In January 2015, Lori McCracken, Manager of Learning Spaces for Teaching & Learning with Technology, came to campus to meet with faculty and staff about what’s new in learning space design. Below are summaries of several conversations she had with various groups along with updates about the spaces.
Penn State York Libraries
Barb Eshbach, Head Librarian at Penn State York, discussed her hopes for upgrades to the library space to include a One Button Studio, innovative instructional spaces, and updated student work and seating spaces. Lori shared many excellent ideas from design of spaces to furniture purchases, with a focus on the pedagogical affordances of each. She later re-visited campus to join a larger team investigating the integration of our campus learning center (Nittany Success Center, headed by the Director, Dr. Cora Dzubak) into the library spaces.
Graham Berg and Carla Rapp from the Media Commons at UP, visited campus in May to inspect space in the library for a One Button Studio (OBS). These spaces make video production as easy as the touch of a button! Loren Brewster, Director of IT on the campus, is purchasing the equipment needed for the OBS with an opening date scheduled for spring 2017.
Still in the works is an innovative classroom space which would be a space for library instruction and for faculty to test out new classroom technologies and meet with the campus instructional designer about integrating technology and other pedagogical approaches into their courses. These changes usher in an exciting time in the library!
Student Collaborative Spaces
Photo courtesy of Joe Royer, PSY
Joe Royer , Dan Rupp, James Oplinger, Dave McLaughlin, and Loren Brewster, the folks who make up Penn State York’s Computer and Information Services team, visited Penn State Mont Alto to get some ideas about innovative and collaborative spaces for students. As a result of this and their own creative efforts, and also with monetary support from the campus Student Technology Fee, they were able to complete a total make-over of the student support lab in the Grumbacher Information Sciences and Technology Building. This space now includes two collaborative spaces with white boards and easy multi-person connectivity to a large LED screen. With the touch of a button, the screen display can toggle between different users to share work and ideas. Another upgrade includes new taller work tables with dividers between individual computer stations for greater privacy. Students will be happily surprised when they return to campus in the fall to see these upgrades and new spaces. This is a heavily used space which now provides greater functionality for groups and other types of collaboration.
Faculty Conversations
Lori McCracken also met with different faculty groups across campus to illustrate new options in classroom design and to begin a conversation about future possibilities. Drs. Jennifer Nesbitt and Amber Seidel discussed the possibilities of designing a multi-purpose classroom which has enough space for students to work sometimes on computers and at other times at tables in groups, away from computers. This is something that our IT Department is continuing to explore, but there is definitely a need on campus for more flexible learning spaces in classrooms.
Other Campus Projects
Our large lecture hall is undergoing a transformation and should be completed for Fall 2016. Upgrades include improved displays and seating. The largest new project on campus is the improvement to the Joe and Rosie Ruhl Student Community Center. New gym spaces, instructional spaces for kinesiology classes, cafeteria, and new student services spaces are being created. This state-of-the-art student center will certainly become the hub of the campus. Scheduled to open in Fall 2016, grand opening activities are planned throughout the fall semester to include a focus on improved health and community life on campus!
