Diverse Alternative Learning Visions 2026–2066: Transforming and Reframing the University as a Lifelong Social Design Lab

Abstract

California State University, East Bay (CSUEB) represents one of the most diverse campuses in the United States, and has started a number of programs in long term and futures thinking to celebrate diverse, alternative visions of the future. In the summer of 2016, for five weeks, multiple university stakeholders, including the University President, deans, faculty, staff and the university advancement team, engaged onsite in a futures design thinking process to envision a new Twenty first century commons space at the university. The ultimate goal was to transform and expand the university’s central library within the next ten years (by 2026) and for the next fifty years (to 2066). Six teams of stakeholders participated in forecasting, a human-centered design process shaping a twenty-first approach to education. In assessing this forecasting efforts, the following question was addressed: How did design futures thinking shape our vision of the new library and information commons space on the CSUEB campus? Although initial steps have been taken to realize the outcomes from this project, additional important work is needed to institutionalize full innovative changes.