Projects are ongoing in the Forsyth Building related to strategic classroom renovations and the possibilities of extending learning experiences by making the classroom spaces on campus more flexible.
An outdated computer lab in Forsyth 313 was replaced by a flexible “BYOD” (Bring Your Own Device) space last Spring semester. For the start of the Fall 2017 semester, the continuing renovations in Forsyth were completed and new and extended features are in place in rooms 213, 214, and 216.
The Coulter Faculty Commons (CFC) and the IT Division’s Instructional Computing team have been working with Facilities Management, the Space Management Committee, and the Academic Space Advisory Board to make certain that challenges related to the use of these spaces are addressed in a process of continuous improvement.
As such, the new rooms will include “legacy” features that the BYOD classroom does not have. This includes document cameras, direct wired connections to supplement the wireless connections, a presenter-centric lecturer mode in addition to more collaborative modes, a redesigned interface panel based upon input from the faculty using BYOD room 313, and more (see the detailed list below).
If you are teaching in any of these renovated rooms and would like to schedule a personal orientation to the equipment, please contact Adam Chandler in Instructional Computing to arrange a time.
We will also be hosting a drop-in training and testing session for faculty teaching in these rooms from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 30, 2017. We will have an open house for the university community later in September.
In addition, Jonathan Wade, CFC senior educational technologist, will be contacting each instructor scheduled in these spaces to discuss your willingness to participate in an ongoing study of active learning spaces.
The CFC remains ready to assist you in thinking about crafting learning experiences that best meet your students’ needs using these technologies and classroom arrangements and other methods and modes, as needed. Please feel free to contact us for more information about how we may be of assistance. Browse our website at cfc.wcu.edu, or call Jonathan Wade at extension 3309.
Additional Information and Features for the Forsyth Rooms:
FORSYTH 214
Two Distinct Presentation Modes:
- Collaboration Mode – Allows each display in the room to be used independently for group or individual work.
- Lecture Mode – Disables all displays except for the front facing projectors allowing the room to be used as a more traditional teaching environment.
Two Document Cameras (Lecture/Center):
There is a document camera that is dedicated to the front of house “Lecture Mode” and one in the middle of the room that only activates while “Collaboration Mode” is active.
Instructor’s Station HDMI Connection:
This supports direct connection to the system to accommodate high-quality video playback. This was a requested feature because some of the faculty beta-testers of the pilot room found that the current wireless technology occasionally dropped video frames at high resolutions to maximize playability and requested that the “wired” feature be returned to the room.
Six “Around the Room” Displays
Two “Front Facing” Projectors
“Any Display, Anywhere” Matrix Switching
Wireless Sharing Devices for Each Display
Forsyth 214
FORSYTH 216 Two Distinct Room Modes:
- Collaboration Mode – Allows each display in the room to be used independently for group or individual work.
- Lecture Mode – Disables all displays except for the front facing projectors allowing the room to be used as a more traditional teaching environment.
In-ceiling Document Camera:
The document camera in the space is mounted conveniently in a ceiling tile to cut down on the physical footprint of technology in the room. The camera can be zoomed in and out, and it has an active auto-focus to accommodate for almost any sized presentation materials that you plan on sharing.
Instructor’s Station HDMI Cable:
This supports direct connection to the system to accommodate high-quality video playback.
Six “Around the Room” Displays
One “Front Facing” Projector
“Any Display, Anywhere” Matrix Switching
Wireless Sharing Devices for Each Display
Forsyth 216
FORSYTH 213 In-Ceiling Equipment Rack:
All of the AV equipment has been stored in a ceiling rack to completely eliminate the footprint of the technology in the classroom.
HDMI Input on the Wall:
This supports direct connection to the system to accommodate high-quality video playback.
Wireless Sharing Device for the Room
Forsyth 213