--- Forwarded Message from "Cobb-Zygadlo, Deanne" <[log in to unmask]> ---

>From: "Cobb-Zygadlo, Deanne" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information    Forum
<[log in to unmask]>
>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #9434.1 (!) IALLT Language Center Design Kit
>Date: Wed, 7 Jul 2010 16:03:06 -0400
>References: <[log in to unmask]>

Hi Barbara & Derek,
I was not part of the design of our center at KU, but I must say that  
I like it because of how adaptable it is.  I am going to describe it  
below and dissect it a bit there too.

First I wanted to talk a bit about the setup Derek mentions.  I used  
to work in a center such as Derek describes and it was great for what  
we used it for:  independent studies (or partner work) at the systems  
& small group work (or target-language conversation hours) at the  
middle tables.  Where it was problematic was where faculty wanted the  
flexibility to go from presentation to individual work on the systems  
without having students have to move back and forth from the computers  
to the middle desk.  They also weren't ideal for any situation where  
faculty wanted to be able to see students' faces while they worked on  
teh computers (e.g., to gauge student's expressions for signs of  
frustration, etc.).  It was the right set up at the time and given the  
same teaching purposes, I would probably advocate the same  
configuration.

Different faculty, different teaching styles and a different setting  
is needed (as we all know).  At KU here, we also have what I think is  
a nice balance between group & setups.  We have our tables set up in  
rows perpendicular to the front and students face each other across  
the stations.  I have a couple of pictures on-line at
http://www.kutztown.edu/academics/liberal_arts/lrc/lrc/facilities.html 
  .  The nice thing about these stations is that the monitors are on  
standards that are collapsable and can be stored away in a compartment  
at the back of the desk.  The keyboard and the mice are put on top of  
the monitor in the same area.  This allows the desks to convert to  
being non-computer workstations so that students can talk back and  
forth over the desks.  The monitors can also swivel on their stands so  
that multiple students can view the monitor more easily (although the  
monitors are on the small size).  I do wish the desks weren't so deep  
and maybe that they would be clustered a bit more (rather than full  
rows), so that there would be a greater sense of "intimacy" in the  
groups.

That being said, in our next redesign (maybe 10 years when a new  
building comes?), we will likely be looking at fewer desktop systems  
or a greater use of laptops/netbooks, etc.  Our emphasis will be on a  
greater number of network drops and easier to access power outlets.  I  
am also considering whether there is a way to use a similar set up but  
with laptops or netbooks as opposed to the desktop models (because in  
10 years, who knows where virtual computers will be).  Increasingly we  
are seeing students come to the lab with their laptops and eschewing  
our desktops for their personal laptops.  Of course, this doesn't work  
when they need an application that isn't virtual or web-based.

Deanne

-------------------------------------------------------------
Deanne Cobb-Zygadlo
Director, Language Resource Center
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

phone:  484-646-5865
email:   [log in to unmask]



On Jul 7, 2010, at 12:32 PM, LLTI-Editor wrote:

