University of Massachusetts Lowell

The University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell) is a nationally recognized public research institution located in Lowell, Massachusetts, USA. With a diverse student  body of over 18,000 students,  and academic programs spanning sciences, engineering, humanities, and the arts, the university is known for its focus on experiential learning and innovation. Spread across three closely connected campuses, UMass Lowell is at the forefront of integrating advanced instructional technologies to enhance the educational experience.

UMass Lowell has made significant investments in modernizing its teaching environments, embracing active learning methodologies through a broad deployment of WolfVision technology. Across the campus, a growing number of classrooms are now equipped with WolfVision Cynap systems - designed to support collaborative, flexible, and highly interactive learning environments. 

The university currently operates four TEAL (Technology-Enhanced Active Learning) classrooms powered by WolfVision Cynap Pro and Cynap Core Pro systems, with two additional rooms under development and four more planned. These classrooms feature flexible, pod-based MATRIX-style configurations in various sizes - ranging from 2 to 10 pods - accommodating between 24 and 64 students, depending on the room layout. 

Each pod supports group collaboration, wireless content sharing, and intuitive connectivity, all enabled by a robust AV over IP infrastructure. This setup allows seamless, two-way content sharing between individual pods and the main display, fostering a dynamic, interactive learning environment.

In addition to the multi-workstation TEAL classrooms, the university has three WolfVision vSolution COMPOSER-equipped rooms, each designed to accommodate approximately 60 students. These spaces are powered by Cynap Pro units operating in COMPOSER Mode - a feature that enables dual-screen output for optimized content distribution. One screen typically displays remote participants or instructor-led content, while the second screen can be used to showcase digital materials, annotated visuals, or student-shared content. 

This layout supports more structured collaboration, allowing instructors to manage visual workflows more effectively and maintain clarity during group discussions. Paired with dual display screens and a streamlined, intuitive interface, COMPOSER rooms promote active student engagement and enable instructors to share, manage, and display content without the need for dongles, apps, or additional software. 

This streamlined approach aligns with the university’s priority for simplicity and ease of use in its learning environments. 
 

One of the latest innovations at UMass Lowell is a new hybrid classroom, designed to switch effortlessly between traditional and active learning modes. Using an Extron touch panel, instructors can toggle between classic front-of-room teaching and TEAL-style collaborative setups. This ensures that faculty members can teach using the technology with which they feel most comfortable. 

This approach helps to ensure maximal room occupancy and means that the room is always available for use. This flexible approach is paired with UMass Lowell’s TEAL Certification Program, which trains faculty on how to use the systems effectively. Placing newly certified instructors in these TEAL rooms ensures consistent, confident usage and maintains high teaching standards across the board. 

Instruction buttons at each pod launch a web page offering quick-start guidance, also available at the instructor podium. TEAL rooms feature custom-uploaded Microsoft Visio diagrams that provide a visual reference for the room layout on the control screen, enabling instructors to easily push and pull content between screens and groups.

The impact of these solutions is clear: there are currently 84 different courses being taught in these combined rooms ranging from Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Education, Liberal Arts, etc. The rooms are now so popular that they are typically booked out up to six months in advance, with requests handled on a first-come, first-served basis.

The engineering and manufacturing departments also use mobile WolfVision Cynap Core systems mounted on carts with touchscreen displays - bringing collaboration tools into labs and supporting a broader range of teaching styles and environments. 
 

All systems are managed centrally using vSolution Link Pro, WolfVision’s remote management software hosted on a cloud-based virtual server. This provides full administrative control over the entire ecosystem. In rare cases where faculty need assistance, IT administrators can even remotely access individual pods to provide immediate support - though such instances are rare. By standardizing the user interface across all Cynap models, UMass Lowell ensures a consistent user experience throughout its classrooms. This also means that TEAL certification is valid for every room equipped with Cynap technology, simplifying training and reducing onboarding time for faculty.

All systems are managed centrally using vSolution Link Pro, WolfVision’s remote management software hosted on a cloud-based virtual server. This provides full administrative control over the entire ecosystem. In rare cases where faculty need assistance, IT administrators can even remotely access individual pods to provide immediate support - though such instances are rare. 

By standardizing the user interface across all Cynap models, UMass Lowell ensures a consistent user experience throughout its classrooms. This also means that TEAL certification is valid for every room equipped with Cynap technology, simplifying training and reducing onboarding time for faculty. New hybrid rooms are also built with redundancy in mind: should one mode of operation experience a fault, instructors can switch to an alternative setup - ensuring continuous classroom usage in a university where space is always at a premium. 

Plans are underway to support HyFlex learning using Zoom-connected COMPOSER rooms, expanding the reach of these flexible environments even further. Several rooms are also equipped with WolfVision Visualizer systems, which integrate directly into the Cynap interface, eliminating the need for separate controls and making them especially popular with instructors. 

By standardizing the user interface across all Cynap models, UMass Lowell ensures a consistent user experience throughout its classrooms. This also means that TEAL certification is valid for every room equipped with Cynap technology, simplifying training and reducing onboarding time for faculty. New hybrid rooms are also built with redundancy in mind: should one mode of operation experience a fault, instructors can switch to an alternative setup - ensuring continuous classroom usage in a university where space is always at a premium. 

Plans are underway to support HyFlex learning using Zoom-connected COMPOSER rooms, expanding the reach of these flexible environments even further. Several rooms are also equipped with WolfVision Visualizer systems, which integrate directly into the Cynap interface, eliminating the need for separate controls and making them especially popular with instructors. 

UMass Lowell’s successful deployment is a shining example of how thoughtful technology integration and strong faculty engagement can transform the learning experience. What sets Lowell apart is not just the hardware - but a commitment to ongoing improvement, partnership, and collaboration with WolfVision. 

“Our partnership with WolfVision exemplifies what is possible when technology providers truly listen to their customers. As one of the first institutions to establish a comprehensive TEAL Certification program for faculty, we have worked closely with WolfVision to shape solutions that meet the evolving needs of teaching and learning. Their willingness to adapt product development based on real-world classroom experiences has helped us pioneer innovative learning environments that empower faculty, engage students, and position UMass Lowell at the forefront of educational technology.” Bob Coppenrath, Principle Instructional Technologist, UMass Lowell.

Feedback from the university has directly contributed to improvements in the Cynap and MATRIX platforms - an example of how customer relationships can drive innovation that benefits the entire user community. All TEAL classrooms at UMass Lowell now feature a WolfVision component - a testament to a shared vision of accessible, intuitive, and engaging education. As the university continues to expand its TEAL footprint and refine its approach, it is already serving as an inspiration and benchmark for other campuses across the United States and beyond.