Building a University designed for students from the ground up

"At UCW we’re adapting university education to be more relevant to the twenty first century student. The basic principle behind the design and implementation of forward-looking and improved learning environments at the new UCW campus is . . . they must be adaptable to different learning and teaching styles." Robert Rogerson V.P Academic, University Canada West.

In keeping with University Canada West’s commitment to academic excellence; to offer students all the help they need to succeed and by creating a learning environment where students engage in thought-provoking dialogue and debate with professors in uniquely small class sizes, UCW is building its new Victoria campus from the ground up.

With construction already underway, being involved in the design of the new Victoria campus, located at the Radius complex in downtown Victoria, offers the institution an exceptional opportunity to create and shape an environment designed to foster a superior learning experience for students. Construction is under way with completion expected for late 2009.

With the exception of the introduction of the computer and online learning, most university class rooms haven’t changed much in a hundred years.

As part of the effort to provide a more involved, richer learning and teaching experience, UCW’s Robert Rogerson V.P Academic, and Harry Davis V.P of Finance and Operations have been exploring innovative design options for the new Radius campus.

Their mandate is to incorporate the very best from the past, with the latest advancements, while remaining prepared to incorporate future progress in teaching methods and classroom design.

Rogerson hopes to incorporate many new design elements into the plans for the Radius campus. "Many classrooms still appear to be designed for teaching previous generations. Today’s students are joint learners. They are accustomed to using technology in their everyday lives. Classrooms and student spaces need to replicate their natural everyday relationships in order to provide more effective learning environments".

One model Rogerson and Davis looked at comes from Steelcase Inc.. Steelcase’s LearnLab™ features swivel chairs and mobile tables. Ceiling-mounted projectors are positioned to project at different angles to three main displays so that anyone in the room has a clear view of at least one display. In this type of classroom, each seat is the best seat in the house. A cordless lectern allows the presenter to roam freely. The room can be configured eight ways and supports single-focus or multi-focus teaching styles.

Although plans for the design are still in the early stages, the basic principle behind the design and implementation of new and better learning environments at Radius must be that they are adaptable and appropriate for different learning processes and styles.

Rogerson hopes to create a "learning community" in each class and offer an environment that engages students. "We need to move away from conventional teaching methods, which have been taken for granted for so long, and focus on creating a learning environment that works for every student in the twenty-first century."