Page 16 - SPIRIT-Fall2017

ACTIVE LEARNING

Collaborative Classroom 403 Flex Classroom 404

Collaborative Classroom On any given day, it is not unusual to listen to six different sets of conversations Its name says it all. When the ACC Flex Classroom
Technology & Features: buzzing simultaneously in Room 403. And the teachers couldn’t be happier with American Politics class was studying Technology & Features:
ClickShare technology allows users what they are hearing! the Supreme Court, Dr. Brian Hohlt Crestron Air Media allows the teacher and
to wirelessly connect their laptop or students to connect wirelessly to the 80"
mobile device to their designated Developed with collaboration as the focus, the six four-person “pods” in the created four areas within the new Flex display, no matter how the classroom is
screen connected to their four-person new Collaborative Classroom are grouped along two walls and are connected to Classroom that gave his students the configured. The lightweight desks can be set
“pod.” Each pod is set up with tables and one digital display per pod that gives students the opportunity to work within experience of “holding court,” instead up individually or in groups, creating more
connections to the displays, allowing flexibility to accommodate the lesson(s) for
for students to work together in their small groups of four or as an entire class. The six screens can project student of just reading about it. the day.
designated areas. work at each pod, or all screens can project the same information from the Furnished with the most “flexible,” Classes: ACC American Politics, ACC Spanish III,
Classes: Freshman Study Skills, Visual teacher’s laptop. mobile furniture, Room 404 can be Honors World Lit
Basic Programming, World Lit For English classes, the layout of the classroom is a perfect setup, as the configured for both small- and large-
students can delve into their work in small groups directly from their laptops, of- group learning. All the chairs are outfit-
fering peer reviews and in-depth discussions. For the freshmen taking the Study ted with wheels, and the lightweight
Skills class, they can learn about the technology from the ground up, giving desks can be separated or grouped
them a preview of how active learning is implemented across the entire curricu- together, changing the physical space
lum and in all classrooms. to conform to the lesson at hand.
“We do a lot of small-group discussion, analysis and creation in English class- The fact that the classroom does not Hohlt, Ph.D. “And no one has to lug a and reform several times during a
es,” said English teacher, Michelle Fank. “That each small group can connect have an official “front” or “back” gives 40-pound desk around the room – we class.”
a laptop to their table monitor and collaborate on what is happening on that equal billing to every desk configura- can quickly reassemble the seating ar- “I really like being able to easily
screen makes the process easier on the girls because they don’t have to crowd tion. Even the teacher’s laptop stand is rangement for ourselves or for the next move the desks around,” stated Maria
around a tiny screen, while allowing me to easily monitor and give feedback as mobile, which allows teachers to walk teacher. In addition, having dry erase Catalano ’18. “It allows us to partner
they work. The students have also embraced using the white boards next to the around the room while using his or her boards on both sides of the classroom with our classmates and work in a
tables, as a space where they can quickly jot down questions so I know to address laptop. allows us to have multiple learning and more collaborative way.”
them, or to do a quick brainstorm.” “The furniture is part of what makes reference points in the room for differ- For CJ students and teachers alike,
“I like how we have the opportunity to collaborate in this classroom,” said it easy to form either planned or spon- ent groups to use.” the new classrooms are propelling
MacKenzie Fraser ’20. “The technology and the design enable all the students taneous group work that allows the “Any teacher could take advantage active learning to a new academic
to learn in a collaborative and social setting, and talking through and discussing students to be both comfortable and of Room 404’s flexibility, especially if level. And the benefits are capping all
topics is a great way to advance my learning.” alert,” said social studies teacher, Brian multiple groups might need to form expectations.

12 COR JESU ACADEMY SPIRIT • FALL 2017-18 15