Is a Living Lab Also a Learning Lab?—Exploring Co-Creational Power of Young People in a Local Community Food Context

Abstract

Living lab approaches are increasingly being explored and studied as means to address societal problems and develop viable solutions. The approach put emphasis on user participation as a way to co-create new technologies, products or services in an open and real-life environment. Against this background, we set out to ask to what extent a living lab can also be a learning lab. We used the concepts of Project-Based Learning and STEM teaching approaches as a theoretical framework to understand the potential of the Living Lab concept to create learning as well as solutions. This study applies a case study approach as a method for qualitative data collection. The case of the learning lab at “Læringshuset”—one of the schools involved in the SESAM program, was used as the case. The themes for the SESAM program were to create an understanding of the principles of sustainable food production and consumption using a scientific approach. The “Læringshuset” is a newly built school tailored to Project-Based Learning (PBL). In total, 12 rounds of interviews were carried out with three different types of informants who were involved in the SESAM program at Læringshuset: pupils (n = 8), teachers (n = 2) and mentors (n = 4). The data collected formed part of a larger data set that was collected as part of the SESAM evaluation in the 2021 and 2022 versions. This study concludes that the Living Lab format created around a school setting can serve multiple purposes: (i) it can be an important solution provider that acknowledges the value of solutions from young minds, and (ii) at the same time, it can be a learning lab in which multiple actors from the local community can engage in creating valuable solutions and learn from each other. Using the Living and Learning Lab is a good way to create both action and engagement and empowerment, and in particular, we find that it is well suited to create cross-community engagement around topics related to green food system transformation.