An alcove is a recessed section of a room. Think of this ALCOVE as a space set apart to support emerging instructional technologies and strategies—an active learning classroom designed to try out a variety of things like digital whiteboards, collaboration screens, mobile technologies, and configurable furniture.
As feedback is gathered from instructors and students, the space will evolve and be redesigned at a faster pace than a typical classroom. By continuously creating spaces that meet the needs of students and faculty, this partnership informs the design of classrooms and technologies across all IU learning spaces.
Kalani Craig, clinical associate professor in the Department of History, found the ALCOVE to be invaluable for teaching during the pandemic.
“Leading hybrid classes with both remote and Zoom attendees at the same time is hard,” said Craig. “The ALCOVE made it manageable because of the overhead mics and the way the space is oriented around a central point that makes conversation easy.”
The ALCOVE is designed for any discipline, with the intention of welcoming any instructor and student into the space. Each new course taught in the space is an opportunity not only to understand the space better, but for faculty to learn new ways to teach in their discipline.
My experience in the ALCOVE convinced me that I want to teach all of my smaller classes there.
Kalani Craig, clinical associate professor in the Department of History
IUB instructors interested active learning can get more information and sign up to teach in the ALCOVE. The ALCOVE team is happy to collaborate with instructors and to learn from instructor and student feedback to plan future spaces.
“My experience in the ALCOVE convinced me that I want to teach all of my smaller classes there,” Craig said. “It’s such a flexible space that it really doesn’t matter what you’re trying to do.”
