"Quantum Imaginaries: Literacy Research Association Unveils Revolutionary Theme for 2026 Honolulu Conference"

"You never change things by [only] fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete." —Buckminster Fuller

TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Literacy Research Association (LRA) announces its 76th Annual Conference, scheduled to take place from December 2 to 5, 2026, in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. This significant event will explore the theme, "Manifesting Quantum Imaginaries: Re-searching Literacies as a Transcontextual Enterprise," inviting scholars and practitioners to delve into innovative perspectives on literacy research. "As we convene for our 76th Annual Conference in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, the Literacy Research Association is poised to present a truly groundbreaking event. This milestone conference, following closely on the heels of our 75th anniversary, is designed to profoundly expand our understandings of literacies in motion, reinforcing LRA's commitment to disseminating cutting-edge research and underscoring the vital global reach of our mission," said Patriann Smith, LRA 2026 Conference Chair and President-Elect. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95UsflcR3jU 

Individuals interested in contributing to this discourse or who wish to attend the conference are encouraged to visit the official LRA website for comprehensive details regarding proposal submissions, registration, and event logistics. Additional information is available at https://literacyresearchassociation.org/current-conference-2026/.  

Adopt a Quantum Lens The theme chosen for the conference invites a metaphorical re-examination of literacies through a quantum lens, moving beyond traditional, linear models of space and time. This approach considers literacies as dynamic bundles of potential, holding multiple meanings simultaneously, much like the smallest units of reality in quantum science as described by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. In turn, this perspective suggests that a single literacy event can generate limitless possibilities depending on its context and trajectory, emphasizing the "when" and "where" of literacies as equally important as the "what."

Explore Literacies in MotionThe LRA 2026 conference will metaphorically use a quantum lens to explore the concept of "literacies in motion," observing how students traverse new contexts and borders, whether they are physically moving, engaging in classrooms, or navigating online and offline worlds. This dynamic interaction creates a complex transcontextual architecture of literacies, shaping how individuals communicate, establish belonging, and navigate their worlds. Considering literacies in motion also aligns with long-standing Indigenous, African, Asian, and diasporic philosophies that underscore the interconnectedness of human experiences and their literacies, reflecting a non-linear understanding of time. The year 2025, recognized as the "Year of Quantum" by UNESCO, provides a timely backdrop for this exploration. 

"Attendees of the LRA 2026 conference will discover innovative approaches to cultivate new ways of supporting students and teachers in K-12 classrooms, fostering active literacies in motion that transcend traditional boundaries. Through the metaphorical adoption of a quantum lens, we will explore how even the smallest literacy events hold multiple meanings and create limitless possibilities, equipping educators and researchers with a dynamic framework to navigate the complexities of modern literacy instruction," commented Rahat Zaidi, LRA 2026 Associate Conference Chair and Vice-President.

Join LRA in Hawai'iThis conference seeks to cultivate contemporary ways of supporting students and teachers in K-12 classrooms, preparing them to create new models of engagement in an era marked by artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing. Researchers are invited to submit proposals that investigate these expansive and metaphorical understandings of literacies as quantum phenomena. Potential areas of inquiry include:

• How literacies remain active in the lives of students who move and those who do not;
• The dynamics of literacies across students' online and offline environments;
• Strategies teachers employ to support literacies in motion while meeting educational outcomes;
• Student engagement with literacies as they shape their personal trajectories;
• Methods for researchers to consider both space and time when studying minute instances of student literacies;
• The reflection of multiple possibilities within the smallest instantiations of literacies in motion across diverse contexts;
• Reasons for embracing certain possibilities created by literacies in motion while devaluing others.

By challenging rigid characterizations of human movement and literacies, the LRA 2026 conference aims to liberate literacies as a living, transcontextual endeavor, fostering a collective re-evaluation of truths embedded in literacies in motion and empowering students and teachers to honor responsibility (kuleana) and privilege. "The LRA 2026 conference theme, 'Manifesting Quantum Imaginaries,' represents a critical call to action for the literacy research community, especially as we advance beyond 2025, which marks '100 Years of Quantum'," states Patriann Smith. "Moving beyond static, linear models of thought to embrace a more expansive understanding of literacies as transcontextual, this conference aims to inspire researchers to not only observe but also actively shape how literacies heal, redeem, reconnect, and protect (mālama) -- radically reshaping the shared nows of all."

Patriann Smith, LRA 2026 Conference ChairRahat Zaidi, LRA 2026 Associate Conference Chair   

MEDIA CONTACT: Patriann Smith, psmith@literacyresearchassociation.org

LRA 2026 Cover Art

Dr. Patriann Smith, LRA 2026 Conference Chair & President-Elect and USF Professor of Literacy Studies & Associate Dean of Faculty Success and Excellence

Dr. Rahat Zaidi, LRA 2026 Associate Conference Chair and Vice-President