Brown began with the point (and Milne reiterated later) that the title of thee session “Classroom of the future” started from a dated perspective.  We need to look at the campus as a learning environment which supports planned and unplanned events. Indeed, more learning takes place outside the classroom than in (library, hallways, dorm room, outside)

Where traditional classroom had chalkboards and overheads and well planned learning models, new classrooms are read/write/dynamic intra/inter-connected resulting in more unpredictable and participatory learning.   So how do you capitalize on that? To start with stop basing expectations on traditional classroom.

Brown encourages the use of verbs not nouns with regards to educational innovation:

verbs: connect build discuss annotate analyze design

nouns: projectors internet wires podiums lights computers etc

Innovation in educational technology occurs when several preexisting technologies convene in new ways. Rarely is it one technology. Informal learning places have seen a resurgence due to a large part because of the advent of wireless networking. You used to be able to study anywhere with a book. Then, with computers, we became tethered to power and eventually data jacks. Now we are finally getting back where we were before.  Likewise, “afforable projection systems” pushed multimedia presentation over the hump. Pushed even faster because of perceived competition with the television.

When students and faculty are successful with relatively minor challenges (UI/ cable mgmt/power up, etc) of tech they are more willing, confident, able to tackle major challenges (smart board)

space + activity = place;

space is physical. place includes behavior and social expectations

physicality matters – virtually: example of Engineering teams where they friended  (facebook) the team members that sat near them more than team members sitting on the other side of the room. Same teams, same room, same project, different physical-world socialization, different virtual communication

Having the students engaged/collaborate has little to do with technology and everything to do with classroom management.  Example: prof asks “who remembers about the nervous system.” people raise hands. he chooses one girl, she gets nervous, he says come to board and show me. she gets more worried – maybe even regrets raising her hand. he gives her the marker and says and you can ask anyone else for help and indicated the others who raised their hand as probably candidates.

The Q&A revealed some truisms that are frequently unspoken:

1. Faculty are still thinking in “the box” – ie literally the four-walled classroom. If you get them out of the physical box, you might free faculty on the edge from transcending the box

But…

2. There is also pressure from registrar and admissions to fit as many people into “the box” to maximize the tuitions Resulting in…

3. The scheduling box (MWF/TTh 9:00-9:50 etc) which limits the access demands of new spaces which might otherwise be available at step #1.

Major challenges/steps to success:

#1 good design (see the design of everyday things – donald Norman)

#2 Perception Challenges

#3 Support challenges

#4 cost challenge

#5 distraction challenge (See Eric Gordon’s work on Choreographic attention)

#6 Assessment  (most important ) Are we doing enough to show that it is/not working? We don’t do enough assessment now, and we will need to be doing much more as the pace of educational innovation increases.

Quotes:

Brown: technology begets constructivism

Brown: Design is both a noun and a verb

“Power corrups and powerpoint corrupts absolutely” – Tufte

Screens need to be at the right height to actually be used – especially true for larger screens. If you mount an 63” LCD like a projection screen, it will not be used like a large monitor.

Artifacts are underappreciated as inspiration objects: project displays, posters, artwork maybe even furniture

Recognize distiniction between flexibility and adaptability: create objects that do some things well and then have adaptiblity around the edges (reminds me of Friedman’s versatilists vs generalists)

Students don’t remember where they learned, but they do remember the prof

Allow for constructive vandalism – we learn a lot playing outside the boundaries.

The reason we use icons is because research shows people don’t read

Newly discovered URLS

http://www.polleverywhere.com: live audience polling

http://voicethread.com: interactive slide show with voice commenting and collaborative tools