Webmaker/HiveCookbook

Section A: Hive Learning Network, an overview

Chapter 1: What is the Hive Learning Network

• History of Hive Learning Networks

The first Hive Learning Network was created in New York City in 2007, with support from the MacArthur Foundation’s digital media and learning initiative. It included a network of civic and cultural organizations that created a platform to help youth explore their own interests while tapping the insights and mentoring of the city’s leading scientists, designers, and artists. In 2009, the Chicago Network was formed, also with MacArthur support. These first two locations were designed to test the concept that museums, libraries, afterschool programs, community centers, schools, online communities, and other learning spaces could work together in new ways to allow young people to move seamlessly from one institution to the next, creating multiple entry points and pathways to learning. A preliminary evaluation showed that teens who took part in the New York City Hive Network reported feeling more engaged in school and more confident in their digital skills. These preliminary, but encouraging, findings have spurred interest from others who wish to create new, innovative opportunities for young people to learn “anywhere, anytime.” The third Hive Learning Network, in Pittsburgh, launched in 2013 as was the fourth one in Toronto that same year. 2014 will see the Launch of the Hive Bay Area with additional HLNs and Hive Learning Communities launching as well. The New York City, Chicago and Toronto Hives are stewarded by the Mozilla Foundation, the the Pittsburgh Hive is hosted by The Sprout Fund.

• Big idea/questions/goals/outcomes
• DML connections
• Need statement/Rationale
• Prose/poetry of Hive
• Attributes

Source Materials:

• Principles, Practice, framework for developing Hive programs, (Hive Chicago Program Development Guide)
• Goals, benefits, responsibilities of HLN; Structure of network and roles of stakeholders,i Hive Overview 4-page pamphlet )
• List of attributes of a Hive network
• What is Hive? What is Connected Learning? Who can join? Brief history and how the network is supported, (Hive 2-pager FAQ )
• “A big tent for teaching tech” blog post by Mark Surman – This is on Hive Toronto, but it touches on the rationale and need for HLN.
• About Hive Chicago – Questions, big idea, rationale for a learning network
• Hive Pittsburgh Theory of Change & Program Logic Model
• Connected Learning: Stories from the Web – Principles, designs and values of connected learning; Webmaking 101; stories on individuals; profiles
• Hive NYC Information Kit -- Hive NYC Overview; List of Hive NYC members; MOU; Overview of Funded Projects; Press Clips; Connected Learning Principles; List of Resources

Chapter 2: Hive, A History

• Where the ideas come from
• Narratives of launch: Pitt, NYC, Chi, Toronto, Athens
• Documentation

The New Youth City Learning Network

DRAFT

The history of The New Youth City Learning Network (New York HIVE) dates back to 2009 when the MacArthur Foundation asked three principal investigators, Diana Rhoten (organizational sociologist and currently Chief Strategy Officer at Amplify), Phoenix Wang(entrepreneur, strategist currently Director of Strategic Investments at William Penn Foundation) and Colleen Macklin (Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Design and Technology at Parsons The New School for Design in New York City) to write a proposal for starting a learning network.

The Learning Network was designed to recognize was that kids were pursuing their own interests and paving their own learning pathways by piecing together multiple sources of information and sites of interaction largely on their own—both in physical and virtual spaces.

Rhoten, Wang and Macklin proposed that a network with a focus on learning could help more kids make these vital, “geeky” connections.

Along with MacArthur, this group of investigators curated six NYC-based, youth-serving organizations to become the founding members of The New Youth City Learning Network:

   Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum
   Global Kids
   MOUSE
   New York Hall of Science
   New York Public Library
   Parsons The New School for Design

Parsons was identified as the design and technology production node, established to assist the other organizations in creating new, relevant learning products for a connected and networked environment.

Several design charrettes were held to discuss and dissect some larger questions: How does learning differ from education? How does digital media differ from technology? What do we mean by the terms youth-centered and interest-driven? The network focused on four core competencies: geo-literacies, system thinking, spatial orientation, data interpretation and presentation, and stewardship.

After a formal request for proposals, three initial projects were chosen. The projects were asked to adhere to the following guidelines.

   At least three organizations serving as collaborators
   A commitment to the Citizen Scientist, Designer, Journalist paradigm
   A readiness to leverage ideas about neighborhoods and local, situated learning

The Learning Network efforts was recognized by the media as successful, a 2010 article in Spotlight on Digital Media and Learning noted:

 “The NYCLN is promoting a new form of collaboration among New York City cultural       
 institutions that do the vital work of extending learning beyond the classroom. 
 Rather than a “build it and they will come” approach to youth programming, the 
 NYCLN is encouraging these institutions to start where kids are at—because kids 
 learn best when they follow their own noses. NYCLN is creating a platform that 
 helps youth explore their own interests and, at the same time, taps the insight 
 and mentoring skills of the city’s leading scientists, designers and artists."

Hive Learning Network NYC & Chicago

• Brief history of Hive NYC and Hive Chicago
• History of HiveNYC blog post
• Hive NYC DML Fund awards, 5/16/12, 10/15/12

Hive Pittsburgh

• Hive Pittsburgh history
• Overview of Pittsburgh Learning Ecosystem
• Video of Pittsburgh Network/Sprout Fund – connecting the Hive principles to Pittsburgh org, possible Hive localization example
• Spark Program Context and Background
• Hive Pittsburgh Sprout Fund receives MacArthur grant press release, 2/8/13

Hive Toronto

• Hive Toronto Launch event announcement
• Straw man of Mozilla and MacArthur Relationship
• Digital Citizenship at Hive: A Qualitative Review of Digital Citizenship in Afterschool Settings & Informal Learning Environments-posing the big idea questions; analysis of Hive member orgs and how they place themselves within the network.

