Page 12 - 2020 OIT Progress Report

CLASSROOM READINESS: TECHNOLOGY & BEYOND
Over the past several years, we have matured our process for planning and implementing technology in the classrooms by incorporating feedback
and guidance from faculty and the Academic Technology Council. As we began 2020, our proposal was ready, vetted, approved, and awaiting funding. As Spring Break began in March, it
was clear the proposal needed to be revamped quickly. In the span of just six months, we invested all of our energy into two phases of classroom transformation: the first to support spring virtual instruction, and the second to support SMUFlex.
As individuals departed in March, we quickly deployed 150 webcams to the classrooms with built-in podium computers to support faculty instruction via Zoom. We ordered hundreds
of webcams to deploy to faculty in their SMU
or personal offices, and were lucky enough to receive a shipment before equipment shortages introduced further delays. We pulled together training materials, erected the keep teaching, keep learning, and keep working websites, and hosted a number of webinars to help support the transition for what we hoped was only a few weeks in duration. Once faculty and staff were settled in to the new world of Zoom, our attention turned
to planning for the fall term and supporting SMUFlex.
Our current classroom design is centered on functionality, stability, flexibility, and ease of use. Each instructor teaches in a different way and has affinities for specific technology or configurations. Accommodating flexibility introduces complexity
as well as potential failure points. Significant attention has been placed on how we integrate various components while keeping the touch panel design consistent and easy to
use across all rooms. We have minimized the number of steps for faculty setup
at the start of class
and built in easy mechanisms to troubleshoot issues (for example,
the button
turns
red if the
speaker is
muted). As
we reflected
on the
complexities
of integrating
video, audio, remote
participants and in-
person participants in an
easy-to-use design, we knew we
were facing a challenge unlike any we had seen before.
We began identifying the key technology components for delivering SMUFlex. Of utmost importance was video and audio of the instructor, and audio from the remote participants. Electronic whiteboard solutions, document cameras, flexible
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