Design Standards for Learning Environments

Background Information and Resources

On the "learning edge" of instructional technology

As one of the top 50 research institutions in the nation, Virginia Tech has long been on the leading edge of technology. It's not surprising, then, that the university is becoming a model for the development and use of sophisticated instructional technologies in the classroom.

New technology is transforming how we teach and how students learn. Our professors are discovering how instructional technology can enhance their lectures, which leads to our students discovering new ways to approach problems, becoming more excited about their classes, and learning more and absorbing it faster.

Virginia Tech is taking a close look at college classrooms, where a typical undergraduate spends 400 hours each year. Interviews at MIT revealed that faculty and students had a strong interest in creating warmer, more intimate, and more attractive classroom spaces that promote faculty-student exchanges. Attractive classrooms lend dignity to the learning process. Dingy classrooms--especially if administrative, research, science, and athletic facilities are handsome--suggest that classroom teaching is a lesser enterprise.

Conflicting demands are placed on college classrooms. They need to be designed to accommodate the widest variety of faculty requests. Lighting, acoustics, and seating must be coordinated with the specialized requirements of each medium, and each component must be researched and integrated into the classroom design. Faculty are empowered in these classrooms with simple, clear signage and controls at eye level.

The challenge to Virginia Tech is to combine the expertise of media, library and computer staff with architects and facilities' planners to focus on faculty presentation needs in the classroom. Then, shape these ideas into practical, functional teaching/learning environments at reasonable cost.

Classroom Design Principles That Improve Teaching & Learning

Empower Faculty

Provide the technology that faculty request in enough campus classrooms to meet instructional requirements. Pedagogy should drive the design. Focus on a user-friendly approach with attention to simple controls and signage. Presenters should be able to operate equipment at eye-level, without undignified crawling around on the floor or fumbling with poorly labeled controls in the dark. In addition, dual window coverings, multiple screens, functional light switching and ceiling fans give presenters control over the classroom environment.

Emphasize Flexibility

Serve multiple users with many teaching styles. Designs should include many options while excluding very few. Technology that faculty need must be permanently placed in the classroom. Cabinets or closets are needed for storage. Cover the front of the room with boards and screens. The design must permit using the board and projecting images at the same time as well as simultaneous display of multiple images for comparing and contrasting. Classrooms should be easy to change as presentation technologies evolve and screen proportions widen.

Encourage Interaction

Create a collaborative learning environment with instructor as a mentor. Provide easy access around the room. Curved rows provide the essential eye contact for convening a class rather than just conducting a collective assembly. The lectern for the presentation computer needs to be small and placed at the right or left front of the room, allowing the presenter to face the audience. Small lecterns do not create the psychological barriers that complex bunkers do.

Stress Simplicity

Make classroom technology as simple, friendly and non-intimidating as possible. Technology should inspire presenters who rely on improvisation, spontaneity and audience participation. The addition of computers should not make simple AV devices like overhead transparencies, slides and television more difficult to use. A simple lectern with PLUG & SHOW capability permits the presenter to display laptop computer output on a large screen. Complex installations tend to be awkward, expensive to change and require almost continuous upgrading.

Expand Connectivity

Change classrooms from isolated to interconnected places with access to stored resources and live video connections. Include telephone lines (twisted pair), TV distribution (coax) and data connections (category 5). While the possibility of infrared wireless connections looms on the horizon, it is still prudent to include conduit in classroom designs. 10BaseT connects to centralized data repositories (servers) and from there to distant computers and the internet. In addition, there is growing demand for classrooms that originate distance education.

Contain Costs

Technology classrooms must serve the faculty well yet remain affordable. To really impact teaching, many technology classrooms need to be created around the campus, not just one expensive island of technology to impress VIPs. Self-service classrooms reduce support costs.

Sweat Details

Specify room layout, adequate teaching space, lighting, boards, acoustics, conduit, screen size and mounting height, windows and coverings. It is critical to prevent ambient room light from washing out the images on the screen. During projection, room light should be bright for student interaction, not just dim for note taking. Control lighting on board & computer lectern.

This site contains information regarding the following guidelines, specifications and requirements:

• Room Orientation (Function, Layout, Accessibility, Location, etc.)
• Seating & Room Capacity
• Fixtures & Furniture (Fixed, Flexible, etc.)
• Boards (Blackboards, White Boards, etc.)
• Screens (Selecting Appropriate Size, Placement, etc.)
• Lighting Systems
• Windows & Coverings
• Walls, Ceilings & Entry Doors
• Surfaces & Finishes (Color, Texture, Durability, Ergonomics, etc.)
• Acoustics (Internal, Transmission, Integration with Components, etc.)
• Electrical Systems (Conduit Requirements)
• Communications Systems (Telephone, Data Network, Two-Way Video, etc.)
• Mechanical Systems (Ventilation, Temperature, Humidity, Noise, etc.)
• Technology Cabinet (Technology Hub, Storage, etc.)
• Media Control Panel (Eye-level controls, Security, etc.)
• Video Tape Player
• Lectern (Fixed, Moveable, Portable, etc.)
• Microphones, Sound & Speakers
• Overhead Projectors & Document Cameras
• Slide & Film Projectors (Projection table in rear of classroom)
• Electronic Whiteboards & Digitizing Tablets
• TV Sets, Flat TV, Digital TV, HDTV
• Projection Systems (Video & Computer Data)
• Classroom Computing Systems (Faculty, Students, etc.)
• Presenter Controlled Systems (Central Media Distribution, Projection control, etc.)
• Student Controlled Systems (Student Response Systems, etc.)
• Teleconferencing & Distance Learning