{"id":15223,"date":"2023-10-10T14:21:49","date_gmt":"2023-10-10T19:21:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/?p=15223"},"modified":"2023-10-11T10:11:06","modified_gmt":"2023-10-11T15:11:06","slug":"8-questions-to-ask-before-upgrading-classrooms-to-support-flexible-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/insights\/blog\/8-questions-to-ask-before-upgrading-classrooms-to-support-flexible-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"4 questions to ask when upgrading classrooms to support flexible learning"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Mark Bradley and Davin Huston<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stop us if you\u2019ve heard this one:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A professor walks into a classroom. The classroom looks pretty much like the other spaces she uses\u2014a podium, a touch panel, a screen, seating for students. The touch panel has a bunch of custom options, which she must adjust to match the room\u2019s size and capabilities to accommodate this particular class.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But the interface isn\u2019t standardized across campus. The professor, who works in different classrooms in different spaces, must remember today\u2019s interface and set the options for this room. She and all the other professors end up spending valuable classroom time frustrated by the technology and after they finally get it set up, they are distracted and exhausted. Not the best frame of mind to deliver that day\u2019s content.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Or this one:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Students enter a classroom. Many walked in and took their seats. Some who usually attend in person are home sick and accessing a video conferencing system they rarely use. Several others are distance learning students, remote in every session.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For the next 90 minutes of the class, remote-access students struggle to participate and compete against the 80 students who are breathing the same air as the professor. The building\u2019s ancient HVAC vents are right above the room\u2019s microphone and the sound of air conditioning cycling on and off muffles the professor\u2019s voice.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

They watch a video before splitting up to do group work. The remote students don\u2019t have a studio-quality microphone on their computers, so their sound quality is diminished. Between that and the sound of the HVAC they barely comprehend the video, then have trouble getting their group\u2019s attention to participate in the break-out discussion. They struggle to stay focused, start questioning what they are learning, and begin wondering why they are paying all that tuition for this experience.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sound familiar? It should. Hybrid and HyFlex classrooms\u2014where students decide if they\u2019ll attend in person, through videoconference, or by watching a recording later\u2014are major sources of inequity across colleges and universities every day.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t have to be that way. By engaging a technology design professional early on in a renovation or new build, a university can vastly improve hybrid and HyFlex design. In addition to determining the size and number of rooms needed, how many students the rooms will serve, and if the spaces will be teaming environments, a professional should also ask or discuss:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n