On Feb. 22, UNC announced its Flexible Learning Spaces initiative, a five-year plan to modernize as many as 50 general purpose classrooms. Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Bob Blouin announced the master plan to begin updating the classrooms.
“The primary changes being made to smaller classrooms (with fewer than 60 seats) are mobile furniture, additional whiteboards and acoustic floor coverings where appropriate,” said Bob Henshaw, information technology services liaison to the Center for Faculty Excellence. “A few of these classrooms may also get additional technology.”
UNC has 205 general purpose classrooms that were designed for traditional lecture-style teaching. Almost one-third of classrooms contain outdated furniture, some of which has been there for more than 20 years.
“I’ve been in some where the classrooms are very nice, and I’ve been in others where they’re just kind of dingy, and the desks and things aren’t good quality and they’re kind of falling apart,” said sophomore Hailey Wall.
The initiative goes beyond just replacing old furniture.
“We know that more active environments provide students with more opportunities to engage with the materials, each other and the course instructor,” said biomedical engineering professor Devin Hubbard, who teaches in one of the updated classrooms.
The updated classrooms are being called flexible classrooms or active learning classrooms.
Some rooms have already been updated, including Alumni Hall 203, Carolina Hall 213 and Peabody Hall 220 and 306.
One of the most striking aspects of the flexible classrooms is mobile furniture. Desks are attached to rolling chairs that allow professors and students to arrange themselves in unique setups.
