Learning Lives Project

Years active: 2011-2012
Funded by BBC Learning

The project was co-developed with the BBC in order to explore the complexity of people’s learning lives and the potential role of rich personal data collation, curation and analysis tools in supporting such learning across the lifecourse. There were three overarching purposes:

  • to explore the learning experiences and resources of a range of individuals at different stages in the lifecourse
  • to explore how diverse individuals already collect, record and share information about themselves
  • to conjecture about how individuals’ data collecting and sharing strategies might be amplified by a rich personal data landscape in pursuit of a range of learning motivations.

The project comprised three phases: the first, was a series of concept mapping workshops with 96 people from a range of different backgrounds and ages, intended to elicit an understanding of the range and diversity of their learning experiences.

The second involved 13 case studies, with individuals aged from 24 to 83, who were interviewed and asked to keep multi-media diaries of critical moments for future reflection over the course of a week.

The third stage involved collaboration between researchers and a data visualisation specialist in order to produce a set of use-case scenarios that would capture a range of possible applications of rich personal data in support of learning across the lifecourse.

Principal investigators

  • Keri Facer
  • Helen Manchester

Co-researchers

  • Howard Baker at the BBC Learning Team

Publications