Research - Dr. Anthony Crider

Studio Learning

Inaugurated in January of 2002, the classroom pictured below marked a bold step forward in both its pedagogical and technological possibilities. Patterned after the successful SCALE-UP classroom at North Carolina State University, this room seats up to 63 students at seven round tables. An important aspect of this arrangement is the ability to intersperse lectures with students working interactively in small groups of three to nine. Three Apple iBook laptops are on each table, providing students with standard office applications, multimedia tools, and web access. Wireless communications allows access to each other's computers and to the Internet.

On a college campus, classroom space is a high commodity. A large, unused machine shop in the basement of McKinley Hall was an ideal candidate for renovation. However, two large obstacles existedÖgiant concrete pillars in the center of the room. With them in the way, no single wall could be seen by every student, making a traditional blackboard useless for large classes.

Technology offered an answer. Using a digital document camera, instructors can send images of objects, whiteboard sketches, or handwritten notes to two identical data projectors so that students can view the images on one of two screens. At the flip of a switch, the video can be switched from the camera to standard computer VGA output, allowing for PowerPoint presentations or the demonstration of other computer applications from either a personal laptop or the default instructor iBook.

While ample power outlets already existed around the perimeter of the room, running internet lines to each table would involve either running cables under the basement floor or installing small pillars to guide cables from the ceiling. However, with Appleís new Airport 2.0 technology, a single base station connects all of the laptops in the room via wireless communications to each other and to the outside world. Additionally, any student or instructor can connect a personal Airport-enabled laptop to this network without the need for a single cable.

A wide variety of classes are making use of this new room, including physics, multimedia, biology, computer science, statistics, audio technology, and education. One popular feature among professors using the room is the Apple Network Assistant. This user-friendly application allows instructors to view and control any student computer screen in the room and to share this with the rest of the class. Additionally, instructors have the option to "lock" all student screens in the room, when they wish to have full attention from their students.

Student Opportunities

Amazingly, American University would not let me bring this room with me to North Carolina! Fortunately, Elon University already has an established "engaged learning" curriculum and several rooms well-suited for it. I do miss the round tables, though. The astronomy classroom in McMichael Hall already has a great deal of computing and audio-visual equipment. However, its floor plan lacks that je ne sais quoi found in true studio classrooms. Your mission would be to design a new layout for the existing furniture in the room to encourage collaborative learning No experience is necessary. Interior design and/or weightlifting experience would be helpful.