Tech Lab Spotlight: Innovation Lab
The Instructional Technologies Department is always finding new gear and software to enhance the ways faculty interact with their students. Whether it’s an online tool that facilitates videoconferencing or a device for simulating a walk through ancient Greece, we bring together technology that enlightens and fosters new methods of face-to-face and online learning.
One of our latest projects is the establishment of the Innovation Lab in CM-127. Along with our Self-Service Studio (CM-144) and our Computer Training Lab (CM-146), the Innovation Lab provides a space where staff and faculty join to test and experience new tools to incorporate into their classrooms and course materials. Over the last few semesters, we’ve assembled a library of devices, software, and other technology aimed at inspiring new forms of interaction between instructor and student. Professors need only reach out to one of our Instructional Technologies staff members to get in-person tutorials, demonstrations, or other resources.
The Innovation Lab is set up so that small groups of faculty and staff share the space and experience tech together. Modular furniture enables the room to be set up in separate stations or conference-style arrangements to best suit the group using the room. Also included here are easy-to-use screen-mirroring systems for sharing and presenting visual materials across three wall-mounted displays. This means that you can bring along your laptop and any other mobile device to learn and collaborate using your own gear.
Instructional Technologies is always looking for new hardware and software tools to incorporate into classrooms, conference rooms, and other collaborative learning spaces. Please notify us of any new technology that you would like to check out for use in your department. You can contact us by creating a help desk ticket here.
Some of the tech that you can check out while in our lab includes:
Barco Clickshare
Canvas feature updates
Canvas integrated tools
Canvas mobile applications
Crestron Air Media
Crestron Mercury
Google Cardboard VR/AR headsets
Mediasite lecture capturing and editing
Montage wireless presentation system
Owl Labs Meeting Owl conference camera
Respondus Studymate tools
WebEx video-conferencing and online meetings