Deep in the US Northwest, lies the University of Idaho; the state’s oldest public university and leader in institutional research. The land grant institution was the first in the nation to offer a doctorate degree in Athletic Training and the world’s first genetically cloned equine was created by UI researchers. With such innovative fields of study and research, the University requires the very best informationsharing and collaboration tools to aid its faculty and students.
For this reason, they have chosen to implement WolfVision solutions in their rooms and learning centers. Within the remodeled College of Education, multiple labs and learning halls have outfitted VZ-C6 Ceiling Visualizers and Cynap Collaboration Solutions to optimize their courses and collaborative learning sessions. With the combined integration of Visualizers and Cynaps into their existing setups, many of these rooms have been revamped into open, collaborative learning spaces.
Now, with so many ways to share information available, students become teachers within their groups in many aspects and are able to explore concepts more deeply.
Cassidy Hall Assistant Professor, Director of the Doceo Center for Innovation and Learning - University of IdahoOne of these locations, the Mert Michael Classroom, contains round tables that can easily split into sections for breakout groups. Each table has its own large monitor, dedicated PC, as well as ceiling mounted EYE camera and Cynap system built into the table center. The addition of the Visualizer-Cynap combo had a profound effect on the students and faculty. Assistant Professor Cassidy Hall, Director of the Doceo Center for Innovation and Learning had this to say: “These classrooms provide the opportunity for multiple levels of active learning strategies to be employed.
Students are able to easily work in collaborative groups of two or three and then share out to larger groups and faculty are able to facilitate these collaborative learning efforts instead of just lecturing. Now, with so many ways to share information available, students become teachers within their groups in many aspects and are able to explore concepts more deeply.”
Another similar setup, the Albertson Doceo Center Lab, features workshop tables each with its own dedicated Cynap, PC, and wall-mounted monitor. A WolfVision VZ-C6 Ceiling Visualizer is integrated over the room’s central lectern. Used mostly for university professional development and technology integration workshops for teachers, the lab’s latest WolfVision additions provide an enhanced approach to new ways of teaching and learning.
Assistant Professor Hall adds: “The previous lab required wired plug-ins to share which were not available for all devices. Cynap provides ease of connection to all users regardless of type of device. It also allows me as the instructor to more easily share information from a variety of devices. I often switch back and forth between lectern technologies, my personal laptop and my iPhone while teaching. The addition of the Visualizers also offers us better support across the content areas by incorporating the ability to easily share written information which is often essential in chemistry, mathematics, etc.“
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