> --- Forwarded Message from Derek Roff <[log in to unmask]> ---
>
>> Date: Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:00:40 -0600
>> From: Derek Roff <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum
> <[log in to unmask]>
>> Subject: Re: #9434 IALLT Language Center Design Kit
>> In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> References:  <[log in to unmask]>
>
> I'm not sure this posting will be of wide interest to the list, but in
> all of Barbara's contact information at the bottom of her message, I
> couldn't find an email address.  Perhaps she, like many of our
> students, is waaaay beyond email.  Maybe we could publish the IALLT
> Language Center Design Kit as a series of Tweets!  But I digress.
>
> The trend that we have seen is increasing numbers of class
> presentations in our labs.  Sometimes these are just powerpoint, but
> often, they are much more active.  Groups of students presenting or
> demonstrating something to the rest of the class.  Teacher initiated
> activities also focus on multi-group activities.
>
> All but one of our labs have 30 student computers in four fixed rows.
> This works poorly for almost all group activities.  I've worked in  
> labs
> where the computers are in circular clusters spread around the room in
> islands of six computers each.  I feel that this doesn't help the kind
> of group work that I am describing, either.
>
> The layout that I wish we had in all our labs is the one that we use  
> in
> the Sign Language Lab.  In this lab, we arranged computers along the
> walls, with open space or a few tables in the middle.  Students can
> face away from the room's center, and toward their computers, and do
> focused individual tasks.  Then they can face the center and interact
> as a large group, or move their chairs and form a number of small
> groups.  There is plenty of space for small group presentations to the
> larger group.
>
> The only problem is that this useful group space requires... space.
> Our Sign Lab has only 15 student computers, although that was  
> specified
> for other reasons by the Sign Department.  When we recently replaced
> all the computers in one Lab, we tried to find a way to work with the
> open plan.  We couldn't fit more than 24 computers along the perimeter
> of the room that currently holds 30.  The larger the room, the more
> computer seats you lose by using a room perimeter layout.  In smaller
> rooms, you can sometimes put more computers on the edges than you can
> in rows.  The breakpoint seems to depend on the shape of the room, how
> many doors it has, how faithfully one observes the ADA requirements  
> for
> row spacing, space between the ends of rows and the walls, and how
> thoroughly the design aids wheelchair access.
>
> We have more and more students in motorized wheelchairs that are  
> shaped
> more like scooters or carts, rather than traditional wheelchairs.   
> They
> take up more space and can't make as tight turns.  All these
> considerations make the open room center layout attractive to me.  If
> our rooms were about 5% larger, or our enrollments limited to 24
> students, this could work.  Anyone designing a new physical space
> should consider just how the computers will fit in the space, and get
> the extra 18" of room width into the drawings, if that is what is
> needed.  For those rooms intended for an open center layout.
>
> Hope this helps,
>
> Derek
>
> --On Friday, July 2, 2010 7:49 AM -0400 LLTI-Editor
> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> Greetings:
>>
>> The IALLT Language Center Design Kit is being updated, and as one of
>> the module authors I am in the process of revising the section I
>> wrote for the 2003 edition.
>>
>> I am working on the  module entitled "Special Needs and Usages to be
>> Considered in Designing a New Center."  This module is intended to
>> help a Director anticipate additional potential uses of the Language
>> Center ... beyond just being  "a lab."
>>
>> My goal is to make this revision relevant to our current (2010 and
>> beyond) surroundings and realities. As I did for the last version, I
>> would like to ask for input from the LLTI readership.
>>
>> In 2003, the additional spaces and places to be included in a Center
>> that were suggested by all of you were:
>>
>> Smart Classrooms
>> Multimedia Authoring/Faculty Workstations
>> Audio/Video Recording Studios
>> Small Multipurpose Viewing Rooms
>> Larger Film Screening Spaces
>> Individual Student Media Stations
>> Discipline Specific Spaces (ASL training, LCTL meeting space)
>> An office for the Director
>> Space for Support Staff
>> Storage Space
>> A server room (if you have servers)
>> Lounge
>>
>> Additional considerations:
>> open cable runs (wiring outside of the wall vs inside) so wiring can
>> change if need be
>> both wired and wireless access
>>
>> If you were planning a Center today, knowing what you do about
>> working with faculty, student and the instructional technology that
>> connects them...what possible uses/ spaces would you recc'd be
>> included?
>>
>> Let me know if you would like to be cited for your contributions.
>>
>> Feel free to respond here or to me directly.
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> Barbara
>>
>>
>> --
>> Barbara Sawhill
>> Director, Cooper International Learning Center
>> Lecturer, Hispanic Studies
>> Oberlin College
>> http://languages.oberlin.edu
>> ph: 440-775-8595
>>
>> blog: http://languagelabunleashed.org
>> twitter: bsawhill
>> skype: barbarasawhill
>> sl: Barbara Pluto
>>
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>> Otmar Foelsche, LLTI-Editor ([log in to unmask])
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>
>
>
> Derek Roff
> Language Learning Center
> Ortega Hall 129, MSC03-2100
> University of New Mexico
> Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
> 505/277-7368, fax 505/277-3885
> Internet: [log in to unmask]
>
>
> ***********************************************
> LLTI is a service of IALLT, the International Association for
> Language Learning (http://iallt.org/), and The Consortium for Language
> Teaching
> and Learning (http://www.languageconsortium.org/).
> Join IALLT at http://iallt.org.
> Subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives at
> http://listserv.dartmouth.edu/scripts/wa.exe?A0=LLTI
> Otmar Foelsche, LLTI-Editor ([log in to unmask])
> ***********************************************