Crawford Hall opened at the start of the fall semester with a number of new amenities that are not seen in any other building on campus. The Global Forum classroom features 360 degree projection screens, can be seen from Crawford’s exterior and houses hundreds of students for lectures. The Trading Lab, which can be seen immediately after entering the building, features live stock projections and allows students to work immersively.
Now that students are settling into their classes, some are beginning to notice the new amenities. Brandon Moses, a junior general business major, said the building feels like a major upgrade.
“I’ve noticed more about this building as opposed to the other one, every room was essentially a lecture hall,” Moses said. “The screens and the microphones are the two big upgrades that come to mind.”
He spoke about how the building feels very modern, especially compared to the relatively old Business Administration Building.
“The classrooms themselves definitely feel more futuristic,” Moses said. “My Principles of Marketing class is in the nice little dome or bubble–the room with multiple screens that goes 360 degrees–that’s something that I haven’t seen in any other building where I’ve had classes here at Kent, so that’s been pretty cool.”
Moses said the layout of the room changes the way classes are taught.
“I believe there’s eight or nine [screens] in a circle, the teacher’s podium is right in the center of the room,” Moses said. “Looking all around the room and getting a glance at students is definitely a lot different than just looking straight in an audience like what they would have previously done in the older buildings.”
The podium in the Global Forum classroom is designed for teaching in the round. There are a series of curved screens in a circle with a circular podium for the teacher. According to some professors, this style of classroom enables them to experiment with how they frame their classes and teaching styles.
Dr. Velvet Weems-Landingham, a professor teaching Advanced Professional Development in the Global Forum classroom, said she tries to use tools to get students engaged in the space.
Weems-Landingham generally taught at regional Kent campuses in smaller classrooms before moving to Crawford, and she’s been making use of the extended space.
“I try to be pretty mobile, there’s always students that sit behind you, so I tend to use the mic to make sure they’re contributing,” Weems-Landingham said. “Since this class is so large, there’s enough space to break them up inside the classroom and you can also break them out outside of the classroom.”
Weems-Landingham said she believes large rooms, like the ones in Crawford Hall, can help students acclimate to the real world.
“It’s a very professional looking space, and I think it’s akin to what they will see when they are in positions like this,” Weems-Landingham said. “I think students are really enjoying the space; it’s really an opportunity to be able to teach in a facility like this, and I have very much enjoyed all of it.”
Andrew Bowie is a beat reporter. Contact him at [email protected].
