Key Designable Elements in Living Lab Learning Environments: Insights from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Across Diverse Contexts

This chapter examines the role of Living Labs (LLs) in advancing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) through two cases: the Robot Garage LL in Finland and the X-Reality Lab in South Africa. The study explores key designable elements of LL learning environments and how these can be adapted across diverse educational, cultural, and geographic contexts, with particular attention to African settings. Using a case study methodology, data were collected between 2024 and 2025 from university webpages, interviews, teacher reports, and video recordings. The Finnish data set includes interviews with eight students and sixteen educators, while the South African perspective is informed by six researchers who undertook 3-month residencies in Finland, complemented by additional qualitative data from South African universities. The analysis used Bouw et al.’s framework, which includes four elements: epistemic, spatial and instrumental, temporal, and social. Based on the data, the framework was expanded to include three additional elements: pedagogical, civic/public, and financial. The findings confirm the importance of the original elements while showing the need to consider these additional dimensions. The study underscores LLs as dynamic, interdisciplinary environments that integrate education, research, and practice. The chapter contributes to rethinking TVET by highlighting the potential of LLs to foster adaptive, inclusive, and future-oriented learning environments.