New high-tech features are being installed in several classrooms on the 沃拉沃拉大学 campus this summer thanks to generous donations to the WWU Fund from alumni and other friends of the university. These new classroom features will help create spaces that are more convenient for instruction during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond.
“When WWU shifted to a spring quarter held entirely online, our Advancement team began to connect with donors interested in helping WWU weather this particular disruption and, 更重要的是, interested in investing in our 学生 during an incredibly challenging time,乔迪·瓦格纳说, vice president for University Relations and Advancement. 约翰·麦维总统说, 澳门线上博彩官网的晋升主任, and three hardworking student callers reached out to encourage our donors to give to our 沃拉沃拉大学 Fund, which helps with projects that are considered the university’s most immediate needs.”
One immediate need was for enhancements to classroom technologies. While the WWU Fund has always provided important help for student scholarships, 学习编程, 设施改善, 3月以来, money raised through the WWU Fund has been designated to help the university provide the equipment and technology that 学生 need to continue with their 学习编程 in this new COVID-19 environment.
Technology upgrades installed this summer include the addition of mounted cameras that can tilt, 变焦, or pan to show a panoramic view of the classroom or to follow an individual, 比如指导员, 他们在教室里走来走去. Upgrades will also include additional display monitors so 学生 and 教师 can see class participants who are connecting from outside the classroom, as well as specialized microphones with noise and echo cancellation that will automatically pick up speech from the entire room.
“The advances in the audio equipment for these spaces has been astounding in the last year or two,戴夫·里夫斯说, WWU director of teaching and learning technologies. “Specifically, the microphone arrays and audio processing units are just tech magic. The systems automatically manage audio mixing and gain adjustments without any intervention from the user. They can pick up and adjust audio levels for an instructor roaming the classroom as well as a student speaking quietly in the back row.”
These high-tech features may provide options for 教师 members who may need to teach from their offices or homes and will potentially make it possible for 学生 who are sick to attend classes remotely and interact in more meaningful ways with their instructor and fellow 学生.
Classrooms that will include these features will be located in Bowers Hall, 里格比大厅, 禅顺阁, 以及冬季教育中心.
“COVID-19 has made the logistics of teaching more difficult. Some 学生 and 教师 may not be able to attend classes in the normal way, and we wish to provide opportunities for them to continue the educational process as effectively as possible. These systems give us options for more effective learning environments,斯科特·利格曼说, associate vice president for 学术管理.
The new high-tech classroom features will be ready for use when classes begin fall quarter on Monday, 9月. 14.
“As we look at fall quarter and all that is needed to keep our campus, 学生, 教师, and staff safe and fully engaged in strong academic, 精神上的, 以及社会项目, generous donors continue to step forward to help,瓦格纳说。. “Our 学生 very much want to be back together on our campuses, and the safety arrangements we’re making now could never have been expected when we set this year’s budget more than a year ago.”
Wagner and the WWU Advancement team continue to encourage unrestricted gifts through the WWU Fund as a way to help the university weather this storm and keep 学生 focused on completing their degrees.
Learn how you can help by contacting Troy Patzer, associate vice president for alumni and advancement services, 在特洛伊.patzer@wallawalla.Edu，或通过访问 世界水盟基金网页.
2020年7月23日发布
