As a part of a push to make learning spaces more interactive, three new classrooms will be opened for use this fall.
A new immersive teaching environment aims to implement the use of space and technology into the learning process to give students new ways to communicate with their peers and instructor in the classroom setting.
“We believe learning at the higher education level should also be about engagement,” said Gary Pavlechko, director of teaching technology in the Office of Educational Excellence. “The engaged learning techniques we can use with the interactive classrooms have a greater chance of being more productive because our students are actually experiencing the activity.”
The newly renovated classrooms engage students through the use of large whiteboards and smaller, portable boards placed throughout the room. Projectors allow the entire class to view material and the addition of Apple TVs lets instructors and students stream content from their iPads and iPhones.
The new rooms will also replace traditional rows of desks with a variety of movable chairs, allowing for multiple classroom arrangements and both small and large group interactions.
“It’s a very open concept,” Pavlechko said.
Pavlechko said before the addition of the new rooms, around 400 students were being taught in these classrooms. After the renovations, nearly 1,000 students will take courses within the interactive spaces.
BB 109 will accommodate 40 to 72 students, and RB 109 can serve classes of up to 36 students. A third room, TC 411 will open later in the semester, holding another 18 students.
Ball State has been experimenting with interactive classrooms since 1997 and in 2012, the renovation project began for other buildings on campus.
“Our office has been looking at research and examples that others are using with these classrooms,” Pavlechko said. “We have many ways of engaging our students, and these rooms are just another way for us to bring higher quality education to Ball State.”
Although price ranges can vary, Pavlechko said each of these rooms cost about $90,000 to renovate.
“As we learn about what’s needed in spaces, we see the cost go down,” Pavlechko said. “We’re fine-tuning what we put in to meet the specific requirements for our students.”
The original two interactive learning classrooms in Teachers College will serve as intake rooms to train professors new to the program.
Faculty members must complete an initial training and observation process to teach their courses in the interactive rooms, and once eligible, they can teach in one of the newly renovated interactive spaces during future semesters.
Rebecca Pierce, a professor in the mathematics department, taught courses in the interactive classrooms last year.
“The possibility of having students project or display their work is very appealing,” Pierce said. “The technology and the ability to easily display anything from the Internet — as well as the flexible furniture, the node chairs, huddle boards and white boards — are really accessible and useful in the room.”
Pierce said she witnessed growth and improvement in student performance when teaching classes in the new-style classrooms. Although she still had some students that didn’t utilize the space, Pierce said she supports the inclusion of new interactive spaces on campus.
“[The classrooms] are the best improvements on Ball State’s campus as far as teaching and learning are concerned,” Pierce said. “They’re extremely valuable and empowering for both students and professors.”
This fall, 12 departments are anticipated to teach courses in the classrooms.
Read More
Point-by-point evaluation for Gassensmith & Lindstrand’s Student Government Administration
By Meghan Braddy / 2 hours agoThe Gassensmith & Lindstrand administration, consisting of Joseph Gassensmith and Monet Lindstrand, was in charge of Ball State University’s Student Government Association (SGA) for the 2023-24 academic year. The pair served as president and vice president.
Anti-transgender legislation makes me feel like an outsider in my home state
By Meghan Holt / 4 hours agoI still have a deep love for Indiana. It’s not quite where I was born (that honor goes to Aurora, Illinois), but it’s where I was raised. I’m a Hoosier at heart. At least I like to think I am. But I’m not so sure anymore.
'We know what we need to do:' Ball State softball looks for MAC Tournament berth in final regular season series
By Zach Carter / YesterdayBall State will end it's regular season with a three-game series at Central Michigan. The Cardinals are currently the No. 6 team in the Mid-American Conference while the Chippewas are the No. 5 seed.
