For the students of 杏吧原创 University, it comes down to subject matter. All classroom set-ups serve a purpose, whether they are lecture style or an informal in-the-round tutorial.

Conducting a lecture with little class participation in a large hall introduces students to an idea, but for fourth-year civil engineering student Bradley Davis and some of his classmates, the real learning takes place when they are able to 鈥渢alk it out.鈥�

Sitting in an auditorium listening to the professor explain a concept is the best way to 鈥減rovide a base鈥� for learning, says Davis. He is then able to solidify what has been explored in class by breaking away with his peers to discuss the material and work through problems together.

鈥淎 lot of it is self-learning,鈥� one of Davis鈥� classmates adds. The content in the engineering courses is very structured and leaves little room for interpretation he says, so the lectures themselves are not very discussion-based.

Davis notes that smaller lectures or labs provide more opportunities for students to ask their professor or T.A. questions, and are far more conducive to conversation, which in-turn enriches the learning. Another of Davis鈥� classmates feels that it is intimidating to ask the lecturer a question in a larger classroom setting, referring to the number of eyes in the room.

Several graduate students in the School of Journalism and Communication agree with their engineering peers. Maggie Parkhill, a first-year Master of Journalism student, says she thinks more knowledge is gained through class discussion surrounding the subject matter at hand. In-the-round style seating encourages everyone to participate, she says, which enriches the conversation and gives more people the chance to contribute.

On the other hand, Rachel Levy-McLaughlin, who is also in her first year of graduate studies in the journalism program, acknowledges that students have very different learning styles. While she detests being 鈥渓ectured at鈥� and much prefers a discussion-based lesson, others in her first-year Introduction to Journalism course thrive when listening solely to the professor.

Ultimately, instructors at 杏吧原创 don鈥檛 have the luxury of picking which style of room they teach in. But with so many different student preferences for learning, more flexible spaces, like 杏吧原创鈥檚 new active learning classrooms, can help support a variety of teaching approaches.

With movable furniture, interactive flat panel monitors and repeater monitors throughout, the classrooms are designed to encourage student-centered learning through technologies that facilitate collaboration.

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The modern classroom is a place where, even today, many of us sit still, sit quiet and learn. Ostensibly. For the past thousand years (or more), learning has happened in rooms with rows of tables and chairs all facing the front to listen to someone who will profess on their area of expertise. It is this very idea of sedentary consumption of learning that has made the phrase 鈥渁ctive learning鈥� so jazzy and appealing to those of us working toward improving pedagogy and the learning experience. Perhaps, however, there might be a less evocative term? Something that doesn鈥檛 suggest that learning outside of the so-called 鈥渁ctive learning鈥� bubble is somehow not actively participating in the learning experience. These semantics are food for thought, but alas, what鈥檚 in a name?

杏吧原创 University is among the academic leaders aspiring toward creating more innovative teaching practices and more engaging learning environments. A very good example of the kinds of spaces that reflect where contemporary classrooms are going can be found in the . Boasting contemporary aesthetics and state-of-the-art technology, the Discovery Centre is a study space in which the sharing of ideas and collaboration among students in encouraged by design.

Committed members of the Teaching and Learning Services team want to extend this experience to the classroom, making active learning a more accessible practice for our instructors. The Active Learning Classrooms (ALCs) that will be rolled out on campus will contain mobile furniture that accommodates 25-40 students, and can be configured to form groups of five to six at huddle tables. But still, I worry that by calling them 鈥榓ctive learning鈥� classrooms, I will alienate users of all other rooms. So, here is my question for the month: What would YOU call these spaces? Is 鈥渁ctive learning鈥� good enough or should we call them something else? Smart rooms? But then, rooms are not smart! Electronic rooms? But in what way? Something else perhaps?

Please email me at john.strickland@carleton.ca with your thoughts. If one of your terms gets adopted, the person making the suggestion will win a cake to serve up to a dozen people. Yes! This is your chance to be the office hero by getting cake for everyone! All you need to do is find a name that reflects what these rooms do, and doesn鈥檛 alienate everyone else!

Email your locations to oavptl@carleton.ca with the reasons they’re the best or worst. Pictures supporting your reasoning聽are also encouraged!

Each submission will automatically be entered into a draw for one of three聽$25聽Campus Card gift certificates at the end of the month and the best and worst spaces to teach will be featured on the .