Oregon State’s Learning Innovation Center (LInc) is featured in the “Designing for the Active Classroom” article that is authored by Andrea Wilkerson and Robert Davis with the Pacific Northwest National lab and Amy Donohue with Boora Architects. (click to view full article)

Posted on the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy’s Energy.gov site, this article is based on work that was sponsored by the DOE SSL (Solid State Lighting) Program.

This article highlights The Active Learning Classroom as the new direction in pedagogy, which is intended to “move students beyond passive lower order thinking skills, such as remembering and understanding information, to active higher order thinking skills, such as analyzing, critiquing and creating.”  This new direction in pedagogy focuses on fostering student-faculty engagement, maximizing time for learning and anticipating change.

As the authors state, “In this article, we will explain how new architectural approaches that embody these three traits are being implemented in the new Oregon State University (OSU) Learning Innovation Center (LINC). The focus will be on the 600-seat arena classroom and the 72-seat active learning studio at OSU.

• “In the 600-seat arena classroom at OSU, a round configuration collapses the distance typically separating student from instructor in a large lecture hall. In this teaching space, one is never more than eight rows or 30 ft from the professor, trumping Laurence Olivier’s classic rule of acting within 65 ft of the last row of the audience. “
• “Facial modeling and the direction of light are critical factors for facultystudent engagement, and accomplishing this in the 600-seat arena classroom where students are looking at a speaker from every direction elevates the difficulty. Dynamic lighting that tracks the presenter can facilitate student focus and engagement, making barely perceptible adjustments as the speaker moves around the room. Adequate vertical illuminance on the face of a student who raises a hand to ask a question helps the presenter quickly notice the student and more easily read the learning curve required for new presentation technology and classroom layouts such as the arena classroom. In fact, the arena classroom at OSU will not be used for classes during the first semester so that the Instructional Resource Center can train professors how to effectively use the new space. “
• “The learning studio at Oregon State University supports a class of 72 students in a wide array of coursework, often working in groups of three or nine. The instructor has a home base but often moves about the room working with small groups on problem solving. Like an architecture studio, the lecture time is minimized while individual or small group discussion is the focus. Interactive boards surround the room, connected to each round table of nine students. Results from small group efforts can be broadcast to the room, enabling students to learn from one another while guided by the instructor.”

In response to lighting concerns identified in the ASOSU Women’s Affairs Task force Report, Capital Planning and Development is working with Facilities Services and ASOSU leadership on the Campus Way Lighting Project.  OSU’s existing exterior lighting standards exceed the city’s minimum requirements; however, areas west of 30^th Street tend to have fewer exterior lights because there has been less development than in the core of campus.  The Campus Way Lighting Project will bring the installation of 18 new historic-style light poles along the north side of Campus Way between 30^th and 35^th Streets, which was identified as an area of particular concern in the Task force Report.

Building upon the pedestrian lighting pilot project started at the Oldfield Animal Teaching Facility, the Campus Way Lighting Project will utilize LED lamps for improved effectiveness. LED lamps are much more energy efficient than the high pressure sodium (HPS) lamps used in older light poles on campus, and LED lighting has shown to have a longer life than traditional lighting. More importantly, the project leads to a greater sense of security at night. Whereas HPS lights tend to give an orange cast, the color of light produced with LED is truer to daylight, allowing pedestrians to better see their surroundings and to make facial recognition.

The project was initially scheduled to be completed by the end of November, but due to challenges in getting a building permit, finding an appropriate power source for the lighting, and procuring the lamps from the manufacturer, the completion of this project has been delayed.  To expedite the benefits of this project and address concerns regarding lighting levels, construction will begin with the installation of light poles with temporary lamp heads to provide lighting in this area until the permanent heads are received from the manufacturer and installed.  This project is currently expected to be complete in spring 2015.

For comments, questions or additional information on the Campus Way Lighting Project, contact:

Sara Robertson, Associate Campus Planner with Capital Planning and Development, at 541-737-0459.

Welcome the new Learning Innovation Center (LInC)! 

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The 135,00- SF, 4-story Learning Innovation Center (LInC) provides centralized classroom and learning space, including 2,300 classroom seats in 15 classrooms, over 600 seats in outside of the classroom, collaborative study environments.  In addition to this innovative learning space, LInC will also be the new home for Integrated Instructional Resource Center (IIRC) and University Honors College.

One-of-a-kind classroom and learning space design supports collaboration and student participation through collaborative learning studios and study spaces and unique instructional spaces. This includes a Parliament and “In-The-Round” classroom design for the 600-seat arena, in which the instructor is within 40 feet of all learners.

