Program Content

Integrate innovative teaching pedagogies, architecture, and technology to enhance student learning experiences.

Discover a prototype Active Learning Classroom (ALC), that can be a guide for you as you implement active learning classrooms on your own campus. The University of Minnesota (UMN) researched the interactive classroom model to incorporate integrated technology and flexible architecture. 

That investigation found—after controlling for factors such as instructor, instructional methods, assessments, and student demographics—that teaching in an ALC contributed significantly to student learning outcomes. In addition, the finding indicated that the type of space in which a class is taught influences instructor and student behavior in ways that likely moderate the effects of space on learning. Moreover, there were significant differences between different subsets of our student sample in terms of how they perceived the ALC's contribution to their learning experience. Encouraged by these results, the university commissioned the new Science Teaching & Student Services Center (STSS) with 10 ALCs.

More than a year after opening, quantifiable results show how the faculty and students are reaping the benefits of a new, technology-rich teaching facility. Again, the university focused on learning space research, which had two components. First, replicating the original investigation of the pilots, this time with a different instructor, student sample, and subject matter. Second, using another quasi-experimental design to investigate whether or not having an instructor adapt her instructional approach to fit the space would influence student outcomes and student perceptions of their learning experience.

During this webinar, we delve into the research, design of the physical environment, and development of the prototype classroom, and relate the instructional benefits at the STSS facility. Then, after we review the research tools, we discuss ways to apply the design to your own campus learning environments.

"For students in the traditional classroom setting, the composite ACT scores predicted with considerable accuracy the actual course grade. However, students in the ALC earned significantly higher course grades than their ACT scores predicted, an amount that renders the average difference between the sections final grades statistically insignificant."
D. Christopher Brooks, Ph.D., Research Fellow, OIT

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify the key teaching, architectural design, and technology elements in an Active Learning Classroom (ALC) that enhance faculty/student interaction and integrate a technology-rich teaching pedagogy into the learning environment.
2. Discuss recent pedagogical research that demonstrates significant learning improvements when students actively engage course content and work collaboratively with instructors and peers. 
3. Apply the principles introduced, while working collaboratively with a team of designers, consultants, departmental users, and university administrators, to help develop an ALC at your institution.
4. Use faculty and student assessments collected by UMN that indicate these spaces improve teaching and learning to support the adoption of ALCs on your campus.

Who Should Watch This Webinar