Updates to Classrooms for Autumn 2022

It was a busy summer for the Office of Technology and Digital Innovation (OTDI). In addition to improving our eLearning tools, a lot of work was completed in physical teaching and learning spaces.

The biggest change over the summer included a major overhaul to 16 Journalism Building classrooms, half of which received a full facelift (fresh paint, flooring, lighting and furniture). Four of the Journalism classrooms have complete technology upgrades in place while the remaining 12 are prepped and just awaiting equipment shipments.

These rooms were in need of a refresh, both in terms of technology in the space and the spaces themselves. Staying up to date on the latest technology can help improve the teaching and learning experience, but so can more comfortable and accessible furniture. For example, equipping classrooms with flexible furniture allows instructors to incorporate multiple teaching strategies and reconfigure the classroom layout as needed.

OTDI plans to return to Journalism Building next summer, with the help of a grant from the Integrated Physical Planning Liaison Group (IPPLG), to refresh a hallway near the recently updated classrooms—and Ohio State student Caden Pfendler is responsible for the design! Each autumn, students in the Junior Interior Design Studio course conduct research and develop a plan for informal spaces around campus, with the goal of creating purposeful, inclusive spaces that extend teaching and learning activities. Each year, the best design is selected and the student designer works with OTDI to make their space a reality.

If you visit Hale Hall this semester, you may notice another student design featured in the MLK Jr. Lounge (Room 132). Interior Design students competed in a contest sponsored by Herman Miller, Continental Office, Framery and OTDI to design a custom wrap for a Framery soundproof pod. This year, Madison Hildebrand had the winning design, now wrapping a quiet workspace on campus.

In addition to classroom and space renovations, OTDI also updated the 3D printers in the prototyping studio at the Enarson Digital Union. The new 3D printers are faster, quieter and more reliable than the previous models. You can learn more about 3D printing and submit your own design if you’d like to take the new models for a spin.

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If you need help with any classroom technology, Classroom Services is happy to meet you in a classroom to provide a walk-through at a time that fits your schedule.

Phone: 614-688-4357, opt. 4

Email: classroomhelp@osu.edu

If you are a student looking for a campus job, why not join Classroom Services to help faculty, staff and students with classroom technology, audio/video issues, classroom maintenance and more!