C O LLABORAT I O N Cutting- edge learning spaces are designed with flexibility and collaboration in mind, right down to the modular tables and chairs. This is the first article in a six- part series on the elements of a collaborative classroom: furniture, social media, video/ web conferencing tools, collaborative software, interactive devices, and mobile devices. WITH MOST UNIVERSITIES facing tight budgets, convincing administrators to invest in expensive new classrooms is a challenge. When Monika Dressler makes the case for the University of Michigan to update its classroom furniture to foster more active learning, she realizes “ it is a lot less sexy than technology like iPads. When you say furniture, eyes glaze over.” But Dressler, senior manager of instructional support services for Literature, Science, and Arts, insists change is necessary. UM has classrooms that are 45 years old. “ What does it say to our prospective students when they come to campus and see 1970s classrooms?” asks Dressler. Like many higher education officials involved in space planning, Dressler is increasingly focused on how classroom setups can enhance collaboration. “ We are taking a holistic approach to get the right equipment and support for the right teacher in the right room,” she says. “ We want to shift the way we think so that these are no longer just facilities- or IT- driven decisions.” University staff members and faculty are particularly interested in modular furniture that can be reconfigured quickly for different group sizes and activities. Many UM faculty members have been trying to lead active- learning classes for years, but are constrained by classrooms in which the chairs have tablet arms and are nailed to the floor, all facing front. “ They do it in spite of the classroom, but it tends to stifle innovation,” says Dressler. “ They don’t get the feeling they can try new things and take it to the next level in terms of collaboration.” Classroom- Design Research Could new, more interactive pedagogy encourage universities to replace outdated furniture? Or could the introduction of technology- rich classroom designs and modular furniture have an impact on how instructors engage their students? Instructional technology and space- planning experts have been pondering these questions for years, but research suggests that the classroom setup does indeed have an effect on instructors’ habits — as well as on student participation david raths CAMPUS TECHNOLOGY | November 2012 27 Courtesy of Steelcase Classroom Furniture: The Mod Squad VIDEO: Produced by the University of Michigan and Steelcase, this case study features several of the school’s new learning spaces, including flexible seating arrangements and high- tech collaborative worktables.