Finding Creative Learning Spaces

Homeschoolers have the whole world to use for their "classroom," but most of the time we aren't looking for formal classes. Over the years, I have visited many different parks, museums, and public spaces with my children, and I have been surprised to discover how many places follow the traditional school format: an adult instructor stands in the front and tells a group of same-age children what to do. Few places permit children to enjoy open-ended, hands-on design experiences, and fewer still are appropriate for a wide range of ages. (Homeschooling parents with large families are especially cognizant of how near to impossible it is to segregate children by age for every workshop and outing.) Perhaps that's why my children have generally preferred to set up their own group learning experiences—such as the Backyard Ballistics project in the adjacent photo.

In her essay on "A Dangerous but Powerful Idea" (2007), Geetha Narayanan describes an after school learning center at the MIT Media Lab called the "Computer Clubhouse." She notes that the clubhouse has four core principles: 

1. Supporting learning through design experiences.
2. Helping youth build on their own interests.
3. Creating an emergent learning community.
4. Working always in a climate of trust and respect.

Are there any places in my own community that satisfy these criteria, I wondered? It wasn't easy to think of any at first, but I pushed myself to consider the options. 

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) seems like an obvious place to consider. Unfortunately, while it's true that FIRST "celebrates science and technology," it doesn't offer any open workshop hours. Kids must enroll in one of the competitive robotics programs to have access to the LEGO and robot components, and fees for participating are steep (although scholarships are available for some).


Traditional Community Learning Centers (such as the Adult Learning Center in Nashua) focus on providing child care, basic high school classes, and continuing education courses for adults. Usually, these learning centers are located in a school building, often within classrooms that are available during after-school hours (for example, Concord Community Education at Concord High School). These aren't the type of learning centers I was hoping to find, although they do offer classes (such as cooking or small engine repair) with opportunities for design experiences and interest-based learning.

Some businesses offer specialized "clubhouses," spaces designed for people interested in learning how to use the supplies they sell. For example: 

• Bead-It in Concord offers free use of their worktables and tools as well as help with the basics of stringing beads and making earrings. (More advanced instruction is available for a fee.) There always seem to be at least a few people at the tables, and all ages are welcome.
• Quilted Threads in Henniker has a classroom and work space. Anyone interested in quilting can attend their workshops and classes, and special clubs (BERNINA Embroidery, Quilt Sampler) meet once or twice a month. Novices can work alongside experienced quilters to master the craft of quilting, and the two women who own the shop are happy to offer advice and encouragement to beginners. They also host appraisals.
• Home Depot offers free weekly workshops and special monthly workshops for kids (for ages 5 to 12)

Science museums (such as the SEE Science Center in Manchester or the Montshire Museum in Norwich, VT) have fun hands-on exhibits for exploration. However, as Natalie Rusk, Mitch Resnick, and Stina Cooke noted in their paper Origins and Guiding Principles of the Computer Clubhouse, ". . . museum exhibits are typically designed for short-term interaction and do not offer opportunities for open-ended design." Special museum workshops are generally limited to a narrow age range and a specific topic or project (such as studying aquatic insects or building a rocket). For example, "Friday Nights for Teen Tinkerers" at the Montshire Museum is for Grades 6 through 9, and the focus is on a predetermined theme (for example, "Toy Take-Apart" or "Chemistry Meets Art"). Similar programs, such as Science Discovery Lab Activities (15-30 minutes long), guided Homeschooler Programs, and a Young Scientist Program (for ages 4–6) are also offered regularly. 

NH Audubon Centers (McLane Center, Amoskeag Fishways, and others) serve as "nature clubhouses," where those with an interest in bird watching or other naturalist activities can find people of all ages who share their interest. "Regulars" at these centers form a community, and those who work there (many volunteer their time) are typically knowledgable, welcoming, and supportive. As with the science centers, these nature centers offer a variety of special classes and workshops, but opportunities for design experiences are brief and constrained.  

What I don't see among these options are "emergent learning communities." As far as I can tell, most participants do not attend often enough, or interact enough, to feel as though they are members of an established community of learners. Individual learners show up for a few programs, work on their projects independently, and then leave. I imagine this could change, though, if someone were to consciously develop a community of regular attendees and encourage collaboration during the workshops. It might also help if a wider range of students were expected and allowed to participate.

What we seem to be lacking most of all are spaces for technology-based design experiences, or as Rusk, Resnick, and Cooke describe it: ". . . a learning space where youth could have not just access to the latest computer technology, but also access to people who could inspire and support them as they developed creative projects based on their interests." I think New Hampshire could use a few Computer Clubhouses.

Do you have a "creative learning space" near you? A place where people can go to work on projects and learn from each other as part of the process? If so, I hope you will share your recommendations in the comment space below. When you do, please consider how you would describe the space in terms of the following criteria (questions taken from MIT Media Lab's Learning Creative Learning Syllabus, Activity for Session 7): 

6. Projects - What kinds of projects are people working on? How would you describe the range or diversity of projects?
7. Interests - Where do the ideas for the projects come from? Are the projects based on individual, group, or community interests?        
8. Learning Community - Do people help each other learn?  Are there mentors in the space? Is there a trajectory of participation from newcomer to leadership roles?
9. Values - How do people treat each other in the community? Are there community guidelines or values that are discussed or agreed upon?
10. Space - Which aspects of the physical space support the creative learning process? What materials are available?