What I particularly liked about the design was that it was constructed in a
"U" shape as described below:
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* # # # # # # *
* # __________________________________________________________________ *
* | | *
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* | _____________________________________________________ | *
* | | | | # *
* | | | | *
* # | | _________________________________________ | | *
* | | | | | | *
* | | | # # # # | | | *
* | | | ____________________________ | | | # *
* | | | | | | | | *
* | | | | | | | | *
* # | | | | ________________ | | | | *
* | | | # | | | | # | | | *
* | | | | | | | | | | *
* | | | | | | | | | | # *
* | | | | | | | | | | *
* | | | | | | | | | | *
* # | | | # | | | | # | | | *
* | | | | | | | | | | *
* (1) | | (2) | (3) | | (4) | | | | | *
*______| |_____|_____| |______________| |______|_____| | # *
* | *
* | *
* | *
* |______*
* *
* (Front of class) *
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The room is tiered, so that levels (1) and (2) are one step up from (3) and (4).
[This allows students to see over the heads and over the computer terminals
in front of them.]
(1)-(4) are built-in counters at desk level with aisles between for swivel
chairs with wheels so students can turn and roll from counter (2) to (1)
and back to (2) again. [Similarly between (3) and (4).]
Each "#" is a computer terminal (networked PCs) to be shared by two
students as they face AWAY from the front of the room. Counters (2) and
(4) do not have terminals, but are designed for students to take notes as
they face TOWARD the front of the classroom. (The computer desks also had
the occasional printer.)
What I liked about this room was two-fold:
1. students had a computer-free area for writing (notes, tests, in-class group
work)
2. the instructor could see the screen on every terminal in the classroom from
the front of the room (to see, for example, if any pair of students
had
something really cool on their screen that might be worthy of pointing
out to other groups, or perhaps to see if any pair were experiencing
problems). This is somewhat better, in my opinion, than the several
long rows of computers facing each other.
Drawbacks: in their configuration, all desks (counters) were built-in and
immobile, so group work might not be as easy if the groups contained more
than two (or three) students.
If you have questions, I would refer you to Reg Laursen, Dept. Chair at Luther
College (laursenr@martin.luther.edu).
Jim Francis ******* * * * * *
Edmonds Community College * * * * * *
Mathematics Department * *** * * *
20000 68th Avenue West ******* * * * * *
Lynnwood, WA 98036-5999 * * * * *
(206) 640-1377 * * * * * * *
jfrancis@edcc.ctc.edu ******* *** * * * * *