Best Practices & Resources

• In the case of a pressing classroom need, contact the Registrar’s Office or the Provost’s Office for assistance. The Provost’s Office can assist in finding short-term solutions until a long-term project is possible.
• Benchmark with Dartmouth’s peers at other institutions or with other departments on campus to learn of various classroom styles and emerging technologies used in programs similar to those offered within the department.
• Become familiar with current research and articles related to classroom design and technology trends.
• Refer to the “Resources” later in this document for additional information.

• Allow infrastructure of classrooms to be flexible enough to accommodate changes in technology in the future, when feasible. While we can never predict the future of instructional technologies, a room’s technology infrastructure should be considered scalable and agile. For example, a classroom built with a raised floor to provide power outlets should be constructed in a way to allow for other technology infrastructure to be added in the future.
• Use technology control panels to simplify use of IT and AV equipment in classrooms and to reduce requests for assistance. Contact Classroom Technology Services to ask about common devices used on campus today.
• Ensure that the classroom includes a digital projector/display that enables instructors to display content from their personal computers or devices as well as the dedicated classroom computer. Because it is difficult to configure every classroom computer to meet various instructor needs (and a financial commitment to replace computers every few years), a growing trend on campus is for instructors to bring their own technology to the classroom and connect to the room’s display system rather than have a dedicated desktop computer available.
• Place power outlets in strategic locations to enable students to charge laptops and other personal electronic devices. For flat-floor classrooms, use flush-floor power outlets to enable furniture to be moved into various configurations.
• Explore ways to power portions of the classroom, rather than providing one power outlet per student seat. While currently the need to provide power outlets is relatively high, it is also very expensive to construct, and battery technology for personal electronics continue to improve. Large lecture halls should provide power to one-third to one-half of the seats.
• If designing a room with restricted access (e.g., locks or key cards) provide a clear process for all College-community members to gain access to the space.
• Ensure wireless networking is available within classrooms as well as surrounding areas and provides enough bandwidth to accommodate simultaneous use by a majority of the students in the room.
• If a wired data connection for students is needed, consider only providing ports in a few locations throughout the room. Most students rely primarily on wireless networking.
• For additional information see section on Presentation Technologies

• Be aware of the acoustics within the room, especially in larger spaces. Slight changes or enhancements to furniture and finishes can reduce echoes and reverberations.
• Rooms, particularly those seating 40 or more, should have a sound system that amplifies the program sound (A/V and computer) as well as the instructor voice. The program sound amplification/speakers should be distributed throughout the room, while the instructor voice should come from the front of the room.
• Ensure there is enough soundproofing between classrooms and their adjacent spaces to provide a comfortable learning and teaching experience with minimum sound distractions.
• For additional information see section on Acoustical Environment

• Rooms with windows should have solar shades, blackout shades, or blinds to reduce or cut out daylight to make digital displays more visible.
  • When there are more than two windows or they are over 5ft tall, provide automatic controls for shades.
• Interior lighting should allow for variety of lighting scenes from full illumination to subdued lighting for projection.
• Banks of lighting near the digital display should be able to be switched separately from the remainder of the lights.
• For typical zone/scene descriptions see section on Lighting

• Furniture styles and sizes today are often larger than what was used years ago, and provisions for accessibility require wheelchair accommodations through a room. As a result of these two space needs, the seating capacity in a renovated classroom may decrease. In recent classroom renovations on campus, seating capacity has been reduced by about 20% or more.
  • Refer to the “Resources” section later in this document for accessibility resources.
• Moveable chairs should be light-weight and/or on wheels or casters to allow for rearrangement and grouping.
• When feasible, allow for variety of seating or writing surface styles within a room to accommodate different student preferences.
• For additional information see section on FF&E/Furniture

NOTE: See section “Common Room Configurations” for more information about furniture in specific room types

• Student satisfaction in classrooms can be improved by simple and relatively inexpensive cosmetic upgrades, such as using accent colors on walls or carpeting previously tiled floors. Increased satisfaction with rooms provides a more comfortable learning experience.
• For additional information see section on FF&E/Finishes

• Carpeted flooring can provide better acoustics in classrooms but a replacement cycle and budget should be planned.
• In larger classrooms, consider carpeting only the circulation areas/aisles and tiles at the student stations, for easier cleaning and replacement.
• Wood or other non-tile flooring options have different maintenance and upkeep requirements. There may be cost implications to choosing non-traditional flooring options.
• For additional information see section on FF&E/Finishes

• Flat floor rooms offer the most flexibility in day-to-day use and are more cost-effective to renovate or reconfigure.
• Tiered floors should typically be constructed in larger capacity rooms.
• It is generally cost-prohibitive to change a currently tiered/sloped classroom into a flat floor classroom and vice versa.
• It is possible to create a tiered effect in a flat floor classroom by providing high tables and chairs at the rear and sides of a room.
• Addressing accessibility requirements is more challenging in tiered rooms and typically requires additional space (e.g., for compliant ramps).

• Compliance with all local, state, or federal accessibility, fire safety, and building code regulations is required. Things to be aware of include the number of doors/exits required for various capacity classrooms, wheelchair accommodations, requirements for assisted listening devices, etc. It is also important to consider occupant loads, as new classrooms with increased occupant loads may also trigger code compliance issues elsewhere on the same floor, may impact egress stairwells, etc.

• All classroom modifications must comply with Dartmouth’s Design Guidelines and Specifications, including sustainability requirements and technical specifications for ventilation systems, sound insulation, lighting, security access, etc.
• Please reference [xxxxx] for additional information or contact Campus Planning directly.

The CTS team has a tremendous amount of knowledge to share on presentation technologies and is also willing to consult with other departments on campus by request.