07.22.19
Bora Principal, Amy Donohue, recently presented The Geometry of Learning: Experiences Teaching in the Round at the national conference for the Society of College & University Planning in Seattle. The session shared results from the ongoing inter-institutional research project, spearheaded by Bora and Oregon State University, that analyzes student learning outcomes in traditional vs large scale active learning classrooms, including Arena style classrooms.
An initial body of research and data was collected from learning spaces at OSU’s Learning Innovation Center, which opened in 2015. Bora used these findings, as well as other lessons learned, to inform the design of the 21st Century Classroom Building, which is currently under construction at Texas A & M University and scheduled to open in the Fall of 2020.
Amy was joined by Jon Dorbolo, Associate Director of Technology Across the Curriculum, and Erica Woekel, Assistant Clinical Professor for the College of Public Health and Human Services, both from Oregon State University, as well as Joe Pettibon, Vice President for Enrollment & Academic Services at Texas A&M.
The presenters discussed initial findings in student engagement and performance, reviewed best practices in training faculty to teach in these spaces and heard directly from Erica about her experience of doing so, and reflected on the evolution of technology-rich active learning spaces in recent years.
To view the full presentation, click here.
Photos: The 600-seat Arena Classroom at OSU’s Learning Innovation Center.