The Experimental Classroom: Boon or Boondoggle? by Thatcher Bohrman Image: Coffee Shop Experimental Classroom Configuration rendering from West Houston Institute Dear Faculty, I’ll bet you have experimented with your classroo…

by Thatcher Bohrman

Image: Coffee Shop Experimental Classroom Configuration rendering from West Houston Institute

Dear Faculty, 

I’ll bet you have experimented with your classroom. I’ll bet you’ve done magical monumental mental twists and turns to promote a healthy learning environment in whatever spaces you’ve taught in. Would you like a special classroom to experiment with? It sounds fantastic, though many of us have seen this idea come and go a few times without getting much use. Let’s make this a learning lab where your great ideas for teaching flourish! 

Guess what? There’s an experimental classroom space coming to the second floor of the CLI Prescott, and there’s already one in the CLI Verde Campus. Have you used it or other such educational spaces? Do you want to do something that your present spaces aren’t open or flexible enough to accommodate? We want this one to be utilized, and we need your help. It’s a space for you, dear faculty.

We made this online vision board to pin your ideas to. We are also accepting email, phone calls (928-776-2352), notes passed under doors (3-107), and most any type of missive about how this space could be useful to you. All YC employees (faculty and staff) are welcome to contribute ideas. Thank you! 

Need some inspiration?

Here are some articles with images for you to check out:

• ASU's EXCL Lab - check out priorities under Our journey so far, from supporting active learning, piloting new and emerging technologies, to learning spaces research
• 3 benefits to designing experimental classrooms at ASU - scroll the image gallery for different use cases
• The Experimental classroom at Uppsala University - watch the subtitled video showing students and faculty using the room and talking about their experiences
• The Altering Course blog has a 4-part series of posts by Lauran Kerr-Heraly, Ph.D. about West Houston Institute's Learning Spaces Initiative:
• Part 1: Experimental Classroom: Learning Spaces Initiative
• Part 2: Experimental Classroom: Week 1
• Part 3: Experimental Classroom: Discussion
• Part 4: Experimental Classroom: Survey Results