Active Learning Classrooms at UWEC

The efforts to redesign existing classrooms into active learning spaces started to take shape in 2013.  The start of the Spring 2014 semester also brought with it the opening of the brand new Centennial Hall on campus, and with it, a group of brand new active learning spaces.  As of January 2015, the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire (UWEC) has four active learning classrooms in Centennial Hall and six active learning classrooms located in other buildings on campus.

The default setup for each active learning classroom directs the students to "pods" consisting of six chairs and tables with no obvious front of the room; this physical setup shifts the focus from the instructor to what the students are doing at their pods.  Plus, the chairs are on wheels and are easily relocated (outside of Centennial, the tables are too) to allow for greater flexibility in utilizing the physical classroom space.

Active Learning Classroom in Hibbard Hall

There are close to eighty (80!) dedicated, adventurous faculty members teaching in the active learning classrooms during the Spring 2015 semester.  A big thank you to all of these instructors for their willingness to give this unconventional setup a try - and for providing feedback about their experiences along the way.  The feedback from the instructors and their students helps the active learning team to identify best practices and informs any necessary changes needed to further enhance student learning.