Overview

The Educational Technology Development Team has a lot of experience creating new learning and collaboration spaces on campus.  We can work with your department to find the right tools to support learning and collaboration efforts for both faculty and students.

Creating a new learning/collaboration space is a considerably complex project. As such, there are several basic stages that need to take place before the new space is completed.  Redesigning a room on campus typically involves several different departments (Physical Facilities, IT, Procurement, and others, depending on just how large and complex the new room will be).

Physical Facilities ("PhyFac") -- Handles the overall construction of the room.  They are responsible for any electrical rewiring and infrastructure needs for the room (heating, cooling, plumbing, lighting, etc.).  They also run network cables (although IT performs the actual network engineering required for the room) for computers.  PhyFac constructs any additional walls or removes existing walls.

Information Technology ("IT") -- IT supports all of the computing power required for the new space.  They order all of the computers and install them into the new space.  IT does all of the network engineering necessary for the room, although PhyFac does a lot of the network installation work.

Procurement -- The Procurement office (if it is included in the project--not all projects require involvement from Procurement) handles many of the financial details of ordering the equipment required for the room.  If a new software application is required, they can also handle licensing details (though IT will take care of the day-to-day licensing issues once the new licenses have been obtained).

Educational Technology ("EdTech") -- The EdTech group can interface with all of these different departments, serving as a liaison between the department who requested the new space and the other organizations involved in its creation.  

Creating a New Learning/Collaborative Space

Please allow AT LEAST 6 MONTHS for the planning and creation of a new learning space.

Initial Consultation -- Before we can create a plan for a new learning/collaboration space, we first need to evaluate what your operational needs are, and also what your budget is able to support.  For these reasons, among others, we need to first sit down and talk with your departmental representative on the project.   

Planning Stage -- After one or more meetings in consultation with your department representative, we will develop a plan to implement your design for the learning/collaborative space.  This will require sign off from your department on different elements of the plan (e.g. the furniture you want installed will require one sign off, while the equipment you want installed will require another).

Implementation Stage -- After the plan has been developed and signed off on, we can begin building your new space.

Completion Stage -- Once the space has been completed, we will be happy to give you a guided tour of the space and show you how all of the equipment works.  We can also help you identify any remaining issues that may need to be addressed with regard to the space.  

Sample Space -- Computer Science Rooms 212 and 213

Computer Science Rooms 212 and 213 are a prime example of the types of spaces we can design and build. Both 212 and 213 are equipped with video projectors.  Room 213 has an instructor podium and is well-designed to assist students who want to practice a presentation or to perform collaborative work using the video projector.  Both rooms are connected to each other via sliding doors, which can be closed to minimize extraneous noises between the two rooms. Room 212 is equipped with Polycom video conferencing equipment which allows a group sitting at the table to establish a video-enhanced conference call with other Polycom stations both on and off campus. The Polycom video signal can be projected on both the screens in Rooms 212 and 213.  Access to the Polycom is available through the Computer Science department (Room 325), as the Computer Science office has the remote control device needed to initiate a Polycom call. Room 213 is equipped with Linux workstations, while 212 is equipped with campus-standard Windows-based computers. Room 213 has open space and comfortable seating for students who want a friendly collaborative space to use for presentations and projects.

Computer Science 212, looking at the Windows-based desktop systems Computer Science 212, looking at the Polycom Computer Science 213 (click image for larger view) Computer Science 213 Computer Science 213 Computer Science 213 (click image for larger view)