January 2000 — Features
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A Model For E-Classroom Design: Beyond "chalk and talk"
Faculty became very excited about the electronic chalkboard that acted as an overlay to the teacher computer. Assignments and comments could be written in chalkboard mode or a tap of the pen could draw highlights or arrows on the computer desktop to stress points or icons on the screen.
The “blanking” and “scanning” features of the room were most popular. No matter what age group is in a computer classroom, it is difficult to get a “click-free” minute when the teacher desires the total attention of the students. Teachers welcomed a button that blackened everyone’s screen. Also, during in-class assignments, faculty scanned the room without students knowing when his/her video was being viewed. This allowed teachers to interact privately with students that needed assistance or project an example to the rest of the class.
Summary
Major factors that have an effect on satisfaction, teaching and learning include ergonomics, environmental conditions, faculty training, staff partnerships, seamless fusion of technologies, and technology integration into the curriculum. Many schools implementing e-classrooms overlook one, two or more of the above factors because of haste, lack of funds or inadequate planning and research.
The smart e-classroom described may seem like a large initial outlay but is not much higher in cost than a typical instruction-based computer classroom. The broadcast on demand system and video integration box are both hardware-based, making the arrangement extremely reliable and cost-effective. The faculty and students also feel it is worth every penny. Faculty have seen a significant difference in standardized test scores, passing of licensing exams on the first try and higher student satisfaction levels. Students appeared motivated to learn, reluctant to miss class, and felt the setting intimate and comfortable. Furthermore, they believed they could better interact with the professor and everyone in the class because of the room layout.
The current rendition of our smart e-classrooms includes the ability to take attendance, grade quizzes, and do interactive distance learning between the campuses. It is visited regularly and valued not only by other institutions of higher education, but by law firms, junior criminal justice system and secondary schools.
Jean F. Coppola is Manager of Client Support in Information Technology and Adjunct in the School of Computer Science and Information Systems at Pace University, New York. She has worked in higher education computing since 1986. Coppola has a BS degree in Computer Science from Hofstra University, an MS in Computer Science and an MS in Telecommunications, both from Pace University. Currently she is a Ph.D. candidate at Nova Southeastern University in Computer Technology.
E-mail: coppola@pace.edu
Barbara A. Thomas is Director of the Learning Resource Center and Information Technology, and Adjunct Associate Professor in the Lienhard School of Nursing. She has worked in higher education nursing since 1972. Thomas has an RN from Newark Beth Israel Hospital, a BA from Jersey City State, an MS from New York University, a certificate of Advanced Studies, Family Nurse Practitioner and MS, both from Pace University.
