Page 20 - Campus Technology, April/May 2017

LEARNING SPACES
Our systems integrator — CEC (Communications Engineering Company) — suggested auto-switching input devices, which allow instructors and students to connect using HDMI, VGA or wireless without having to know the connection type. The user connects and the system automatically detects what type of connection it is.
Knowing that the technology world is changing fast, we installed raised flooring with carpet tile to run cable as needed and access it any time. This makes future changes and expandability virtually unlimited, especially as 4K resolution heads into the classroom. With the raised floor, we will be able to swap out components to send 4K signals and easily replace existing screens with 4K-resolution displays.
Soft, modular seating and furniture on wheels are also important in the space. We wanted to create a comfortable atmosphere so the central furniture can easily be moved around or pushed out of the way as machine learning and virtual reality enter the scene.
The Benefits of Active Learning Space
The new space offers a number of beneifts for students and faculty:
Increased screen real estate. When students previously looked at code in the classroom, they viewed it on 15-inch or 17-inch displays. The lab now features 32-inch displays that rotate between horizontal and vertical positions, allowing users to view more code at once. All displays are linked so instructors can push content to each workstation
for easy viewing.
New teaching and learning opportunities. Due to the large workstation screens and
room layout, students can easily work together to code the same program. No matter how the instructor connects to the system, one button takes instructors into presentation mode and gains control of the room’s systems. Content from instructors can be shared and annotated on the dual-surface board while it displays at the workstations.
BYOD support. To minimize questions and unfamiliarity with equipment, students can connect with their own devices, using hardware they’re already comfortable with. For the
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CAMPUS TECHNOLOGY | April/May 2017
Large monitors on each table allow students and instructors to view, critique, adapt and edit multiple files simultaneously without crowding around small screens of personal devices.
St. Norbert College