![]() | PENDING |
Date/Time: October 30, 2025 | 10:45 am – 12:15 pm
Room: 155-156
Audience: Architects, Engineers, Educators, Facility Personnel, Contractors / Suppliers / Manufacturers, Consultants
Call to Action:
Leave with practical strategies and a personalized framework to implement design elements for multiple generational learners. Overall generation trends will align the included framework for technological, health and well-being, inclusivity, collaboration, learning, and social interactions related to outdoor areas.
Abstract: Picture a childhood where learning unfolded outdoors—building forts, wading through creeks, and exploring with friends. For many, these experiences cultivated creativity, resilience, and a deep connection with nature. However, as education evolves, so do the ways students engage with outdoor spaces. How can we design learning environments that honor these past experiences while meeting the diverse needs of today’s and tomorrow’s learners? This session explores how different generations—from Gen X to Gen Alpha and beyond—perceive and interact with outdoor learning spaces. We will examine trends in outdoor engagement: Which generations embrace digital integration with nature? Which prioritize social interaction as their primary outdoor engagement? Which seek outdoor spaces as a retreat for mental wellness? By understanding these generational shifts, we can create outdoor spaces that are relevant, innovative, and future-focused.
Learning Objectives:
Educational Facility Pre-Design Planning
Ensuring the community's vision, educational goals, future programming, standards, and best practices are implemented in the design.
Brenda has 30 years of experience in various educational applications. As a classroom teacher, outdoor educator, and university instructor, she has collaborated with varied audiences on multi-disciplinary projects. Her Accredited Learning Environment Planner (ALEP) designation provides visionary and concrete examples that bridge educational goals with the physical space. The heart of her role as an Educational Facilities Planner is a commitment to supporting learners and those who stand by them on their journey.