Four dimensions of design opportunities are presented to overcome thosechallenges and barriers towards improving connected learning in library buildings and other free-choice learning environments that seek to embody a more interactive and participatory culture among their users.

The results provide insights into factors that contributed to HTEas a social, interactive and participatory environment for learning – knowledge is created and co-createdthrough uncoordinated interactions among participants that come from a diversity of backgrounds, skills and areas of expertise. The insights also reveal challenges and barriers that the HTE group faced in regards to connectedlearning.

This paper reports on findings from a study that explored implications for design of interactive learning environments through 18 months of ethnographic observations of people’s interactions at“Hack The Evening” (HTE).