Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/62198
One by one, business schools are replacing their pre-1990s classrooms, equipped with nothing more than chalkboards and mobile tel- evision carts, with post-millennium classrooms outfitted with built-in audio-visual equipment, computer stations, and "smart" podiums that control everything from lights to lap- tops, document cameras to DVD players. For these class- rooms, however, "high-tech" isn't just about technology; it's about form, function, and fitting quietly into the educational process. The versatility of the seating, the position of the podi- um, and even the location of doorways come part and parcel with what makes a classroom, and the class within it, work. "Technology isn't there to be an obstacle," says Mark Misic, director of technology and facilities manager for Northern Illinois University's College of Business in DeKalb, Illinois. "It should fit seamlessly into what students and pro- fessors are already comfortable with." New technology often excites donors, who have been mak- A student team works in a group study room in Wharton's new Huntsman Hall. ing more funds available to schools to build state-of-the-art facilities. As a result, business schools are completing the tran- sition from tradition to technology, perhaps more quickly than many expected. With so much money on the line, however, many schools want to avoid buying "technology for technolo- gy's sake." Instead, they are seeking new technologies that quietly enhance the classroom—without taking it over. This new approach to technology in the classroom has sparked the design of smarter, better, faster learning environ- ments that succeed on many levels. The latest generation of classrooms not only can empower students and provide more opportunities for learning, but also can turn even the most tech-resistant professors into converted technophiles. ster, Better By Tricia Bisoux FOR THE WORLD'S BUSINESS SCHOOLS, SILENT BUT POWERFUL PARTNERS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. BizEd JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2003 29