Multi-Sensory Experiences at the University of Kansas
Many leading institutions have moved past technology into the world of multisensory learning and interaction in an integrated educational community. They are finding that integrated AV experiences help them attract the best students and lead to better educational outcomes for those students. In pedagogical style, this trend reinforces the shift from the "sage at the stage" one-way delivery of information to more collaborative methods, where lectures are homework and collaborative problem-solving happens during class.
In Capitol Federal Hall, home of the University of Kansas School of Business, faculty member Greg Freix records his base lectures, including notes, and then provides them early to the students as assigned preparation for meeting live. Freix uses classroom time to do written quizzes and ask questions on key points. He also assigns students team activities in class to emphasize important learning elements. Active collaboration empowers students to work on solutions together. Students can plug their devices into mobile-ready chairs and tables — or work wirelessly
The University of Iowa prototyped one active learning classroom as a pilot, fitted a second classroom in short order and followed with a third active-learning classroom. Utilization was so high that there was a waiting list to use the spaces.
"Now they're basically looking at designing the majority of their new learning spaces as active learning spaces with very flexible furniture and displays, where the teacher is the facilitator, assisting students as they collaborate on the lesson they viewed at home," says Mark Valenti, President and CEO of information and communications technology design firm The Sextant Group. "With this configuration, the flipped classroom model, where students create their own learning, is much easier."
