The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) at Texas Wesleyan University is pleased to announce “A Radically Flexible Classroom Design” as the selected design for classroom.NEXT, a team-based competitive program that challenged faculty and students to research and design their ideal classrooms. Evaluated by a panel comprised of Texas Wesleyan administrators, faculty, and staff, along with external classroom design experts, the proposal was selected from five designs submitted in early February. The chosen design will serve as a blueprint for transforming an existing classroom on the Historic Texas Wesleyan campus into a space designed to support student-centered learning and teaching. The selected design was submitted by Dr. Elizabeth Alexander, Associate Professor of History, and five of her students: Gary Beam, Cecelia Hill, Susan Alyse Hofman, Tiffany Fitzhugh, and Janie Torres. Focusing on the needs of today’s students and their major characteristics, which include an “unconscious integration of technology into their lives” and a desire to “study and socialize as a group,” the team in their proposal sought to create a space that “harmonizes with learning theory, encourages inquiry-based instruction, and responds to the needs of Net-Gen students.” To meet these goals, the the team’s proposed design is built on four themes: flexibility, sensory stimulation, technology support, and decenteredness.

2. Judges Pati Alexander Marie Boisvert Meghan Foster Marcel Kerr Chris Windsor External Judges Chad Kainz Elliot Felix

3. C5C NEXT Team members: Prof. Joe Brown Dr. Stacia Neeley Dr. Carol Johnson-Gerendas Rebecca Moore

4. C5C NEXT Joe Brown, StaciaNeeley, Carol Johnson-Gerendas, and Rebecca Moore CETL Advisor: Amy Collier Creating spaces for Significant Learning Experiences

5. color Light SPACE

6. CALMING ELEMENTS

7. FLEXIBLE DESIGN

8. TRADITIONAL DESIGN

9. The “Write” Stuff Team members: Dr. Linda Carroll Josh Branum Jimbob Brown Lisa Puente

10. The Write Stuff Dr. Linda Carroll Joshua Branum Lisa Puente Jimbob Brown

11. Classroom Layout encompass learning and teaching promote student interaction equalize the power structure Room Layout

12. Colors and Lighting provide warmth, not darkness create more “natural” lighting add room-only touches incorporate Wesleyan

13. Technology allow for presentations and performances increase visibility and reduce eyestrain tech need not be overdone reuse as much as possible keep it simple

14. Furniture find tables that provide large workspace flooring to provide less institutional feel provide plenty of quality seating give group work areas wheelchair friendly

15. Conclusion maintain quality with functionality build atmosphere to ignite the fire improve student experience each visit help students learn every way possible!

16. The InterACTIVE classroom Team members: Dr. Karen Wallace Dr. Michael Hartman Dr. Pamela Rast Josh Mackey

17. interACTIVE Classroom.NEXT Department of Kinesiology Wallace, Rast, Hartman, and Mackey March 1, 2011

18. Overview: The technologically innovated design plan that we are presenting consists of encouraging a physically active learner in the classroom. The learner will experience activation of various muscular contractions that will help stimulate oxygen and blood flow to the brain, thus increasing attention and learning capacity.

19. Teaching Methods: Learner-centered teaching methods: kinesthetic physical activity; sub-conscious activation of neural and muscular response; encouraging student learner to engage in critical thinking activities, kinesthetic awareness; audio-visual learning; sensory stimulation of proprioceptors

20. Evidence-Based Research: Relationship between fitness and cognitive function Cerebral blood flow (i.e. oxygen delivery) Circulating neurotransmitters Active learning Placing the students in a flexible, active environment conducive to learning.

21. Signature Experience: Trademark; Memories; Connection An innovative and versatile space incorporating 21st century technology supported by the traditional face-to-face personal instruction that is the cornerstone of the Texas Wesleyan identity. The interACTIVE Classroom.NEXT design provides everything possible for a student to reach a new degree of confidence in themselves as productive members of a 21st century academic community.

22. Welcome:

23. Technology: 21st Century

24. Classroom Design: Flexible

25. Classroom Design:

26. Summary: "If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health" Hippocrates (460-370 B.C.)

27. Enhancing the Signature Experience Team members: Dr. Liz Ward Dr. Kim Tyler Prof. Jackie Gaffner Kelly Lovette

28. Liz Ward

29. Liz Ward