Departments Collaborate for Classrooms

Selected classrooms in the Education Building are getting a facelift, as old technology is pulled out and new technology is put in.

This project is a collaboration of a number of different departments, including Classroom Technical Services, the elementary education department and the PT3 grant.

The PT3 grant focuses on improving the assessment and quality of technology preparation for students planning to teach after graduating from Utah State University, according to the newsletter for the USU PT3 project.

The classrooms are used eight hours a day, said Bernie Hayes, department head for elementary education.

"We've had a hard time trying to keep them equipped, but PT3 and [Classroom Technical Service's] involvement is a huge asset to moving forward. We really do appreciate the partnership."

Mike Brazfield, Classroom Technical Services supervisor, said, "We all put our resources together."

He said this is a good example of what departments can do when they work and pull together.

"The idea for this project is to create an environment that can be duplicated in K through 12 schools. It is cost-effective but is also able to utilize technology," he said.

They are planning to use this model for classrooms in the new Edith Bowen Laboratory School and in the College of Engineering.

One of the advantages of the new classroom design will be the elimination of the teaching podium.

"The podium can be a barrier between students and teachers," Brazfield said.

All of the technology will be combined into a wall-mounted smart panel that is about 16 by 25 by 5 inches. Among other features, it will contain a VHS/DVD combination and a place to plug in a laptop.

"One of the critical pieces in getting people to use technology is to make it transparent and not too complex," said Steven Soulier, PT3 director and associate professor for Instructional Technology.

"In order to improve and enhance technology in education, it is critical that we model effective utilization," he said. "Technology has become a critical component at all levels."

Hayes said faculty can have education students demonstrate projects using the technology. This will help them feel comfortable and knowledgeable about technology when they graduate and begin to teach in schools.

"My understanding is that this type of technology is not unrealistic of what they might find in public schools," he said. "Technology is a new literacy teachers need to acquire, have experience with and feel comfortable with."

Brazfield said the technology taken out of these classrooms will be dispersed and utilized in other classrooms. Classroom Technical Services will continue to work closely with academic departments in the planning and standardization of electronic mediated classrooms, auditoriums and lecture halls.

By Danielle Hegsted; dhegsted@cc.usu.edu
Photo by Ryan Talbot