Office of Classroom Management

U of M Active Learning General Purpose Classroom Initiative

The Office of Classroom Management (OCM) has constructed two pilot project classrooms that are designed as student-centered, integrated, flexible, active learning spaces. The two classrooms are Electri­cal Engineering/Computer Science 2-260, which seats 45, on the East Bank and Biological Sciences Center 64, which seats 117, on the St. Paul campus.

The U of M Active Learning Classroom (ALC) is our modification to the "SCALE-UP" classroom (Student Centered Activities for Large Enrollment Undergraduate Program) that originated at NC State University, and the TEAL (Technology Enhanced Active Learning) room at MIT. http://www.ncsu.edu/PER/SCALEUP/Classrooms.html

These pilot classrooms are intended to stimulate interest in new and innovative classrooms, to demonstrate new flexible classroom construction techniques, and to allow faculty and student assessment of new classroom designs and pedagogy.

Biological Sciences Center 64

The Active Learning Classrooms feature large round tables that seat 9 students each, switchable laptop based technology, multiple fixed flat-panel display/projection systems, a centered teaching station which allows the instructor to select and display table specific information, and a 360-degree glass-surface marker board around the circumference of the classroom. The classrooms are designed to foster an interactive, student centered learning experience. These rooms operate using student-provided laptops. Laptops in ALC Pilot Rooms.

Biological Sciences Center 64

Electrical Engineering/Computer Sciences 2-260

Both classrooms feature reconfigurable low-profile flooring with internal power and cable management. Bio­logical Sciences Center 64 features demountable wall systems, which will allow the room to be reconfigured, or flexed, on an annual basis to meet changing room size or pedagogical requirements. The 117-capacity room has the ability to flex smaller into 2 Active Learning Classrooms (72 and 36 capacity), 2 traditional seating table/chair classrooms, or 1 Active Learning Classroom and 1 traditional classroom.

Bio Science 64 (Flexed up)

Bio Science 64 (Flexed down)

These future-oriented flexible classrooms are envisioned as companions to other room types that make up the diverse landscape of instructional spaces in the U of M Twin Cities central classroom inventory.

Reasons for Active Learning Classrooms:

• Offers instructors another choice for teaching
• Enables instructors to better interact with students
• Furniture and technology set-up allow students to work in small groups of 3 students, which takes advantage of cooperative learning techniques and helps students form learning groups
• Creates a cooperative learning environment that encourages students to collaborate with peers by questioning and teaching one another
• Allows instructors to coach students during activities by assisting them in answering their own questions
• Allows students to present their results to the class for review by peers and instructors

Reasons for Flexible Classrooms:

• Flexible room design allows classrooms to keep pace with changing course requirements and pedagogy
  • flexibility in room size and capacity
  • flexibility in classroom technology
  • flexibility in furniture
• Classrooms can be “flexed” on a semester-by-semester basis
• Major classroom renovation costs can be avoided over the life cycle of the building

A vision of students today ( 4-min video)

View U of M Interactive Biology class in Bio Science 64 General Purpose Classroom. ( 4-min video)

Active Learning Classrooms Pilot Evaluation: Fall 2007 Findings and Recommendations

OCM is excited about the new pilot classrooms and has partnered with the OIT Digital Media Center, for faculty development and student/faculty assessment. OCM is interested in students and faculty feedback about the Active Learning Classrooms. If you are interested in learning more about Active Learning Classrooms or in teaching in the classrooms next Spring, please contact OCM interim director Jeremy Todd at 612-625-5379 or OCM Scheduling manager Nancy Peterson at 612-625-6089.