Ali Schmitz
In Motion Staff Writer
Photo By: Lisa Silversmith/ In Motion
Starting in the summer semester, room 216 of Davidson Hall went over a massive overhaul. The oldest building on campus now homes the Classroom of the Future, a new room focused on allowing students to use technology and work collaboratively.
The Classroom of the Future was designed with a new generation of technology-addicted students in mind. Two 52-inch smart televisions are mounted on the walls. These allow professors and students to connect through the wireless system to present information on the screens. The Classroom of the Future also has 32 desks that can be moved to form four person workstations.
The Classroom of the Future has been in development for about two and a half years.
A small group of administrators and instructors conducted studies and researched what students wanted to see in their classes. A committee, called EXCITE (Excellence in Curriculum and Instruction through Technology Enhancement) met in early 2012 and they made the Classroom of the Future their first priority.
Through meetings with students and vendors, EXCITE began to create the Classroom of the Future.
“We interviewed students to see what they would like to see in the classroom. One suggestion was larger desks, so we modified that,” said Robert Saum, Executive Director of Instructional Resources.
Through a private vendor, DSC modified original plans of what the classroom would look like. Over 400 students have met in the classroom so far and 30 teachers have been trained to use the classroom.
This includes Economics professor Max Nagiel, a member of the EXCITE committee, who taught in the classroom for a week in late September.
“Going into a different learning environment causes us to learn as well. We have to think differently about how we instruct a class. Everything is more participatory and engaging,” said Nagiel.
The EXCITE committee has been meeting to discuss how they have used the room, with administration like Saum coming into classrooms to discuss opinions with students about improvements that can be made to the classroom.
“Instructors need to share experiences, professional development, activities, and exchange from different sorts of pollination of ideas. We are learning from each other.” Nagiel said.
Many students have been excited about the room as well as instructors.
Fifty more instructors have registered for training. Although most students have acclaimed the use of technology in the classroom, some have criticized the room for not being structured enough. Nagiel’s students had the opportunity to share their opinions about the classroom with Saum.
“I was surprised about how much weight students put on aesthetics. In this classroom I’ve learned what students prefer in their classes. Although it’s high-tech, I’ve learned how to use technology as a tool in the classroom.” Nagiel said.