AIA Vermont Summer 2018: Norwich University, Walking Tour of Classroom Design Strategies

Trends in Classroom Design and Technology

Richard Jones, AIA, LEED AP Jones Architecture, Inc. Michael Pincus, PE, RCDD, CTS Vantage Technology Consulting Group

Shift to Active Learning

Sage on the Stage

Guide on the Side

Shift to Active Learning Traditional organization by discipline Sectors and buildings dedicated to humanities, professional studies, sciences and engineering, etc.

New models combine these disciplines in new and heretofore unconsidered ways.

NSF funding increasingly multidisciplinary.

What are the impacts to physical space planning and pedagogy?

Yield is less traditional content delivery and more collaborative group work, reflective of the workplace.

Campus Plan graphic from Ayer Saint Gross website.

Shift to Active Learning

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Yes, but WHY Active Learning According to a 2017 Oxford University study, over 47% of jobs will disappear over the next 25 years.

To date, most automation has impacted blue collar workers, but this will shift to include more white collar workers.

Graphic from Bloomberg News.

Yes, but WHY Active Learning And because you were wondering, (I know I was) …

Architects’ Computerization Probability is a mere 1.8%.

Graphic from Bloomberg News.

Yes, but WHY Active Learning

What problem do you want to solve?

Problem Solving Surviving the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Water and Steam Power; Electricity; Electronics and Automation.

What skills are needed to solve problems of the future?

How will these skill sets continue to shift?

How do we best equip students for this future workplace?

Graphic from World Economic Forum, “Future of Jobs Report”.

Yes, but WHY Active Learning Compare the activity of the brain during a lab, homework, and study.

Now, compare the classtime, TV, relax, and chores to one another.

Graphic from MIT research on monitoring brainwave activity.

Yes, but why TECHNOLOGY?

Student’s Top Learning Habits Have Changed Drastically

Horizons Report: Educause & New Media Consortium

1995 Students are now digital learners, self-seeking a wider range of digital content.

Need (to do better) to teach students the tools and methods they will use to tackle the problems of the future.

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2015 Class Notes Study Groups Class Texts Other Texts Online Articles

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Class Notes YouTube Online Articles Study Groups Class Texts

“Employers report a widening gap in students graduating with work sills, compared to how Falling Short: Hart Research, 2004 & students or faculty rate themselves” 2012

Avg Area of Gap 30%

Working with others in teams Current on tech Working with numbers / Statistics Being innovative / creative Applying knowledge / Skills to real world Current in trends 0%

Employers

20%

40%

Students

60%

80%

Faculty

100%

Future Classroom The future classroom will be adaptable in response to multiple pedagogical modes, readily support collaborative work, and be equipped with appropriate technology and furniture.

What is appropriate for each institution?

How do we balance a general classroom against more specialized demands or research needs?

Image is a pilot “future” undergraduate classroom developed with the faculty of arts & sciences in Harvard Hall, Harvard University,

Pilot Classrooms, Kreitzberg Library

Sandbox 1.

High tech, perimeter workstations, fixed furniture. Technology affords great pedagogical flexibility.

Sandbox 2.

Low tech, flexible furniture, adjoining breakout rooms affords programming flexibility.

Pilot Classrooms, Kreitzberg Library

Sandbox 1.

High tech, perimeter workstations, fixed furniture. Technology affords great pedagogical flexibility.

Sandbox 2.

Low tech, flexible furniture, adjoining breakout rooms affords programming flexibility.

Pilot Classrooms, Kreitzberg Library

Lessons learned.

• Value of sandbox prototypes.

• Finding the right blend.

• Importance of training.

• Managing faculty expectations.

• Testing furniture, technology, equipment.

• Find learning spaces everywhere.

Deploying Lessons Learned Provide a diverse portfolio, with a blend of classroom offerings.

General Classrooms • Group Study Rooms – 4, 6, 10 • Seminar Rooms – 12, 16, 20 • Classrooms, Low Tech – 24, 32, 40 • Classrooms, High Tech – 24, 32, 40 • Case Study Rooms – 50, 60 • Lecture Hall – 100 Specialty Program • Mobile Device Forensics – 6 • Computer Science Labs – 24, 32 • War Room Simulation Lab - 32 • Cyberforensics Lab – 32 • Auditorium/Theater - 400

Deploying Lessons Learned Importance of training.

“I cannot teach in this room, it is overwhelming”.

“You have ruined me for all other classrooms”.

Norwich University, post-occupancy feedback

Northeastern University, post-occupancy feedback

Deploying Lessons Learned Managing faculty expectations.

33 topic units are a lot to prepare – slide deck, recorded lecture, readings, in-class problems.

Keeping the classroom noncompetitive cultivates a culture of trust and support.

In-class problem solving is pedagogically inefficient. You will not “cover” as much.

Traditional three class hours per week is anachronistic and not optimal for this type of learning. More class time for practice, drill, testing.

Randomize working groups. Shuffle at mid-term so everyone can exchange their newly acquired problem solving strategies.

Deploying Lessons Learned Testing furniture, technology, and equipment.

Deploying Lessons Learned Find learning spaces everywhere.

Deploying Lessons Learned Find learning spaces everywhere.