A Brief History of Technology Classrooms
<>In the late 1980's, the University of Maryland, College Park
began systematically upgrading lecture halls to provide faculty with
facilities that would allow them to more easily use technology in the
classroom. With each lecture hall, more was learned about how to design
effective learning environments, particularly ones which incorporate
technology.
In 1996, several major projects
were funded which allowed the University to construct 17 new technology
classrooms and renovate 17 older rooms with outdated equipment. For the
first time, the focus was broadened to include 14 smaller classrooms in
addition to lecture halls. A collaborative effort was undertaken to
design the new facilities
to take advantage of what had been learned from previous experience as
well
as incorporate innovative features involving new and emerging
technologies.
The goal of the upgrade effort
was to bring rooms up to a common standard that allows for presentation
of all
types of commonly used media, including high resolution computer
display, and to integrate the equipment with an easy-to-use media
control system.
With the increased number of
technology classrooms, it was necessary to develop a more comprehensive
approach to support. The Teaching Facilities Committee (TFC)
initiated a Pilot Project to explore various options for supporting
users and insuring that the technology is maintained, repaired and
updated. The activities have now expanded and become the Classroom Support Project.