Classroom Design and Management

Higher Education Enrollment ManagementAn institution’s teaching and learning facilities are critical to the success of its institutional mission, and consequently are a high priority for support. This importance translates to the need to provide current, reliable, well-maintained, documented, and supported technologies in all spaces where teaching and learning activities occur. focusEDU’s classroom design and management consulting expertise can ensure a sound learning environment.

Traditionally, building and space planning follows the “master plan” approach of envisioning what needs will be felt over the long-term period (10-20 years or more) and designing infrastructure to anticipate those needs. For instance, if a new building is projected on the south side of campus, planners want to preemptively ensure that sewage and water lines can handle the anticipated demands.

Information technology planning, on the other hand, cannot reasonably predict 10 years into the future due to the significant rate of change of computer-related technologies. For example, Moore’s Law, one of the predictors of this high rate of change, has accurately projected over the past several decades that computer power would double every 12 to 24 months, resulting in exponential growth in processing capacity. Instructional technology, and consequently, classroom technology, requires a planning approach closer to that of an IT planning model rather than a facilities master plan model.

A best-practice response to this planning dilemma is to base classroom planning decisions on a set of established and accepted design principles. In this context, principles are rules or guidelines that elucidate components of the teaching/learning process. Such principles should be communally adopted based on collaboration among faculty, staff, and administrators with input from students. Once a set of agreed-upon principles have been clearly articulated, they can be used to create a strategic context within which to drive tactical decisions about specific technology alternatives.

Classroom design principles have a significantly longer useful life expectancy than the specific technologies employed to implement them. This enables a consistency in classroom design efforts over time, while simultaneously adapting to new and emerging technology options.

focusEDU’s classroom design and management consulting service can facilitate the creation of principle-based classroom design standards. We can help your institution analyze your classroom infrastructure and design a plan for building and maintaining your envisioned classroom environment. This approach is particularly useful in implementing HyFlex-capable learning spaces.

A principle-based design approach, on a grand scale, was successfully deployed at the University of Oregon by architect Christopher Alexander during the 20-year “Oregon Experiment.” Alexander led the collaborative creation of a “pattern language” and design process that still guides the construction and renovation of the entire University of Oregon campus in Eugene, Oregon. Alexander’s seminal work is documented in The Oregon Experiment (New York: Oxford University Press, 1975), A Pattern Language (New York: Oxford UP, 1977), and The Timeless Way of Building, (New York: Oxford UP, 1979). Echoing Alexander’s work, the focusEDU approach assists institutional classroom designers to create a principle-based classroom design standard.

Testimonials

focusEDU consulting firm was able to offer us both their expert insight and excellent proposition based on a review. The report was comprehensive and detailed and was helpful for our strategy.”
University of Colorado - Denver
“Rush University had a wonderful working relationship and experience with focusEDU. Your contributions, expertise and collaboration played an important role to help us achieve our goals”.
Rush University