The Universal Accessibility emphasis in design will make OSU’s new instructional center-of-mass welcome and inviting to all.

Energy performance efficiencies include the following.

• Classroom and other space with critical temperature requirements are separated from the exterior and from circulation that will loop around the classrooms to prevent outside temperature exposure to classrooms.
• Circulation areas will be cooled and heated as separate zones, using passive cooling from outside air and passive heating from sunlight.  Classroom climate control can be turned off when not in use.
• Energy efficient lighting systems
• Increased use of natural light
• Increased Insulation
• Reflective cool roof

One of the striking features of the Oregon State University campus is the beautiful tree-lined streets and pathways and tree canopies across campus. The Oregon State University campus is home to about 5,000 trees, and each year another thirty-five new trees are planted. Supporting our valuable resource, OSU has a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, celebrates Arbor Day, and has various service learning projects aimed at engaging students. And, OSU has received the Tree Campus USA Award for five years in a row, which recognizes our efforts in effectively managing our campus trees, developing connectivity with the community beyond campus borders to foster healthy, urban forests, and engaging students in leaning opportunities centered on campus and community forestry events.

Building upon the OSU focus on stewardship in the care of our campus trees, Capital Planning and Development has stepped forward to integrate reclaimed wood into several of our new construction projects.  It’s always difficult when a large tree dies or needs to be removed, but several trees will live on in their service to Beaver Nation, as tables, chairs and decorations.

In August 2012, a 100-foot, 50-year-old red oak on the MU Quad fell. The wood from this oak has been milled and will become furniture for the new Student Experience Center (SEC).  As Larrie Easterly, Project Manager for the SEC construction explains, “Because this was a naturally-growing tree, the grain in the wood is very unique and has a lot of character, which will make spectacularly beautiful furniture.”

Repurposing and integrating our OSU trees into the built environment has expanded since 2012. At the site where Johnson Hall will be built, there are two large black walnut trees that are diseased and need to be removed. Once these trees are removed, the wood will be milled to be integrated into furniture and wood design elements of Johnson Hall.  Similarly, elm trees that were removed for the construction of the SEC will be used in the meditation room at the SEC. Black walnut trees that were removed for the construction of the Centro Cultural César Chávez will become furniture for Centro Cultural César Chávez, MU, and the Student Experience Center.

Austin Hall opened September 2014 as the new home for OSU’s College of Business (COB), bringing 100,000 square feet that includes ten classrooms, a 250-seat auditorium, collaborative team rooms, research suites, over 70 faculty offices, staff and program offices, a café and event space.

Austin Hall will be connected by an open courtyard to the new Classroom Building, which will mean this area will have 5,000 – 6,000 students and faculty moving through this area during class changes. Built upon the realization that COB holds a unique place at OSU as the connection of other disciplines with the marketplace, Austin Hall includes large gathering and interactive learning spaces, all of which were designed to support universal accessibility and inclusivity.

All four entry doors have electric assist actuators. Two centrally-located elevators connect the four floors of the building.  Classrooms and auditoriums with multiple levels have sloped walkways to allow wheelchair access. The typical 48-seat classroom in the building has wheelchair access to 2 of the three seating levels.  The 30-seat seminar room supports access to all levels.  The 250-seat auditorium provides access to the front and to the rear entrance area of the room.  Additionally, there is more than one location for wheelchair seating areas. Because it can be difficult to adjust door pulls to accommodate a variety of height considerations, airport-style restrooms eliminated the need for doors on the entrances. In office spaces and all classrooms, height-adjustable furniture is incorporated.

Landscape architecture includes subtle integration of accessibility features.  Building entry paths are gently sloped beyond ADA minimum standards to provide an elegant and seamless grade change, so that everyone, including those with mobility assistance needs, are able to approach the building in the same manner.  Seat walls and benches allow all wheelchair and non-wheelchair users to sit together, rather than sitting separately in dedicated spaces.

Cutting edge technology for the hard of hearing has also been included.  In addition to the standard infrared assistive listening device capability, which requires the use of hand-held equipment, Austin hall is equipped with an audio induction loop system that creates a magnetic field in the room to transmit sound directly to hearing aids and cochlear implants, for hands-free accessibility. The audio induction loop system provides a more discreet listening experience, while also decreasing background noise, competing sounds, reverberation and other acoustic distortions that reduce the clarity of sound.

The open nature of the building and the floor-to-ceiling white board walls creates an open, interactive learning experience. To accommodate different learning styles and study needs, building design includes learning environments, which encouraged students to continue their learning and discussions outside the classroom.