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Back in 2012, the Schulich School of Law knew it was time to seriously consider upgrading the classrooms. “The technology was six or seven years old then, and there weren’t any computers in the classrooms,” says Geordie Lounsbury, the Information Media Centre supervisor.

Because the technology was outdated, and each classroom’s audio-visual equipment was slightly different, it took the professors several minutes to set up before they started teaching, and more time was spent to power down before they left, meaning if there was the slightest problem, classes would run overtime.

"The faculty would get frustrated, and the students would have to wait for the lecture to start." — Information Media Centre supervisor Geordie Lounsbury

What’s more, faculty members would teach in one classroom for a year and get used to operating its A/V equipment, then be assigned to a different room the following year, where they would have to re-train on the system in use in that room. “The faculty would get frustrated,” says Lounsbury, “and the students would have to wait for the lecture to start while the professors tried to figure out the problem with the system.”

New high-tech podiums

After a thorough planning process, starting midway through the 2014 school year, Room 309, which had no technology at all, was transformed. This past summer the technology overhaul continued with Rooms 104, 105, 204 and 207, which had their AV equipment completely replaced.

All of the rooms now boast projectors controlled by a touch-screen panel built directly into the podium. The new podiums contain connections for Macs and PCs, as well as a built-in PC that allows users to access the system with fewer limitations. Also on each podium is a digital document camera called “Elmo” that allows the user to project a live colour image (of a book or transparency, for example) onto the screen.

Along with the standard systems in these rooms, 104, 105, and 309 have extra features that allow for flexible use based on the room’s design. For example, in 309 there’s a video camera and microphone built into the room to allow moot teams to record their practice sessions; it will also allow faculty to video record lectures and presentations. In 104 and 105, the sound systems were replaced with upgraded systems to eliminate feedback and improve the audio. Also in these two rooms, screens were added at the back so students can see the projected image no matter where they’re sitting.

Making a difference to teaching

“The new podiums are more uniform,” says Lounsbury. “The first five buttons on each one have the same function in each classroom. That means the professors won’t lose 10 to 15 minutes of class time either trying to setup the old technology or waiting for it to warm up. Both the faculty and the students will get more out of their time in the classroom.”

Faculty member Jon Shapiro appreciates the classroom’s high-tech capabilities. “The new technology is more efficient and lets me demonstrate things in a way I couldn’t do before,” he says. “I have a Mac laptop, and the built-in Mac port means I don’t have to remember to carry an adapter. And I’m going to save at least one full class a year from the time I’ll save setting up and shutting down the old equipment.”

“Today's students learn, and teachers teach, in so many different modes that having good tech available in every classroom is essential.” — Assistant Professor Jamie Baxter

Assistant professor Jamie Baxter is also impressed. “The new AV systems are fantastic,” he says. “Today's students learn, and teachers teach, in so many different modes that having good tech available in every classroom is essential.”

Lounsbury admits that not all faculty members need a wired classroom: “You can be a great teacher just standing in front of the students and talking. Not every professor wants the technology, but there should be no reason they can’t access it easily if they do.”

The next goal includes adding technology to Rooms 304, 305, and 308, as well as in the Glube Room on the fourth floor, all of which currently have none built-in.