Chapter 3: Hive Membership

• Overarching statements that characterize strong member orgs/Hive philosophical approach to building communities of practice
• Membership policy/approach for each HLN
• Hive Member Memorandum of Understanding from Hive NYC info kit
• Member Requirements and Benefits from Hive Chicago
• How to Recruit and Nominate New Members from Hive Chicago
• Current member orgs, by city
  • Two sentence org description
  • Key individuals
  • Website/links
  • Hive grants received and/or projects supported to-date
  • Membership Lists: Toronto, NYC, Chicago
• (could be the basis of a global mentor/learning innovator directory)

Chapter 4: Hive Activities & Events

• Generalized description of activities that every HLN does on an ongoing basis, potentially grouped as follows:
  • Catalytic Support & Project Assistance
  • Program Development & Field Building
  • Knowledge Sharing, Communication & Outreach
  • Documentation, Measurement & Assessment
• Brief notes about unique things that certain HLNs do
• Examples of cross-network initiatives/thematics (e.g., Hive Fashion)
• Listing of major conferences of shared interest with significant Hive/Connected Learning representation
  • DML Conference
  • MozFest
  • World Maker Faire
  • SXSWedu
  • Research convenings from DML hub
  • National Writing Project (NWP)
  • Games, Learning and Society (iffy, but could see more Hive rep there...)
  • Games for Change

Chapter 7: Hive Project Case Studies

• Group case studies thematically, rather than by city?
  • Making
    • MAKESHOP, Pittsburgh

• • STEM/STEAM
    • AirCasting, New York Hall of Science, NYC
    • STEAM Project, Pittsburgh

• • Robotics & Computer Science
    • CREATE Lab, Pittsburgh

• • Gaming & Play
    • Elizabeth Forward School District, Pittsburgh
    • Early Learning Environment, Pittsburgh

• • Social Justice
    • Kickflip, City Lore, NYC
    • Now Is The Time (NITT), Chicago Public Library, Facing History, Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago

• • Youth Leadership
    • Youth Advisory Board, Yollocalli Arts Reach (Natl Museum of Mexican Art), Chicago
    • Hang Out, Mess Around, Geek Out (HOMAGO): A Guidebook, Hive Chicago & Natl Museum of Mexican Art – Handbook designed for people who want to create a space for youth cultural production
    • HiveNYC Youth Committee

• • Badges
    • Race to the White House Summer Badge Beta Report, Global Kids, NYC

Section B: How To Create a Hive Learning Network

Chapter 9: So You want to be a HLN?

• Why do you want to be a hive, a check list
  • Prospective Hive Learning Network Self Assessment Sheet
• Attributes
• How to prepare
• Strawman scenario(s)
  • “Abigail Helps to Start Hive Research Triangle”
• Other local context to consider/assess:
  • School Reform
  • University R&D
  • Ed Tech sector

Chapter 10: Hive Infrastructure

• Grantmaking funds structures/examples
  • Hive NYC Digital Media Learning Fund RFP S– Spark, Catalyst, Link
  • Hive Pittsburgh Fund for Connected Learning RFP
  • Hive Pittsburgh Key Partner Organizations
• Communication (internal/external)/examples
  • Guide for Members, Hive Chicago
  • Member Information Kit, Hive NYC
  • Memorandum of Understanding, Hive NYC
  • Brand, Identity and Copy Guidelines, Hive Chicago
  • Communication Tips by Audience, Hive Chicago
  • Social Media Channels, Hive Toronto
  • Project documentation examples, Hive Pittsburgh

• Staffing/examples
  • Staffing Model, Hive Pittsburgh
  • Management & Governance Info
  • Team and Partners, Hive Chicago
  • Advisory Committee Agreement Form, Hive Chicago

• Org examples
  • How to Recruit and Nominate New Members, Hive Chicago
  • Member Requirements & Benefit, Hive Chicago
  • Membership Info, Hive Pittsburgh

• Case studies
  • Policies (Local/Global)

Chapter 11: Preparation Strategies

• Pop-Up/Catalytic events/examples
• Network/Constituency building/examples
• Asset mapping your city/region
• Collective design/examples
• Case studies

Chapter 12: On-boarding

• Funding/grant writing/partners/sustainability
• Working with Hive Global
• Hive Year One draft calendar
• Announcement & momentum building/examples
  • Hive Chicago Burberry investment (November 2012)
  • Hive Pittsburgh launch press release (February 2013)
• Case studies

Section C: Hive Learning Network, Global

Chapter 13: Hive Global Rationale

• The opportunity
• “Think global act local”

Chapter 14: Hive Global Operations

• Work structure
• Branding
  • Hive Brand and Identity Guide
  • Hive Name Usage
• Hive Pop-Up
• Hive Learning Communities
• Hive Global start-up committee

Chapter 15: Shared Resources, Example Publications, Other Tools & Public Documents

Should include all of our best resources, examples, publications, content sharing, funding announcements, etc.

• Pittsburgh Network Introduction Video (2013, vimeo)
• State of the Network in Pittsburgh (2012, iBook)
• HIve NYC Badging System Ppt Presentation
• Off the Wall Challenge Curriculum Guide

Chapter 16: What Success looks Like

• Best practices
• Future vision
• Theories of change
• Models
  • Hive Pittsburgh Theory of Change & Program Logic Model

Appendix

Appendix: “A Git-Hub for Hive Learning Network”

• Documents
• Forms
• Re-usable grant language
• Design strategies
• Code/tools
• Wireframes
• Curriculum
• Usable, Remixable stuff

Thoughts/Feedback/Suggestions?