What is Teaching Studio at Smeal?
What is the Teaching Studio at Smeal?
The Teaching Studio at the Smeal College of Business is a state-of-the-art teaching space designed to deliver engaging, remote-synchronous teaching and learning experiences in an immersive and collaborative learning environment. In addition to the tools available in our general-purpose classrooms, the Teaching Studio at Smeal is equipped with an interactive digital whiteboard, multiple cameras, polling tools, and high-definition displays able to share content from multiple sources simultaneously. Whether for a remote classroom, a guest lecture, or a virtual event, the Teaching Studio provides a dynamic and engaging platform for teaching learning and collaboration.
Process for teaching in the Studio:
The Teaching Studio Team supports the training, scheduling, and implementation of best practices for the use of Teaching Studio technologies. The teaching studio team is an integrated team of RIIT Group and the eLDIG team members to meet both the technological and pedagogical needs of Teaching Studio presenters and participants.
TEACHING STUDIO SCHEDULING
- Determine the need for the Teaching Studio: The first step is to determine how your instruction/session would benefit from the use of WeConnect over other video conferencing technologies.
Usage considerations:- Identified Programs: Use of the teaching studio (for the time being) will be mainly limited to DBA and Executive Programs delivered.
- Non-identified Course/Session: Other uses will be considered based on the instructional need, audience(s), and studio availability and should not be considered for ongoing use, such as a regularly-scheduled course that is not part of the DBA or Executive Programs.
- Non-teaching events and sessions: These request will be approved based on instructional purposes. If approved, the event/session will need to be scheduled well in advance to ensure availability and support can be scheduled.
- Check Teaching Studio availability: Once the need for the teaching studio is determined, check the availability of the studio for the desired date and time. For first-time use, it is recommended that you allow ample time to ensure you can meet the training and instructional walk-through sessions with the studio team (See #3 Studio Guidelines for more information). The studio schedule can be checked through the Teaching Studio Calendar.
- Review the Studio Guidelines for first-time use: The Studio Guidelines will ensure you have the necessary training and support to aid in your successful use of the teaching studio.
- Submit a request: Your request for Studio time or consultation with the Teaching Studio Team to discuss your needs must be submitted through the Teaching Studio Request Form.
- Once submitted, your request will be reviewed by a designated approver, who will evaluate the purpose of the training or teaching and the availability of the studio. Additional information or clarification needed to approve or deny the request may be required during this step.
- If approved, you will receive email confirmation of the reservation. This will include the date(s), time, and location of the training or teaching, and any additional instructions or requirements.
- First-time users of the Teaching Studio will be required to schedule sessions with the Teaching Studio Team for consultation and training (see below).
TEACHING STUDIO TRAINING AND SUPPORT
These guidelines are required for first-time use. Overall, this process ensures that the teaching studio is utilized efficiently and effectively while also providing a standardized approval process to ensure fairness and consistency.
- Instructional Design Consultation: Partner with an instructional designer from the eLDIG team to discuss instructional needs, pedagogy considerations, course design, and engagement activities and strategies. Work together with the studio team to ensure all steps in the process are completed.
- Technology Training: Faculty/Studio Support/Instructional Designer to become familiar with the WeConnect and other studio technologies and review how to use things such as Powerpoint, polls, breakout rooms, annotations, teaching settings, etc.
- Presentation Run-Through: Faculty/Studio Support/Instructional Designer will meet in the studio to demo portions of the session materials (PPTs, activities, polls) to ensure successful live session(s). This time will focus on specific session needs versus general familiarity with the technology.
- Attendee Management: Faculty and Presenters will be supported by the Studio Support staff and Instructional Designer to obtain attendees’ information for WeConnect accounts to be set up and activated for sessions. They will also provide instructions for how to access and login to the WeConnect system that will need to be provided to attendees in advance of the session.
- Specialized (Optional): Additional consultations and training sessions will be scheduled based on unique or augmented session needs (i.e., introducing a new strategy or tool into a session).