The classrooms of the 21st century
Even with a charismatic and engaging instructor, students’ attention and attendance in lectures can wane as the term progresses. In the social media age, learning environments have begun to adapt to students who are always connected to technology.
In the Centre for Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CEIE), the Faculty will adopt the Technology Enhanced Active Learning (TEAL) classrooms to engage modern students and inspire curiosity and creativity.
TEAL rooms offer an innovative approach to education that facilitates collaboration and experiential learning assisted by technology and strategic design. Clustered tables serviced by multiple flat-panel screens allow for a variety of configurations.
Media-rich lectures can be easily interspersed with demonstrations, desktop experiments, discussion and group problem solving. Using the built-in technology, instructors are able to combine lectures with lab work, and simulations with presentations. Each screem in the room can display different content, or they can be synchronized to display the same content. Students can aslo share their laptop screen from their workstation. The movable workstations and bar-height swivel chairs encourage more active and engaged learning. They also discourage napping.
The CEIE will include five TEAL rooms. The Faculty is exploring various working groups to implement and leverage the full range of possibilities TEAL classrooms offer. A pilot TEAL classroom is already in use in the Sandford Fleming Building.
Some instructors have already begun to explore the possibilities that a TEAL room can offer and students are embracing the format.
Tradition classroom
TEAL classroom
