1. Each member of Team Outsiders is a student who attends
class in room 313 on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30am-
10:50am. We personally see and experience the problems
of the room twice a week, every week. This gives us
first-hand knowledge of the way the layout of the class-
room hinders ourselves, the professor, and other students
from doing their work. Because we know the limits that
prevent the Technical Communication Department from
bettering the classrooms, we suggest these solutions in
order to create an improved and stimulating environment
for both the current and future Technical Writing students
of UNT.
Qualifications
A Leap
into the
Future
The Outsiders:
Ajibola Ali, Lance Flores, Nicole Omielanczuk, Sylvia Yi

2. Proposal to Create a Better Environment in Technical Writing Classrooms
Summary
The classrooms in the Auditorium building do not have enough space, lack updated hardware, and pose
as a health risk (as well as an unstimulating atmosphere) to the students. Despite the growth of students
wishing to excel in Technical Writing, the cramped conditions, inadequate computers, and unclean, dull
environment hinders the students from moving around, letting their creativity flow, and avoiding floating
dust. In this proposal, we suggest practical ways to transform the outdated classrooms into efficient spaces
where students can freely engage with one another in a stimulating environment.
Current Problems in Classrooms
• The outdated hardware hurts the students because they wait a long period of time to start up the
software. The physical equipment attached to the hardware causes the room to overheat and creates a
cramped work space.
Proposed Solutions
• The cramped layout hurts students and teachers by not giving enough room for everyday classroom
activities, creating safety and fire hazards, and causing disruptions during class
We narrowed down the current problems in the classrooms to the three biggest offenders:
• The dull environment hurts the students by keeping them from focusing on work and causing
potential health risks.
In order for the students to take advantage of the classroom, there needs to be more space to put
notebooks or textbooks down to take notes. The tangled cables and cords attached to bulky, outdated
hardware takes up most of the space. The layout of the classroom causes the professor and students to trip
over backpacks and other people whenever someone tries to cross the room. The room gets overheated
because of all the equipment, which forces the professor to turn on the fans, but this causes dust to fly
around. The overall atmosphere of the classroom causes lethargy in the students and as a result, they do not
pay attention.
As a response to the current problems, we propose the following solutions:
• Replacing the desktop computers with laptops solves your need of an overheated, cramped classroom
by eliminating all wires, which decreases overheating and allows students to move around.
• Purchasing self-contained desks solves your problem of space
by allowing students and professors to have the ability to
move around without tripping over backpacks and students.
The students can also arrange the desks however they want.
This gives some degree of freedom within the limited room.
• Re-painting the room and re-carpeting the floor solves your
problem of health risks and dullness of the classroom. The
renovated classroom will provide students with a more com-
fortable and stimulating working environment.
Purchasing self-contained desks and laptops solves the problems of space, health risks, and overheating.
Remodeling the room cleans the dust and the dirty carpet as well as creating a modern, newer atmosphere.
In order to police the laptops, we suggest assigning each student with a number according to the laptop by
“signing in” and “out” using a UNT ID key card reader at the tutor’s desk before and after class.
Budget and Pricing
Items Price
30 Node Chair with Worksurface $8.070 ($269 ea)
30 Dell Inspiron 15.6” Touch-Screen $12,419 ($419 ea)
Budget set aside for paint and carpet $1,000 (approx $1.47/sq. ft for carpet)
Total: $21.489.70 ($8,510.30 left over)
Implementation Timeline
(An example of the approximate amount of time it would take)
Node chairs allow students to
move around and save space
Conclusion
Department budget: $30,000 per year
As students dedicated to education, we believe in providing both current and future students the opportunity
of learning Technical Writing in a more stimulating environment. The changes we suggested will resolve the
ongoing problems with cramped and uncomfortable classrooms that hinder the learning processes of both
students and teachers alike. As the field of Technical Writing moves forward and into the future, so should the
University of North Texas. By implementing these three components, students will spend their time focused
on learning and honing skills for their future careers instead of wasting time bogged down by the many prob-
lems illustrated in this proposal. We look forward to the possibility of discussing these solutions with you.
In order to create needed space, it is necessary to spend money on self-contained units (desks and laptops).
In exchange, productivity will increase and more group work can be accomplished during class hours.