"Converting general-purpose classrooms to active learning spaces can be tricky. Funding is always tight. Often the campus group responsible for furniture acquisition and maintenance is separate from the IT group, so furniture and classroom technology are purchased and managed separately. Some faculty members may feel threatened by the new layouts or feel that they are being asked to change the way they teach. Finally, active learning spaces almost always require more square footage per student, which means a room that once held 60 students might only hold 45 in an active setup with moveable furniture. Registrar's offices can be hesitant to give up those seats."—Source: Campus Technology
WHY THIS MATTERS:
You can't just change the furniture set up in a classroom and expect it to magically support active learning — it takes more. Read how needs analysis, testing the spaces, and formalizing campus initiatives all can play important roles in a successful redesign process.
