The Experimental classroom
The experimental classroom will transition over to ordinary usage beginning in the autumn semester 2025.
The experimental classroom has been a place for pedagogical development since it was established 2010, equipped with modern technology and enabling active and engaging learning. It has truly been a catalyst for teaching innovation and has inspired many similar active learning classrooms at other university campuses. After thorough consideration the experimental classroom will transition over to ordinary usage beginning in the autumn semester 2025. Teachers who would like support using active learning classrooms or want to test new methods will continue to receive support, but it will no longer be limited to the experimental classroom.
Note: The Experimental classroom will be closed during the spring term 2025 when renovations are ongoing.
Foto: Giovanni Pineda
In this environment, teachers from different faculties can meet and exchange ideas while using IT in their teaching, all while receiving support from personnel with relevant expertise. The room's technology and flexible furnishings can create new teaching methods that foster student collaboration and discussion. In the video below, a teacher and some students talk about working in the lab-oriented lecture hall.
The entire room has capacity for approximately 70-80 people. In view of that all chairs and tables have castors and can be folded, the furnishing can be changed during a lesson. For example, starting as a normal lecture and continuing with group work at separate group tables. There are also small portable whiteboards and felt-tip pens available.
Interactive screens and projectors
The room is equipped with four interactive writing-boards and four large film screens connected to eight separate projectors. Video-conference equipment is available, as well as the possibility to lend laptop computers to the students.
Optimal for group work
It is possible to divide the room into two half-rooms or into two quarters and one half-room so that several activities can take place simultaneously. The walls are composed of normal whiteboard surfaces and glass.
In addition to the large room, there are also two separate adjacent group rooms that can be used by small groups of students and research groups that need to use advanced technology. The group rooms also have interactive writing-boards.
The purpose of the experimental classroom is to:
- inspire the use of IT in instruction in both campus-based and distance teaching.
- encourage educational development and innovation that promotes student activity, participation, and learning.
- be part of the University’s efforts to broaden the pedagogical competence of teachers (in-service training).
- function as a hub and forum for the exchange of experience, ideas, and knowledge about innovative education, IT in teaching, and technical solutions that complement existing teaching methods and tools.
- function for exerimentation to test, implement, and introduce new technologies, new software programs, etc. that can then be disseminated to departments.