Ellis Hall Active Learning Classrooms...

Ellis Hall Active Learning Classrooms

Project

Information Technology Services Involvement

Monday, April 28, 2014

Background

• CIO (Bo Wandschneider) assembled a project team to come up with a “classroom of the future”

• First meeting with Bo was May 29, 2012

Project Team

• Rodney Busch

• Classroom designer and installer for ITS A/V Services

• Dave Smith

• Video production and video conferencing for ITS A/V Services

• Don Harmsen

• Educational technology analyst for ITS

First Steps

• Very high-level ideas of what makes a good classroom

• Acoustics

• Air quality

• Temperature

• Focus in on technology that could be used in a classroom with multiple “pods” of students

Proposal

• A "pod" is a desk or collection of desks allowing six students to work together.

• We envision three learning modes: Teaching, Collaborative, and Pod Presentation.

• Options for fixed pods and movable pods

• Submitted in July 2012

We have a donor!

• October 2012 we receive word that the project is very likely to proceed

• Cost estimates requested

• There will be 3 rooms:

1. a bunch of wheeled chairs with tablet arms and a projector (40 students)

2. 6 person pods with an interactive display mounted on the wall adjacent to the pod (60 students)

3. 4 person pods each with a monitor (136 students)

Estimate

• Initial estimate for A/V equipment and installation over $800k

• Of course, we were asked reduce the cost

• After reducing functionality and using a fine-toothed comb, estimate is reduced to $586k

Project Start

• February 2013, project is officially approved by the Board of Trustees

• Primary project team:• Vice-Provost (Planning and Budgeting)

• Associate Dean (Studies), Faculty of Arts and Science

• Acting Director, Centre for Teaching and Learning)

• Manager (Timetabling, Exams, Teaching Assessment), Office of the University Registrar

• Vice-Provost (Teaching and Learning)

• CIO and Associate Vice-Principle (Information Technology Services)

Project Team, continued

• Project manager: Physical Plant Services

• Information Technology Services:

• Networks Specialist

• A/V Technician

• Educational Technology Analyst

• Production Director

(Proposed) Timeline

• September 30

• Construction/renovation ends

• October 1

• A/V installation starts

• November 30

• A/V installation ends

• December 1

• Testing, demonstrations, open houses start

• January 6

• Classes start!

Request for Supplier Qualifications

• ITS only has the resources to do the A/V install in the simple room (wheeled chairs and projector)

• An RFSQ was posted to pre-vet potential A/V contractors

• 4 out of the 5 submissions proceeded to the next stage

Functional Requirements

• Dave, Rodney and Don write a document explaining how the rooms must function that is attached to RFP

• By design, the document does not specify what hardware must be used

• In future, we will consider specifying functionality and equipment, and just get a quote on the installation

RFP

• Steep learning curve as we had never been through the process before

• Very specific process

• Review and grade submission (does it meet requirements)

• Grade in-person interview

• Review price quote

• Can’t look at prices before grading submission!

• You want to have differences; give grade relative to other submissions

RFP Review

• Work with Procurement to pick A/V installer

• Reviewed proposals

• Four 1 hour in-person interviews

• 3 person panel

• 2 observers including a faculty member

• A procurement specialist

• Reviewed price quotes

Winning Bid

• After adding all the scores, we have a winner!

• PJS Systems

• 2 of the vendors requested a debrief to determine why they didn’t win the contract

• New experience for us, a bit awkward

• Having the score sheets helped

• A small difference was all it took, and it was difficult to explain

Remember this slide?

(Proposed) Timeline

• September 30

• Construction/renovation ends

• October 1

• A/V installation starts

• November 30

• A/V installation ends

• December 1

• Testing, demonstrations, open houses start

• January 6

• Classes start!

(Proposed) Timeline

• September 30

• Construction/renovation ends still ongoing

• October 1

• A/V installation starts

• November 30

• A/V installation ends

• December 1

• Testing, demonstrations, open houses start

• January 6

• Classes start!

