Date/Time: November 5, 2026 | 2:30 – 3:30 pm

Room: YAKIMA 1

Abstract: A foundational part of the human experience has been passing on knowledge and skills to equip the rising generation for success in their future. The formalization of learning environments (schools) was founded by assuming a future world that modeled predictable historical patterns. Families, tradespeople, educators, administrators and designers have attempted to shape schools to support current educational needs. But as needs change, the environment must also.

History shows how pedagogical shifts require current generations to re-evaluate the design of physical and social environments. We have been riding the current of our last big shift known as “21st Century Learning.” This shift, originating in the mid-1990s, re-invigorated the idea that breaking up the “cells and bells” was necessary to prepare learners for the then approaching 21st century. At that time, there were significant changes culturally and technologically. We are living that future today, questioning how the “alternative learning environments” (ALE) we started over 30 years ago are meeting today’s needs. Social norms and expectations are again rapidly changing, following unprecedented disruptions to our economy and technology. LearningSCAPES 2026 is coming at a pivotal time to invite critical exploration of ALE’s for contemporary education.

Together, we will clarify what “alternative learning environments” are along with their intended purpose. We will review common ALE’s, and share insights from middle school learners, educators, and administrators about how ALE’s are serving them in the real world. Hindsight will prepare us to look ahead critically while answering the conference prompt of how we must “move beyond standard structures to embrace individualized learning, problem-solving, and exploration”. We will build on the ONEder Grant’s work and our own middle school POEs to investigate the impact of people, practice and place on advancing this generation’s vision for learning environments that will meet the needs of their future.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the range of definitions that constitute Alternative Learning Environments (ALEs) from the perspective of learners, educators, administrators and educational facility designers.
2. Apply findings from the ONEder Grant‘s “Unlocking Space Potential” to align people, practice and place while considering ALEs3.
3. Introduction to post-occupancy evaluation data and be able to utilize technical insights regarding the evaluation of ALEs4.
4. Develop and evaluate design strategies for the design and implementation of ALE’s.