The last wooden podium in the LSA classrooms was removed from Weiser 260 in November 2019. In its place is the new digital room standard that includes the Spectrum Honors “lift” podium and Epson L1300 laser projector. In an effort to replace the analog technology in all the LSA classrooms, LSA Technology Services is on target to complete the project in 2021.
The ergonomic lift podiums maximize desk space for faculty and provide an option to raise and lower the desk to preferred standing height. The Wacom Hi-Resolution Touch Screen Monitor is located on the podium, as well as a document camera for projecting any object underneath it onto the screen. The Wacom monitors have the ability to annotate slides or PDFs and update charts and graphs. “We want all faculty to know that they are available. They will do everything a tablet does and can be turned into a whiteboard. Economics and Physics use them to show graphs and make changes right on the screen,” said Nicholas Hytinen, Audio-Visual Integration Installer for LSA Technology Services.
The hi-res document cameras are replacing the more cumbersome overhead projectors on carts. The camera is a multi-functional tool that can mimic a whiteboard by using a piece of paper and a pen or show 3D objects to a class. One more feature of the updated rooms is the the multi-region Blu-ray player. These players allow Blu-rays and DVDs bought outside the U.S. to be played in the classroom without the need to adjust any settings.
For faculty bringing in their own laptops, the rooms are equipped with adapters for most modern connections making the room “plug-and-play” ready with minimal set-up effort. When help is needed, LSA Technology Services’ Technical Assistance Group (TAG) has access to photos for every classroom that include the exact equipment and set-up of the room. They use these photos to walk individuals through troubleshooting and solve many issues in minimal time over the phone. Additionally, they will visit the room immediately if a phone consult doesn’t resolve the issue. The TAG help desk has noticed that the upgrades to digital technology has reduced the volume of calls for equipment issues.
Amy Snow-Schell, Media Consultant for LSA Technology Services said, “The older analog equipment is pretty hard to break, but when it breaks, it’s catastrophic and needs to be replaced immediately.” The updated technology is more user-friendly, has a much better image quality, and with so many options available, the TAG team is trained to help and customize in-room training for interested individuals. The trainings are structured to meet faculty needs and can cover the extensive features of the equipment or specific needs for an upcoming class.
In addition to physical equipment, software such as Lecture Capture and live streaming capabilities are available in many classrooms and most auditoriums. The MClassroom Database is a great resource for researching rooms and the equipment provided.
The work continued over break with focus on 10 rooms in the Modern Languages Building, the East Hall Auditorium, and Weiser 170 and 182. The LSA Addition Team-Based Learning classroom was also equipped with the new standard and tested before it opened on January 6.
The project team also works closely with Services for Students with Disabilities to be as ADA compliant as possible. Upgrading all of the LSA classrooms is a big undertaking and has been in full force for 3 years. With 250 classrooms equipped with the latest equipment, the team is about 70% complete.
