Active Learning Classrooms

Moody 104 launched this year as a 56 seat capacity “Active Learning Space” and is available by reservation. Do we need others?

On Sept 13th, the Provost Classroom Planning Committee will initiate a discussion on the demand for collaborative classrooms – please comment here to discuss ideas or email me (wes_e_johnson) to represent your ideas to this group. Potentially, a few rooms could be developed next summer.

Should we be converting rows of desks to something more collaborative?
What does this look like for you?
Which rooms might be converted? 
(They will lose capacity; maybe 50%)

Ellis Hall; Queens University; licensed under CC 3.0 non-modified; click image link for original

6 thoughts on “Active Learning Classrooms

  1. Flexibility is the most crucial thing: furniture (whether desks or tables) that can be moved and reconfigured easily—lightweight, on casters, etc. This allows instructors to pursue multiple approaches in the classroom, even in one class session. Physical flexibility can translate to pedagogical flexibility; for instance, an instructor can pause during a lecture to gauge student understanding and ask students to quickly form small groups to discuss.

    It is also important for learning spaces to have both projection technology and white boards, and for the instructor to be able to use both simultaneously (e.g., the projector screen should not cover all or part of the white board when in it is lowered). Multiple white boards distributed throughout the room is ideal, as it allows multiple students/student groups to produce and present to the class.

    • _Yes_ to all of the above, with one addition: room lighting needs to be rewired or reconfigured to work with all possible options for the classroom’s use.

  2. Having white boards surrounding the rooms on all sides and flexible seating arrangements are all that I [currently] need … [along with] the capacity to use Turning technologies/powerpoint. Down the road, I [see the need] to show the screens of individual students to multiple screens around the room. I attended an active learning conference in a room set up with white boards all around and multiple screens and it was so very nice.

  3. I do only Active Learning in my classes [no lectures in a flipped classroom style]. Students are given problems sets to solve in class and then present solutions.

    We need great WiFi as the #1 resource in the classroom. After that comes arrangement of desks, etc., but great WiFi is #1.

    Also, [the BSB] AirPlay and HDMI connections on the AV is really nice; students may show their code or presentations quickly and without technical snags.

  4. This is a topic of interest to me – we have [science] classes that would benefit from innovations I’ve seen colleagues pursue at other institutions, but [finding adequate] flexible space here [may be challenging].

    • Thank you for this email comment (which I edited slightly). Space and capacity challenges are very real and limit our near-term options with existing facilities; however, we look forward to all suggestions for the short and long-term planning. Some big ideas may be feasible as facilities are renovated or newly constructed. Thanks again! Wes

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