(Proposed) Timeline

• September 30

• Construction/renovation ends still ongoing

• October 1 December 2

• A/V installation starts

• November 30

• A/V installation ends

• December 1

• Testing, demonstrations, open houses start

• January 6

• Classes start!

(Proposed) Timeline

• September 30

• Construction/renovation ends still ongoing

• October 1 December 2

• A/V installation starts

• November 30 January 6

• A/V installation ends

• December 1

• Testing, demonstrations, open houses start

• January 6

• Classes start!

(Proposed) Timeline

• September 30

• Construction/renovation ends still ongoing

• October 1 December 2

• A/V installation starts

• November 30 January 6

• A/V installation ends

• December 1 Say what??

• Testing, demonstrations, open houses start

• January 6

• Classes start!

(Proposed) Timeline

• September 30

• Construction/renovation ends still ongoing

• October 1 December 2

• A/V installation starts

• November 30 January 6

• A/V installation ends

• December 1 Say what??

• Testing, demonstrations, open houses start

• January 6 (Hey, at least we met one of the dates!)

• Classes start!

Launch of Rooms

• Full time ITS support person on-site for month of January and most of February

• Lots of quirks

• Installer returned Super Bowl weekend (February 2) to address issues

• Rooms have been working smoothly since

OK, so what about the actual design?

Ellis 319

(Pictures)

Ellis 319

(Pictures)

Ellis 319

(Pictures)

Ellis 319 Design Recap

• No fixed seating

• 48 chairs on wheels with integrated writing surface

• Continuous whiteboards on 3 walls

• Bright! Large bank of windows

• Podium off to the side

• 1080p 4000 lumen projector (HDMI with HDCP and VGA)

• Large electric screen

• 8 ceiling speakers and 2 wireless lav mics

• (Overhead projector )

Ellis 319 Issues

• Nice big windows aren’t great for projectors

• The 3% blinds aren’t dark enough in early morning

• Different switching to our existing classrooms to support HDMI with HDCP

• Inability to play back analogue audio without a video source (e.g., iPod plugged in to 3.5mm jack)

• Chairs don’t have enough storage for bags and coats

Ellis 333

Pictures

Ellis 333

Pictures

Ellis 333

Pictures

Ellis 333 Design Recap

• Pods:• 10 circular tables seating 6 (up to 8 if you squeeze)

• 60” Sharp AquosBoard adjacent to each table

• High-end speaker above each LCD

• Button mic in centre of each table

• HDMI, VGA with audio, USB and Ethernet

• Podium:• Height-adjustable podium in centre of room

• Computer connected to touch-screen monitor

• Crestron control touch panel

• 1 lav and 2 handheld mics

Ellis 333 Function

• In “collaboration mode”, audio heard and video seen at each table corresponds to the device plugged in at each table.

• In “presentation mode”, the same audio and video will be seen/heard at each table.

Ellis 333 Main GUI

Ellis 333 Changes (yes, already)

• Advanced Routing Mode

• Allow instructor to route any input to any monitor on an individual monitor basis

Ellis 333 Issues

• VGA and HDMI only at each pod

• A lot of students have Macs, but don’t have the adapter to connect to them

• Touchscreens don’t work with 10.9/“Mavericks”, and the driver set up on Windows can be finicky

• Software to make use of the touchscreen functionality often had to be installed

• Different versions of Office (“Inking” not working)

Ellis 333 Changes (cont.)

