Eight computerised interactive whiteboards, cameras, microphones, and projectors, which simulate some present-day classrooms and those of the future, are features of the new Connected Learning Space at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst.

 

The Connected Learning Space is now operational and links to an identical facility at CSU in Wagga Wagga, and to classrooms in other locations, via video conferencing.

 

Associate Professor Jane Mitchell, lecturer at the School of Teacher Education in Bathurst, said, “I believe this is one of the best teacher education facilities in Australia, and it models what many schools already have. It’s the curriculum resource centre of the 21^st century. We can have two or more classes in separate distant locations using, manipulating and demonstrating on the one screen.

 

“This facility enables our teacher education students and lecturers to practice and experiment with technology that is presently available in schools, and to ‘teach across distance’. For example, we can deliver lectures and demonstrations simultaneously between Bathurst and Wagga Wagga, to remote small schools or other distant locations, such as Broken Hill.

 

“The facility is only new and our students are coming in voluntarily to practice and experiment with how to manipulate the technology so they can master its potential for use in classrooms during their practical placements and once they graduate.”

 

The Connected Learning Space is designed to seat 70 students, has two electronic whiteboards on all four walls, and can be split by partitions for dual concurrent use.

 

The special whiteboards incorporate ‘Smart notebook’ technology and wireless keyboards, and are ‘written’ on using just a finger, or special electronic pens. Anything written on the whiteboards can be easily and quickly saved to computers and distributed to individual students and whole classes.

 

A visiting Canadian rural education expert, Professor Linda Farr Darling from The University of British Columbia, Canada, will deliver a public lecture at the Connected Learning Space in Bathurst on Wednesday 9 November which will be instantaneously received by an audience in the Connected Learning Space at CSU in Wagga Wagga, as well as the Dubbo, Albury and Orange campuses of CSU.