Empowering Faculty through Smart Classrooms
By Wes Brown
Chief Information Officer
SGC Office of Information and Instructional Technology 

We're living in the 21st century, so by definition every classroom must be a 21st century learning environment, right? Wrong. Just as educators were often accused of teaching with 19th century methods in the 20th century, many are still not changing with the times. For some schools, one of the biggest challenges is understanding the true nature of 21st century learning. Once this concept is embraced, technology becomes a means to boost achievement across the board. Having recently completed formulating the vision, mission, goals, and objectives for the new year at South Georgia College, the institution has embarked on a journey to implement and maintain technology levels at a point comparable with the world around us in an effort to create a learning environment that is conducive to reaching learners of all types.

People often talk about the classroom of the future as something that would be nice to have but that is unattainable today. While we can never discount the affordability issue, the elements to create an engaging, technology-enabled environment that is appealing to 21st century learners are available today. With the formation of an online learning task force, South Georgia College has begun the initial steps to bridge the divide between how today’s learners expect delivery of instruction with the way traditional institutions have always provided instruction. However, even though more and more course offerings will be accessible through online and distance methods, a secondary, and equally important, component of this 21st century learning environment is the development and implementation of standards that can define what a 21st century classroom actually should contain.

One of the catch phrases tossed about today is “smart classrooms.”  These classrooms can make a remarkable difference in how teachers teach and learners learn. What technological components these classrooms actually contain will be a constantly evolving inventory because of the exponential growth of this industry. Conversely, this concept is not about learning to use technology. It’s about using technology to learn. In these environments, information and communication technology becomes integral to the teaching and learning experience in the sense that it helps to define the very nature of the experience, which could not happen without it. So there are tangible and positive effects on teaching and learning.

The Information and Instructional Technology Division at South Georgia College has begun formulation of a plan that will ensure all classrooms will be “smart classrooms” by 2012. What elements should a 21st-century classroom contain? This classroom environment should contain at a minimum an Internet connection, a means of video projection, and a computing resource for use in delivery of instruction.  In the past, the heart of this smart classroom was the interactive whiteboard. A world of information was available at the touch of a finger, whether it was on the Internet or through other media. However, recent developments in the laptop PC industry have provided a viable alternative to this expensive and somewhat cumbersome device – Tablet PCs.

Tablet PCs are computers equipped with a sensitive screen designed to interact with a complementary pen. Tablet PCs are fully-functional laptop PCs and more. You can use the pen directly on the screen just as you would a mouse to do things like select, drag, and open files; or in place of a keyboard to handwrite notes and communication. Unlike a touch screen, the Tablet PC screen only receives information from a special pen. It will not take information from your finger or your shirt sleeve—so you can rest your wrist on the screen and write naturally. By interacting directly with the screen, rather than with a mouse and keyboard, the PC becomes more comfortable and easy to use. There is no need to find a flat space on which to use your PC, nor does a vertical screen become a dividing wall between you and the person with whom you are meeting. What's more, a Tablet PC can even be used while standing up, which is a perfect fit in the classroom environment.

Other improvements which need to be looked at for future enhancements to the classroom environment are certainly being considered in the ever-evolving realm of technology. For excellent quality sound, having a sound enhancement system is desired. Having an audio system for the teacher can save not only his or her voice from strain, but it can eliminate some of the issues hard-of-hearing students may have that might otherwise be chalked up to learning difficulties. Putting an interactive response system into each learner’s hands can accomplish a couple of things. First, a teacher can gain immediate feedback regarding student learning each and every day, rather than waiting for periodic test results. If students are not grasping a concept, then the teacher can address the topic again from a different perspective. Second, it can ensure that each learner is participating and actively engaged. Furthermore, depending on budgets, many teachers incorporate other tools, including document cameras, digital cameras, probes, PDAs, printers, scanners and webcams.

The fact that students learn in different ways is an adage as old as time. Some read and grasp a concept immediately. Others need some additional explanation from a teacher to help them get it. Still others learn from seeing a simulation or doing an experiment themselves. With myriad digital resources available today, teachers have more chances of addressing the varied learning styles of more of their students. Reed E. Hundt, former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was quoted by Education Week as saying: “…if Horace Mann came back today and walked into any school in America, he would be very proud of what he’d accomplished until he found out that it is the 21st century and very little has changed … we have 40 million people in this country who go to work and play and study in rooms that might as well be in the 19th century … to begin to solve this problem, it is absolutely essential that every classroom have some link to send and receive information.”  South Georgia College’s Information and Instructional Technology Division is committed to providing our faculty and students with the very best instructional support possible, and with the continued support of the University System of Georgia and the community we serve, we will achieve a campus-wide computing environment that prepares them for the world of tomorrow. The implementation of the smart classroom initiative is a monumental step in the right direction. Furthermore, it should be clear that the 21st century classroom is available today. But it takes vision, commitment and money to bring it to life.