It helps me focus better. It’s easier to come into this class. I feel comfortable being in an environment like this.
Ella Nikolettou, ’27, is eager to make technology an integral part of her education. And she’s discovering the benefits first-h和 through a new tech-infused classroom
“It helps me focus better,” Ella, a computer science major taking an interdisciplinary course in Bridgewater State University’s new active learning classroom. “It’s easier to come into this class. I feel comfortable being in an environment like this.”
During a recent class meeting, Ella 和 her groupmates connected a laptop to one of the large monitors to collaboratively build a poster about what they value in a career.
赋值, which is part of a course that challenges first-year students to think about their college journey 和 beyond, is just one example of how the new room transforms education. In addition to the monitors, it features digital 和 traditional white boards, virtual reality headsets, 和 a video conferencing system for hybrid class instruction 和 remote guest speakers.
“We wanted to create an innovative classroom to allow faculty to try out emergent technologies,” 埃里克·理, ’98, G’06, executive director of the Teaching 和 Technology Center.
Traditional classrooms have a front of the room with a large projector screen 和 student 桌子 oriented toward the screen. In the Active Learning Classroom, 桌子, 椅子, whiteboards 和 monitors are on wheels, making it easy to change the room into unique arrangements.
Dr. 苏珊Eliason, who teaches the interdisciplinary class, has students sit facing each other.
“It allows for building community by sitting in smaller groups versus sitting facing the instructor,埃利亚松说, 的教授 elementary 和 early childhood education. “It signifies that the learning isn’t just coming from me. They are also sources of knowledge.”
For her students, who were strangers at the beginning of the semester, the room structure 和 collaborative nature of the course helps them make deeper connections with their peers.
"This class seems a lot more welcoming,” computer science major 乔·西卡.
The room is also structured so there’s no bad seat, said Hope Venkitachalam who sometimes strains to see content projected in a traditional classroom.
“It keeps people engaged,” Hope, who is studying 数学 和 secondary education. “What we’re doing is all around the room everywhere we look.”
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