Interactive Classrooms
Interactive Classrooms
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What is Interactive or Collaborative Classroom?
What is Interactive or Collaborative Classroom?
Interactive or Collaborative Classrooms are classrooms designed to foster interactive, flexible, student-centered learning experiences.
Classrooms with Interactive or Collaborative technology at GateWay (MA1189, MA1228, MA1230, MA2111*, MA2218, Central City A202) give instructors the ability to teach in-person engaging in interactive lessons using interactive wall monitors for group learning. *MA2111 has an interactive monitor on the instructor station.
With flexible furniture and active learning strategies these types of environments work well when students are working alone, in pairs or in groups of more than two.
How do Interactive/Collaborative Classrooms Work?
How do Interactive/Collaborative Classrooms Work?
When a group of two or more students work together to complete an activity, discuss a question, or collaborate on a task, we call it collaborative learning. The intended consequence of accomplishing tasks together is to help students learn the complexities of solving a problem and promote deeper learning through doing.
Group work not only helps students learn the course material better; it also provides opportunities to develop additional skills. While working in groups, students need to harness group members' strengths, address group learning needs, manage time, divide a large project into small tasks, cooperate, negotiate, resolve conflicts, and reach consensus. These are useful skills in collaborative workspaces and future careers.
What group work doesn’t do is save time for the instructor. Effective group work is carefully structured to achieve specific learning outcomes: learning outcomes and student expectations must be clearly formulated, directions must be well written, and instructor support must be available throughout the task. Subsequently, it may take more planning time to effectively design a group work task than it does to lecture. In other words, it's counter-productive to assign group work just because it’s easier to do that than give a lecture, or because you won't have to grade as much. Group work shouldn't be a shortcut for instructors.
Keep in mind that the effort is worthwhile!
Preparing to Teach in an Interactive/Collaborative Classroom
Preparing to Teach in an Interactive/Collaborative Classroom
There is a lot to consider when preparing to teach in a HyFlex Classroom. Beyond being training on the pedagogy and equipment in the classroom, you must familiarize yourself with seeing your course through the eyes of your students online, face-2-face and beyond. Below is a guide to help you prepare for your upcoming course in a GateWay HyFlex Classroom.
If you are currently scheduled or wish to be scheduled in an Interactive/Collaborative Classroom, you must schedule a training session with the CTLED by email us at ctl@gatewaycc.edu or by calling 602-286-8901.
After reviewing the resources on this page and scheduling a training with the CTLED, you will want to take a tour of an Interactive/Collaborative classroom to a feel as to what your new environment will be like.
There are renderings for you to review regarding flexible classroom furniture set up and resources on each of different items you will use in the classroom to include, but not limited to: Ceiling microphones, cameras, Air tame, document camera, interactive whiteboard, laptop cart and control panel.
Once you have become familiar with the Interactive/Collaborative technology and how to utilize it in the coming semester(s), begin planning out and creating course content. You can outline or storyboard the classroom and online components to assure that they are going to equally address learning outcomes.
The CTLED instructional designers are available to answer your questions and provide guidance. Instructional designers can also assist with creating course content that is applicable to both an online and in-person learning environment. Contact us for a consultation via email at ctl@gatewaycc.edu or by telephone at 602-286-8901.
After you have been trained, visit your assigned classrooms or similar rooms to familiarize yourself with the technology and created your Interactive/Collaborative course content, it is now time to practice a lecture. Your assigned classrooms may be open and unlocked when not in use, but if not, contact Campus Safety for assistance with entering the room. They can be reached at 480-784-0900. Best Practice Tip: Consider inviting other faculty members in your department to a Google Meet, Webex, Loom or Zoom meeting while in the classroom so that they can see you from the perspective of a student.
Classroom equipment support? Contact IT at 602-286-8411 #1.
Pedagogy and Interactive Whiteboard Training? Contact the CTLED via email at ctl@gatewaycc.edu or by telephone at 602-286-8901.
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