Sep 13, 2010 - Claremont, Calif. -

This fall, a new Learning Studio, designed to encourage multiple forms of faculty and student interaction and to support collaborative and cross-disciplinary learning, greeted the HMC community. Made possible by a $750,000 grant from The Fletcher Jones Foundation and additional funding from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation and HMC's Computing and Information Services, the Learning Studio emphasizes comfort, flexibility, ergonomic workstations and modern computing resources.

"The Learning Studio provides a high-profile 'anchor' space in the heart of the academic end of campus, which will have a significant positive impact on teaching and learning," said President Maria Klawe.

The Learning Studio, housed on the first floor of the Sprague Building (formerly the library), is a tangible realization of theme six of HMC's Strategic Vision: “infrastructure and resources to support our commitment to excellence and building community.” After almost a year of renovation, the facility fills the need for flexible classrooms and labs, enabling faculty to use both modern technology and pedagogical approaches that foster active learning.

“This new space was designed to fill the needs that arose from focus groups of faculty, students and staff in Spring 2009,” said Elizabeth Hodas, director of education technology and media services. “People wanted a lot of flexibility and natural light, with comfortable furniture.”

The Learning Studio offers all of that and more. It has 45 dual-boot MacBook Pro laptops available for use in the classroom space that can be enclosed by a “NanaWall," a collapsible glass wall. The space also has a built-in video projector, a DVD/VHS player and screen, a floor-to-ceiling whiteboard, mobile whiteboards and two mobile LCD panels. The furniture in the classroom is very flexible allowing for many configurations. When not in use, the NanaWall folds back to allow for multiple uses of the space.

In addition to the classroom space, the Learning Studio offers a wide variety of furniture and equipment that supports individual and group work. Sixteen dual-boot iMacs, two multimedia stations with video editing software, two scanners, comfortable armchairs and sofas, colorful movable privacy screens, movable tables and whiteboards are among the amenities that can be enjoyed. In the works are smart boards and high-end computation resources.

"We anticipate that community feedback will drive the direction of the studio," said Joseph Vaughn, chief information officer and vice president of computing and information services, who added that comments are currently being collected via an online form.

Already the Learning Studio is a popular space. Students have deemed it Platt 2.0 in reference to its similarity to another popular work area located in the Platt Campus Center. Hodas said, “We hope that people will find it a comfortable and exciting place to work.”

Learning Studio information: Elizabeth Hodas