University of Massachusetts Amherst Announces Upcoming Classroom Walkthroughs to Showcase Upgraded Technology

Campus instructors are invited to participate in upcoming walkthroughs to learn about technological upgrades made to classrooms across campus by the UMass Instructional Design, Engagement and Support (IDEAS) Group.

Responding to faculty feedback and student needs, and in collaboration with campus partners, the IDEAS team has contributed to upgrading teaching technologies in over 30 classrooms as part of its commitment to enhancing campus teaching and learning environments, with additional upgrades planned for the summer.

These changes support a wide range of teaching styles and learning preferences, making connecting with students in and beyond the classroom easier.

Whether teaching in one of these rooms or just curious, IDEAS invites all instructors to explore features that support current methods and open new possibilities to support pedagogical goals.

The updates to these rooms include wireless sharing, new videoconferencing capabilities, digital whiteboards, enhanced options for lecture capture, among other features. These upgrades are designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, ensuring instructors can focus on teaching without navigating unnecessarily complex systems. The upgrades also introduce consistency across user interfaces in different classrooms.

The upgraded rooms are divided into configurations based on the room size and seating options. A full list of upgraded rooms can be found on the classroom technology guides and support page.

Walkthrough sessions are currently scheduled for May 7, 20 and 21.