The D3 Lab (2011-Present) Conceived in a partnership between
COMMONstudio, The Pearson Foundation’s New Learning Institute,
and the community of Nightingale Middle School in Los Angeles,
the goal of this initiative is to create a context on a public
school campus that allows students to articulate and pursue
their interests through real world projects. The first part of
this challenge was the need to gain a deeper understanding the
culture of the school and its place in the community. We worked
directly with teachers, students, parents, and community members
to better understand and align their diverse perspectives,
needs, and voices. COMMONstudio compiled an extensive
ethnographic report which provided a broad overview of the
inherent challenges and opportunities both on campus and off, an
understanding of all stakeholders involved. This report was one
part of a strategic approach for the development of a long term
project-based learning program capable of operating in the
context of Nightingale on a sustain