| Published date | 10 October 2017 |
| Date | 10 October 2017 |
| Pages | 518-534 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/ILS-05-2017-0041 |
| Author | Hilary Hughes,Rike Wolf,Marcus Foth |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,Library & information services |
Informed digital learning
through social living labs as
participatory methodology
The case of Food Rescue Townsville
Hilary Hughes
Faculty of Education, Queensland University of Technology (QUT),
Brisbane, Australia
Rike Wolf
Children and Youth Research Centre –Digital Media Facilitation,
Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia, and
Marcus Foth
QUT Design Lab, Queensland University of Technology,
Brisbane, Australia
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to explore social living labs as a participatory methodology
and context for fostering digital literacy and community well-being. This approach is examined through
a case study of Food Rescue Townsville, a voluntary community organisation in North Queensland,
Australia.
Design/methodology/approach –Using qualitativecase study methodology, the research investigated
volunteers’experienceof a social living lab where they selected, installed and used opensource Food Rescue
Robot software.
Findings –The social living lab enhanced volunteers’digitalliteracy and the organisation’sefficiency. The
participatory natureand transformative intentions of social living labs are similar to actionresearch as both
promote socialchange through collaboration.
Research limitations/implications –The case study intentionally focuses on one community
organisationto gain in-depth insights of a real-life socialliving lab.
Practical implications –The paper models an innovative approach that contributes to community
learning and well-being. It presents a social living labs framework for digital literacy development that is
underpinned by participatory action research cycle and integrates informed learning principles. Social
living labs provide a learning context and approach that extends beyond digital skills instruction to a
holistic process of using information to learn. They enable individuals to participate as digital citizens in
the creation, curati on and use of digital informa tion.
Social implications –Informed digital learning through social living labs addresses the digital
divide by fostering digital participation, volunteering and community engagement.
The featured case study is part of the project Fostering digital participation through living labs in
regional and rural Australian communities (LP130100469) which is funded by the Australian
Research Council. Ethical clearance was provided by the Queensland University of Technology
(ref 1400000017). The authors wish to acknowledge the generous assistance of Food Rescue
Boulder to Food Rescue Townsville; and the significant voluntary contribution of the members of
both organisations to their community.
ILS
118,9-10
518
Received19 May 2017
Revised22 June 2017
Accepted22 June 2017
Informationand Learning Science
Vol.118 No. 9-10, 2017
pp. 518-534
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2398-5348
DOI 10.1108/ILS-05-2017-0041
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/2398-5348.htm
Originality/value –The paper is of interest to researchers,information literacy educators and community
groups. Theoretical insights and participatory practices of the Food Rescue Townsville case, and the
proposedsocial living labs framework are transferableto other communities.
Keywords Participatory action research, Digital literacy, Community, Qualitative case study,
Digital participation, Informed learning, Social living labs
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
The ever-increasing spread of digital technologies presents benefits and challenges for
community organisations. As shownin this case study of Food Rescue Townsville, greater
operational efficiency can be achievedthrough the use of digital tools –as long as members
have the will and digital capabilities to use them. While members may be actively engaged
in practical activities such as feeding the hungry, collectively an organisation may lack the
digital literacy to take full advantageof these technologies and optimise their contribution to
community well-being.Therefore, this paper explores the potential of social living labs as an
innovative approachto enhancing digital learning and participation.
Social living labs are a relatively recent approach for community capacity building. As
the distinction between them and commercially drivenliving labs is still being determined,
this exploratorycase study addresses the following questions:
Q1. What is a social living lab?
Q2. How do social livinglabs align with other participatory methodologies?
Q3. How can social living labs foster digital literacy learning in community organisations?
After providing background information, the paper presents the Food Rescue Townsville
case study and examines this exampleof participatory digital learning within a community
organisation. The findings indicate apparent links between social living labs, informed
learning and participatoryaction research (PAR) and provide insights about the nature and
possible outcomes of a social living lab.As a contribution to participatory methodology for
digital literacies, the paper concludes by presenting a new framework for informed digital
learning through social living labs. This paper is of potential interest to researchers,
educators and community organisations seeking insights and transformative practices to
foster digital participation.
Background
The Food Rescue Townsville social living lab was one of several held around the regional
centres of Townsville and Toowoomba (Queensland, Australia) as part of the of the
Fostering digital participation (FDP) project[1]. This project investigated how social living
labs methodology can foster digital participation in regional and rural communities
(Dezuanni et al., 2018). The nature and outcomes of each social living lab differed. A
distinctive characteristic of the Food Rescue case was its grass roots implementation by
volunteers with minimalintervention by professional facilitators.
To set the background, this section outlines key concepts that underpin the Food Rescue
case study: social living labs, digital participation, digital literacy, informed learning, and PAR.
Living labs, as originallydeveloped, have a systems or product developmentfocus where
“users are immersed in a creative social space for designing and experiencing their own
future”(Schumacher,2015, p. 4). They are generally defined as user-centredopen innovation
ecosystems in which users and researchers work collaboratively to address challenges or
Digital
learning
through social
living labs
519
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