Assessment History
Assessment History
Fall 2014The Bubbler + UW Madison = IMLS Magic
A very new Bubbler program teams up with researchers Erica Halverson, Rebekah Willett, and Alexandra Lakind to study learning & making in our space and programs.
Spring 2015Expanding the Team
UW Ischool student Rebecca Millerjohn joins the team at the Bubbler’s IMLS Intern… and stays forever.
Spring 2016Exploring Authentic Assessment
The Bubbler & UW graduate students develop and test authentic assessments for learning - a uniform question series, low tech tweets, and drawing extension - and start informally documenting youth learning.
June 20162016 Annual ALA in Orlando
The IMLS team shares their initial research - “Conceptualizing Learning through Making” examines 4 making & learning frameworks in context
fall 2016Establishing a Culture of Assessment
Building on the language & shared values from The Exploritorium’s Dimensions of Learning, the team formally observes & documents evidence of learning for the first time.
June 2017 Observation Becomes Practice
Maker Corps Interns Kailea Saplan and Caide Jackson translate our Observational tool into a google form and begin regular reflections on programming.
August 2017Trends in Learning during Bubbler Programs begin to emerge
Through consistent reflection, we begin to see what learning dimensions Bubbler programs support, and which ones they do not, and what we care about.
Fall 2017 Publication of IMLS Funded Research
Our grant with UW Madison comes to a close & the research publications begin to flow.
Learning through making in public libraries: theories, practices, and tensions
- Rebekah Willett
- Halverson E, Lakind A, and Willett R
July 2018Play, Make, Learn Conference
The Bubbler introduces a continuous cycle of improvement based on observing outcomes in programs and planning future making & learning experiences
August 2018Launch of Library Impact Blog
The Bubbler writes its first Impact Story and launches a library wide storytelling platform for communicating impacts.
winter 2018Work begins on Prototype of Digital Observation Tool
With the generous support of the Madison Public Library Foundation, we prototype a digital tool for observational assessment that uses a refined & custom framework aligned to Bubbler’s goals.
2020
Librarians design a System Wide Framework of Goals from Library Service
Take advantage of a programming shutdown, Madison Public Librarians conducted surveys of 200+ library staff to design a systemwide framework of goals.
Summer 2021Librarians Toolkit for Observational Assessment is funded by IMLS
Madison Public Library teams up with Skokie Public Library & Waupaca public Library - leaders in Making & learning to bring our digital toolkit to its full potential
Fall 2021The team and knowledge expands
Bringing Kailea Saplan back, now as a doctoral research assistant, the team begins its research, broadening its assessment scope to the teams in Waupaca & Skokie (and libraries at large!)
fall 2022Byte Studios is selected as Development Partner
After the full development plan for the digital toolkit is crafted, Byte studios out of Milwaukee becomes a key partner in the design of the toolkit
Spring 2022 The Bubbler refines it’s framework for making & learning
Benefitting from the time and space to conduct usage interviews with library staff and align to our Systemwide framework of goals, the Bubbler’s custom making & learning framework is refined.
