7 Ways of Looking at a Blackboard (with apologies to Wallace Stevens) Michael Roy Director of Academic Computing Services

Wesleyan Overview of Wesleyan Classroom project team Planning and implementation methodology 1. Usage Patterns 2. Budget 3. Policy issues 4. Ambiance standards 5. Technology levels 6. Support 7. Assessment Strategies for getting this done on YOUR campus

Wesleyan University, Middletown CT Most selective 2700 Undergraduates 150 Graduates 353 Faculty

Overview of Wesleyan Curricular renewal Capital campaign/facilities planning Changing faculty demographics Instructional computing growth Major maintenance budgets for capital equipment (e.g. computer labs)

Classroom project team Registrar Academic Affairs Office of Project Management ITS/ Instructional Media Services Faculty classroom committee (evolution of role)

Planning and implementation methodology Refined over time Timeline and responsibilities Designing by committee: multiple uses (e.g. Shanklin 201)

Before and After: Science Center 121 Before After

Before and After: Shanklin 201 Before After

Before and After: SC74 Before After

#1: Analyze usage patterns Analysis of use patterns of our 85 classrooms

Classrooms by number of seats

Classrooms by sizes and styles

Classroom Utilization

Occupancy Rates

Occupancy Rates by Size of Classroom

Teaching hours vs. room size

#2. Ambiance Standards Clean, unblemished walls, ceiling, and floors Blackboard or equivalent One style of table which is clean, unblemished, and sturdy One style of appropriate chair to match legal capacity of the space 5-10% additional folding chairs all of one style Attention to noise suppression and echo reduction Appropriate means to readily darken the space Bright lights Instructor-managed light dimming Permanently installed display screen Electric outlets and other fixtures needed for projection of overheads, slides, video, and computer displays

#3. Three Technology Levels 1.Media Friendly Classroom 2.Multimedia Classroom 3.Interactive Computer Classroom

Media Friendly Technology Levels A media-friendly room has a screen, an overhead projector, a live data jack, and lighting controls, window shades or drapes that will allow media projected in the room to be visible. Media equipment (computer, vcr, sound system, slide projector) would be brought into the room on a cart for occassional use. Courses that require regular use of such equipment would not be scheduled in these sorts of rooms.

MultimediaTechnology Levels A multimedia room contains a range of fixed audio- visual equipment. A simplifiied multimedia room might contain a single computer, a VCR, sound amplification, and a data projector. A more elaborate version of a multimedia room would contain two computers (both mac and PC), high-fidelity sound system, VCR, DVD and a document camera. We determine what sort of treatment to provide in each room based on the size of the room, and the teaching requirements of those who teach in these rooms.

Interactive Computer Classroom A classroom that has a computer either for every student, or for students to work on in small groups. These classrooms are designed to support teaching that involves a combination of lecture, seminar- style discussion, and hands-on computer work. For this reason the media would include a teaching station complete with a computer. VCR. DVD/CD, sound amplification, and data projected imaging. Additional accessories such as a scanner, video capture, and editing capabiilities could be included.

AppleCart

# 4: Budget Separate technology from ‘ambiance’ Six year plan with funding for replacement/maintenance beyond these six years

Overview of budget uses

Technology Budget

#5. Policy Issues Who gets to teach in what room? Departmental v. Registrar scheduled rooms Conversion of normal classrooms to computer classrooms (applecart) Encourage chairs to spread courses over day/week (insert spreadsheet)/course access

Scheduling Classes across the Day

#6. Support Telephones in rooms Staffed Hotline Panja (remote control for av systems) Late-night inspection team Local stewardship Use ITS students enrolled in courses Mailing lists for classrooms (via peoplesoft) Web pages for classrooms (via peoplesoft) Training and documentation

Classroom Webpage

#7. Assessment Surveys (student and faculty) Focus groups Informal conversations

Assessing Effects on teaching and learning Increased use of media in classrooms Powerpoint Webtechs/creation of learning objects Reading/editing during class Ad hoc use of the Web to illustrate/amplify

Lessons learned: Is it worth it? Teaching + learning seem to be improved, albeit without any hard data to support it Makes scheduling easier Multiple use compromises ALL use

Thanks! Mike Roy