Date / Time: October 30, 2025 | 9:00 – 10:30 am

Room: 151-152

Audience: Architects, Engineers, Educators, Facility Personnel, Contractors / Suppliers / Manufacturers, Consultants

Call to Action: The goal of these workshops is not simply to raise awareness, but to equip participants with specific, actionable ideas for embedding into both the design process and the physical outcomes of learning environments. As we continue to examine how bias is built into our educational spaces, the conversation must extend beyond this room.

Abstract: A major initiative of the Diversity Champions Group continues to be hosting a LearningSCAPES Workshop focused on diversity in the design of learning environments. This year’s LearningSCAPES 2025 workshop will build on the success of our 2023 and 2024 sessions, serving as both a touchpoint for continued dialogue and a springboard into regional and chapter-level conversations throughout the coming year. Our objective is to move beyond surface level awareness and to push toward specific, actionable strategies that embed equity and inclusion into the DNA of school design. This workshop will engage participants in meaningful, collaborative dialogue on the systems and structures that shape our school, and challenge them to reflect on the biases, assumptions, and opportunities embedded within. Participants will dive deeper into the key focus areas explored in past sessions while also expanding the conversation. Breakout groups will center on these five evolving topics, with a Diversity Champion facilitating each group to surface new action steps and report back to the collective: student voices, holistic design, normativity and safety for all, climate justice, and feeding our future.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify design strategies that support diverse learners through physical environments that promote well-being, accessibility, and belonging.
2. Analyze how assumptions and bias in planning and design processes can impact safety, equity, and inclusion in learning spaces.
3. Apply inclusive design approaches that address climate resilience, wellness, and cultural responsiveness in school facilities.
4. Evaluate learning environment features to ensure they serve the physical and emotional health needs of all users, particularly marginalized or underrepresented populations.