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Classrooms are being redefined as universities seek smarter ways to learn.
By Stuart Craig
In the past decade, e-learning has become one of the most common buzzwords in education. Look inside the modern classroom or lecture theatre and you will be hard pressed to find a space that does not have numerous technologies – screens, smart boards, devices, advanced audio-visual systems. There is no such thing as e-learning any more – it’ s just learning.
The classroom is dynamic. The learning environment shifts with technological enhancements. It is more interactive, engaging, practical and virtual. Gone are the days of copying notes from the whiteboard and staring at an image in a textbook to understand how something works. Technology has revolutionised not only the way students learn, but also the curriculum they are taught and the environments in which they learn.
Even the ways in which students are assessed have evolved from what they were 20 years ago. Students used to be marked on how well they conveyed concepts in words through essays and reports, with less focus
Classroom makeover
on practical learning. Schools and universities are leveraging technology to not only better demonstrate theory, but also replicate possible future working environments where students will be collaborating with colleagues and engaging with a variety of tools and managing their own work.
There has been a movement to empower students to take charge of their own learning by equipping them with the right resources and spaces. One such case of a university shaping its campus to accommodate various technologies is the Sir Paul Reeves Building at the Auckland University of Technology. It features a diverse assortment of collaborative spaces and tools. Students from various backgrounds can collaborate on their latest projects, actively using the tools they will use in the workplace – education is as much about the theory as it is about practical learning.
The Reeves building was specifically designed to deliver spaces that enable flexible blended learning. The building’ s three lecture theatres are equipped with HD projection systems and high quality surround sound. The technology allows for the streaming and recording of lectures, which can then be automatically shared online. It features a series of radio and video editing booths, as well as group study rooms where students can hook up their own devices for self-study or group work.
A trend in universities is flipped classrooms, which‘ flip’ the traditional learning dynamics. Rather than having content introduced to students for the first time within the classroom, students are required to familiarise themselves with content before class and then attend courses to engage in discussion and active learning. Technology underpins this type of learning, where students receive materials online and can then apply their knowledge through research and presentations during lessons.
An example of technology embraced throughout the design of an education environment is at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Students work from university computers or their own devices in a collaborative lecture theatre, built with tables that have various audio-visual inputs. Lecturers can display work from students’ individual stations onto lecture screens for comparison and analysis. The university’ s collaborative lecture theatre is designed around discussionstyle teaching, with a large video wall that can tile up to 15 different sources.
A major part of USC’ s practical learning program is for nursing students to train in real-life experiences. USC built a complex nursing simulation space, complete with 14 simulation zones, a six-bed ward, light sensors and cameras. Video and audio feeds were integrated to allow teachers to monitor and assess performance live from a separate room. Teaching staff are able to run scenarios that allow nursing students to practise real-life skills in a safe environment. Students are also able to review their peers and even mark at different stages what they did or didn’ t do right.
USC also has a visualisation studio that features 80 LCD panels arranged in a 320-degree circle. The studio helps to translate 2D diagrams into 3D models that can’ t be learnt from a textbook. The video wall is a valuable asset for engineering students who find it difficult to translate theory into real-world applications. The screens can be programmed to simulate working environments where students can build a bridge and virtually break it to test its strength. Additionally, health students can put on 3D glasses to examine the circulatory system, strip away layers of a body, look at how blood flows, or see the effects of diabetes or a heart attack on the body.
Every day, technology is advancing for the benefit of education, enhancing teaching and pushing the boundaries of the classroom. Learning goes beyond the four walls, desks, pen and paper. The classroom operates on a digital level where spaces are more versatile and interactive, readying students for a smooth and seamless transition into the workforce. ■
Stuart Craig is CEO, Asia Pacific, at Crestron.
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