Teikyo University, Tokyo: Active learning classrooms

Teikyo University is a private university in Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1931 as Teikyo Commercial High School, it became Teikyo University in 1966. Initially with just two faculties, in economics and liberal arts, it now has 10 faculties, in the fields of medicine, humanities, and science and technology. There are also 11 postgraduate streams. In addition to its five main campuses in Japan, the university also operates several overseas campuses, providing Japanese students with the opportunity to study abroad. There are approximately 24,000 enrolled students, with the majority of them enrolled at the Hachioji campus in West Tokyo. In order to encourage increased student involvement and interaction in classroom sessions, the University has installed a new active learning space on the Hachioji campus. 

Dr. Toshiyuki Miyahara, Professor of Center for Teaching and Learning, at Teikyo University commented: “The purpose of education is shifting from simply ‘what you know’ towards ‘how can you use that knowledge’ that you have acquired.” It was very important for Dr. Miyahara to achieve his goal of creating a classroom environment which enables simple knowledge sharing and collaborative working. This would be a wireless environment with no need for time-consuming installation of apps or a requirement to use dongles. The new active learning space would be a divisible classroom design, meaning that it can function as a two separate learning spaces or can be used as a single larger learning space when it is required. 

The classroom, designed and installed by the Clinet Co. Ltd., is equipped with WolfVision Cynap wireless presentation and collaboration systems to support active learning. Each single room comprises a Cynap Pro device complete with WolfVision’s vSolution MATRIX software, plus eight individual workstations each equipped with a Cynap Core Pro. 

MATRIX is an AV over IP-based multi-screen, multi-workstation wireless collaboration solution which enables video and audio to be streamed between screens using existing network infrastructure, providing an intuitive and easy-to-use collaborative working environment for all users. Cynap’s easy-to-use wireless connectivity supports for all types of laptop, smartphone or tablet, allowing students to use their own familiar personal devices in an educational setting. They simply connect wirelessly to an individual workstation in order to collaborate and share information easily with one another. Support for AirPlay, Miracast, and Chromecast wireless screen mirroring protocols means that no apps, dongles or additional software are needed before content can be shared onscreen. 

The professor uses the custom configured ‘Room View’ on a touch panel to drag and drop onscreen content between displays as required. Flexible configuration enables the room be configured to accurately match the actual layout of the individual learning spaces for easier operation. Simple drag and drop gestures enable a professor to share content easily between any or all of the different screens in the room. Templates have been stored of the different room layouts – either two single rooms or a single large room, enabling full functionality of the room to be used at all times. 
 

The WolfVision system also enables files to be shared to each workstation at the start of the lesson. For example the first task of the lesson could be shared to all workstations. The classroom is then flipped as the students work together in groups and the teacher’s activity shifts more towards that of a coaching/support role. At any time during the class, the professor can bring the class together again to highlight and share student work between the different screens in the room, or to advance the classroom session by allocating additional files to students. The class can  in this way switch seamlessly between active learning mode, and traditional classroom mode as required. In the world of instruction design, in active learning spaces, it is said that teachers are typically talking for no more than 10% of the time in the class, encouraging the students to work collaboratively, and learn from each other. 

The Cynap Core Pros at each workstation also have an optional recording Pack. This recording capability is used in a unique way, because teachers are now able to analyse recordings to assess student performance in discussions or group work. Educators can see what kind of discussions are taking place, and this is used to provide individual feedback. 
In summary, the vSolution MATRIX system provides unique classroom flexibility for both students and professors whether working in a single large room or in its independent configuration of two smaller learning spaces. Group working, interaction, and discussion is encouraged using WolfVision systems that are cost-effective, straightforward to install and maintain, and above all enjoyable and easy for everybody to use. 

“It is not enough for education only to be effective, it is important for it also to be efficient, and in this sense, vSolution MATRIX is very good tool, and I expect it will get even better in the future!” Dr. Toshiyuki Miyahara.