Five Decades Later: Integrating Technology in a Large, Lecture Hall
Rebecca Gould, Kansas State University
Background
Evolution of Learning Spaces
Dilemma
Process and Timeline
Key Players and Their Roles
Challenges
Renovation
Technology
Lessons Learned
Continuous Improvement
There are 80 buildings on the K-State campus, and, according to the K-State Division of Facilities, 50% have reached the end of their life cycle. Umberger Hall is more than 50 years old. Couple the age of the building with advances in HVAC, lighting, flooring, and technology, and challenges arise. The stakeholders spent time brainstorming and working through these many challenges, which centered around 1) teaching, learning, and technology and 2) aesthetics and infrastructure. The chart below summarizes major challenges.
Challenges to the Renovation Process
| Teaching/Learning/Technology Challenges | |
|
Improve interactivity and engagement among students and faculty (original distance from faculty to last row, last student was 100 ft.) |
|
Improve technology, viewing angles, and more (original projector was 600 lumens) |
|
Provide power and wireless access for bring your own device pedagogy |
|
Remove large lectern (instructors are hidden from view of students) |
|
Provide capture ready, modern and simple to control technology |
Aesthetics/Infrastructure |
|
|
Install new HVAC & lighting systems, reroute exhaust duct, conceal ductwork and relief air |
|
Conceal the original stage and second floor balcony |
|
Rethink load limitations of existing structural floor slab |
|
Enhance seat spacing (existing 18” between arms) and work surface (117 sq. in.) |
|
Change location of ADA accessible seating, which was only available in a row at the back of the room (Figure 10) |
|
Limit the number of seats lost in the renovation (original capacity was 483) |
|
Improve the overall acoustics of the room (aging system and poor room acoustics) |
|
Provide a serviceable floor finish (get rid of the carpet) |
|
Improve overall aesthetics (no more gray seats, walls, carpeting) |
|
Rework exterior stoop and steps |
There are many challenges listed in Table 2 that are related specifically to this environment including the original stage, second floor balcony and exterior stoop. Other challenges are probably found at many institutions including shortening the distance from student to faculty, improving the viewing angles, and eliminating the ability for a faculty to be lost behind the podium. Students come in all shapes and sizes and the team needed to be sensitive to that when planning for seating. Sound and acoustics, simple technologies, are often overlooked in room updates. Prior to the renovation, some faculty would try to teach without using a microphone. This was a sure-fire way to disengage students.