In 2014, the Learning Spaces Planning Committee conducted a study that concluded that Tufts needed to upgrade nearly 200 of its classrooms over the following five years, according to Director of Campus Planning Lois Stanley. This plan, known as the five-year classroom renovation project, includes refurbishing and improving out-of-date teaching labs, auditoria, flat-floor lecture-style rooms and computer labs on campus, Stanley said.
According to Stanley, 30 learning spaces have been updated thus far.
“We focus on all classrooms in one building at a time, which increases efficiency and is more cost-effective,” she added.
Stanley explained that some of the goals of the plan include maximizing writing surfaces, such as black, white and SMART boards, as well as improving physical control over classroom environment conditions through well-functioning window treatments and lights.
According to Campus Planner and Project Manager Colin Simmons, the planning committee wanted to increase the functionality of classroom spaces for the benefit of both professors and students, as well as make the technology more user-friendly.
"There is a communication process between the [Learning Spaces Planning Committee] and the faculty, so that the improvements and installations in specific classrooms is a reflection of the needs of the professors," Simmons said.
Simmons also mentioned that although no priority is given to any specific building on campus, in the future, the committee plans to target bigger and more frequently-used classrooms so more of the student population and faculty can reap the benefits of these changes sooner.
Stanley further explained that the group was not applying the same upgrades to all spaces.
"Instead, we are tailoring upgrades to the rooms based on teaching faculty requirements," she said.
Stanley said that Braker Hall received upgrades last summer.
“The economics department wanted to maintain classrooms with a high seat count, so we stuck to tablet arm chairs," she said. "We also installed new blackboards, as they were preferred by the faculty.”
The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy classrooms also received an upgrade, according to Simmons.
“It was mainly focused on audio-visual upgrades, because Fletcher, being a professional school, uses technology for Skype and video conferencing,” Simmons said.
The group added easily-movable furniture and extra storage space to the rooms in Aidekman Arts Center for classes that require open floorspace, Stanley added.
Overhead lights that more closely imitate natural outdoor light were also installed, Simmons said.
Department of Drama and Dance Chair Heather Nathans said she was was pleased with the renovations done in Aidekman.
"We were very excited about the Aidekman renovations and particularly appreciated our opportunity to talk with the planning team last spring about some of the special needs for general-use classrooms that also house the arts," Nathans told the Daily in an email.
Installing free-standing storage cabinets and new audio-visual (AV) equipment, allowing more natural lighting and repainting rooms were all renovations that were made, according to Nathans.
"The most significant transformation was removing individual student desks and replacing them with tables and wheeling chairs that can be reconfigured in different teaching patterns or moved to the side to accommodate movement around the classroom," she said.
Nathans said that the renovations were necessary to help to facilitate learning in Aidekman classes.
"We definitely needed renovations in the space -- the old equipment and configuration often created challenges for seminar groups or for classes that required movement around the space. And the improved AV quality is a great boon to classes using film or sound clips," Nathans said.
According to Stanley, the five-year project has not yet received formal feedback. However, the Center for Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT) is going to seek feedback from the faculty and students for the Learning Spaces Planning Committee, Stanley said.
According to Stanley, 30 learning spaces have been updated thus far.
“We focus on all classrooms in one building at a time, which increases efficiency and is more cost-effective,” she added.
Stanley explained that some of the goals of the plan include maximizing writing surfaces, such as black, white and SMART boards, as well as improving physical control over classroom environment conditions through well-functioning window treatments and lights.
According to Campus Planner and Project Manager Colin Simmons, the planning committee wanted to increase the functionality of classroom spaces for the benefit of both professors and students, as well as make the technology more user-friendly.
"There is a communication process between the [Learning Spaces Planning Committee] and the faculty, so that the improvements and installations in specific classrooms is a reflection of the needs of the professors," Simmons said.
Simmons also mentioned that although no priority is given to any specific building on campus, in the future, the committee plans to target bigger and more frequently-used classrooms so more of the student population and faculty can reap the benefits of these changes sooner.
Stanley further explained that the group was not applying the same upgrades to all spaces.
"Instead, we are tailoring upgrades to the rooms based on teaching faculty requirements," she said.
Stanley said that Braker Hall received upgrades last summer.
“The economics department wanted to maintain classrooms with a high seat count, so we stuck to tablet arm chairs," she said. "We also installed new blackboards, as they were preferred by the faculty.”
The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy classrooms also received an upgrade, according to Simmons.
“It was mainly focused on audio-visual upgrades, because Fletcher, being a professional school, uses technology for Skype and video conferencing,” Simmons said.
The group added easily-movable furniture and extra storage space to the rooms in Aidekman Arts Center for classes that require open floorspace, Stanley added.
Overhead lights that more closely imitate natural outdoor light were also installed, Simmons said.
Department of Drama and Dance Chair Heather Nathans said she was was pleased with the renovations done in Aidekman.
"We were very excited about the Aidekman renovations and particularly appreciated our opportunity to talk with the planning team last spring about some of the special needs for general-use classrooms that also house the arts," Nathans told the Daily in an email.
Installing free-standing storage cabinets and new audio-visual (AV) equipment, allowing more natural lighting and repainting rooms were all renovations that were made, according to Nathans.
"The most significant transformation was removing individual student desks and replacing them with tables and wheeling chairs that can be reconfigured in different teaching patterns or moved to the side to accommodate movement around the classroom," she said.
Nathans said that the renovations were necessary to help to facilitate learning in Aidekman classes.
"We definitely needed renovations in the space -- the old equipment and configuration often created challenges for seminar groups or for classes that required movement around the space. And the improved AV quality is a great boon to classes using film or sound clips," Nathans said.
Stanley said that it was time for upgrades to expand and that the Learning Spaces Planning Committee will focus on Anderson Hall, Halligan Hall and Robinson Hall in the summer of 2017.
“We were disproportionately focused on Arts and Sciences buildings in the summer of 2016," Stanley said.
According to Stanley, the five-year project has not yet received formal feedback. However, the Center for Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT) is going to seek feedback from the faculty and students for the Learning Spaces Planning Committee, Stanley said.