• Mini-DisplayPort to HDMI adapters zip-tied to every HDMI cable

• Dedicated computers at each pod

• Wireless keyboards with integrated touchpad

• Direct connection to touchscreen USB port

• Repurposed USB keystone for thumb drive connection

• Video input switch set to “auto-switch mode”

• Ethernet port no longer available for student use

Ellis 321

Pictures

Ellis 321

Pictures

Ellis 321

Pictures

Ellis 321

Pictures

Ellis 321 Design Recap

• Pods:

• 17 ovoid tables seating 8

• 22” monitors mounted on adjustable arms at each end of the table

• Speaker beneath each LCD mounted in the table

• Mic and “Request to Speak” button on each half of the table

• VGA with audio, HDMI and Ethernet for each half of the table

• Podium:

• Height-adjustable podium in centre of room

• Computer connected to touch-screen monitor

• Doc cam

• Confidence monitor

• Crestron control touch panel

• 1 lav mic

Ellis 321 Function

• In “collaboration mode”, audio heard and video seen at each table corresponds to the device plugged in at each table.

• In “presentation mode”, the same audio and video will be seen/heard at each table.

Ellis 321 Main GUI

Picture

Ellis 321 Changes

• Mic “Request to Speak” functionality

Ellis 321 Changes (cont.)

• “Split Video” Mode GUI

Ellis 321 Issues

• The pod speakers are mounted in the table and take up a fair bit of surface area

• To minimize crosstalk, they were going to be at the middle of the tables facing the monitors

• This placement was “prime real-estate” for student computers, etc.

• VGA and HDMI only at each pod

• A lot of students have Macs, but don’t have the adapter to connect to them

Ellis 321 Changes (cont.)

Before installation began, it was decided to install the speakers beneath the monitors to maximise desk space at the expense of increased crosstalk

Mini-DisplayPort to HDMI adapters were zip-tied to every HDMI cable

Ellis 321 Changes (cont.)

Whiteboards were added to 3 of the walls

Ellis “Equipment” Room (or Don’s office)

Pictures

Ellis “Equipment” Room (or Don’s office)

Pictures

Ellis “Equipment” Room

• All control equipment for 321 and 333 is in this room

• Used for storage

• Office space for support personnel

• Fancy desk and chair

• Telephone and Ethernet

• Rack connected to private IP space for remote access

Accessibility in 319

• Podium is at wheel-chair height with the appropriate leg space

Accessibility in 333

• Podium is electrically height-adjustable

Accessibility in 333

• 1 of the tables has a manually height-adjustable section

Accessibility in 333

• 2 of the Sharp monitors are on powered height-adjustable mounts

Accessibility in 321

• Podium is electrically height-adjustable

Accessibility in 321

• 2 of the tables are electrically height-adjustable

Security

• No classrooms on campus are locked at night

• Standard classrooms built by ITS have an alarm system for the podium equipment and projector

• Buildings are locked at 11PM

• Security patrols the entire campus with minimal staff

Security in 319

• A/V equipment locked in podium

• Projector connected to alarm system

• Room not locked at night

• Electric door bypasses mechanical lock when button pressed

Security in 333

• Some A/V equipment locked in podium

• Monitors affixed to mounts with security screws with additional A/V equipment attached to back of monitors

• Beneath tables A/V equipment screwed to one panel and computer sitting on floor

• Room not locked at night

• Electric door bypasses mechanical lock when button pressed

Security in 321

• Some A/V equipment locked in podium

• Monitors affixed to mounts with security screws

• Beneath tables A/V equipment screwed to one panel

• Room not locked at night

• Electric door bypasses mechanical lock when button pressed

Security Issues

• Thefts:

• HDMI cables at pods

• Wireless keyboards and receivers

• Computers at pods

Security Remediation

• HDMI and VGA cables at pods have been zip-tied to the input plate

• Security cables added to pod computers

• Rooms are being locked at 11PM for the time being

• Electric door openers switched off

• Temporary increased security patrols

• Looking into adding a lock to prevent the desk panels from being lifted off

Contacts

• Info on the Ellis Hall Active Learning Spaces project:

• http://queensu.ca/activelearningspaces/

• Andy Leger (al7@queensu.ca)

• Rodney Busch (buschr@queensu.ca)

• Dave Smith (smithdaf@queensu.ca)

• Don Harmsen (harmsend@queensu.ca)

Questions?