Indiana University Bloomington continues to explore the use of alternative classroom designs to promote active learning. These spaces have been developed in response to faculty requests for classrooms that support the kinds of innovative pedagogies they are exploring, such as team-based and problem-based learning. Lecturing in these classrooms is typically replaced with out-of-class content delivery and in-class collaborative activities that ask students to apply that content in order to solve unique problems.
Active Learning Classrooms
Check out our spaces
Student Building 015: Collaborative Learning Studio at IUB seats 96 students at sixteen technology-enhanced tables. A large video wall allows the instructor to project multiple sources, including the typical array of instructor tools as well as material from the computers at the student tables. Designed to promote active learning in large classes, this room has no traditional instructor’s lectern, de-centering the room and promoting team- and project-based activities.
Cedar Hall 102 seats 49 students and has been designed to provide a less formal classroom environment that supports group discussion and collaborative learning activities. Its moveable tables and chairs make it flexible for various size groups, multiple projection points allow for sharing of content, and portable white boards allow groups to take and share notes with the larger class.
References
The University of Minnesota Center for Teaching and Learning provides a summary of research results covering the use of active learning techniques and best practices for teaching in active learning classrooms.
For More Help or Information
Instructors wishing to teach in the Cedar Hall or Student Building classrooms described above should provide the CITL with the information outlined here; this office works to assure proper matches between teaching approaches and classrooms, and makes classroom assignment recommendations to the Registrar.
CITL consultants and Mosaic Initative consultants can assist in developing and implementing teaching approaches tailored for active learning classrooms. Representatives from the campus' Teaching and Learning Spaces Committee and the UITS Learning Spaces team can assist in redesigning rooms to meet faculty needs.