It was the week before last, I believe, that I taught a class in the new active learning classroom at our university’s Information Infrastructure Initiative. We projected the teaching materials onto the floor in the center of the room, and while looking at them, each group worked on their group assignments on walls coated with IdeaPaint. I suppose it is beneficial that the area available for writing is not restricted. What I found interesting was that what each group was thinking became visualized to the others. By observing how each group wrote and what they wrote, as well as their perspectives and methods of expression, students were encouraged to apply those practices themselves. I thought easel pads might also work, but since the writing area is limited, being able to write on an entire wall is certainly better. After the group assignments, I had them walk around to look at what the other groups had written, similar to a poster session, and even if it didn’t quite reach the level of a Q&A session, I had them talk about it.
As for the operation of equipment such as projectors, there is a remote control, and it is intuitive and easy to understand. Professor Mori of the Information Infrastructure Initiative said, “It is important that it can be used without support,” and I agree.
