Learn Your Classroom to Enhance Student Learning

Learn what equipment and furniture are available in your assigned classroom and how USask’s renewed and hybrid-enabled spaces can support flexible teaching and student learning.

By Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching and Learning

At the University of Saskatchewan, the classroom you teach in is more than just a room—it’s a learning environment designed to support a wide range of teaching and learning approaches. Whether you’re in a renewed classroom, a flexible learning classroom, a hybrid-enabled classroom, or a classroom that hasn’t been updated in a few years, knowing what resources are available and how to use them can help you make the most of student learning.

What equipment is in your classroom?

If you want to know the exact setup of your assigned space, USask provides detailed information and photos: USask Room Information. If you lose that link, you can quickly search for your room within PAWS to be directed to this information page. In general, a USask classroom includes, at least: 

  • Whiteboards – at the front for instructors 
  • Instructor microphones and speakers – supporting clear audio across the room 
  • Document camera and podium monitor – allowing you to display and annotate content 
  • Large classroom display – so students can easily view shared material 
Recently renewed rooms are typically more flexible by adding equipment, including: 
  • Additional whiteboards – along the side and back walls for student use 
  • Flexible furniture – student tables and chairs that move easily on casters 

These features are designed to give you freedom in how you teach and to better support students in engaging with course material. As well, the typical equipment supports using Panopto to easily record your lectures.

Flexible furniture for flexible teaching and learning

Most renewed classrooms are designed as Flexible Learning Classrooms, the furniture can be quickly rearranged to support collaboration, discussion, individual work, etc. For inspiration, review the video below and read: USask spaces that flex with the type of learning.

Hybrid-enabled classrooms

A small number of classrooms are hybrid-enabled, specially designed to better support synchronous hybrid teaching, where students join both in-person and online. These spaces include: 

  • Wireless student microphones – shared at tables, with charging docks.
  • Dual monitors on the teaching podium – one for content, one for viewing online students and the chat.
  • Dual large displays in the room – one for in-person students to view your content, one for viewing online students and the chat as you move through the room.
  • HD auto-tracking camera – following the instructor’s movement.

If you’re scheduled in a hybrid-enabled room, the GMCTL can support you in making the most of both the technology and the teaching and learning strategies that work best in these spaces.

Ongoing classroom renewal at USask

The Classroom Renewal Program is a university-wide initiative to continually improve learning spaces across campus. You can learn more about the program here: Classroom Renewal Program

Need Support?

The Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching and Learning (GMCTL) is here to help you. Whether you want guidance on classroom technology, ideas for reconfiguring your space, or support for hybrid teaching, don’t hesitate to contact gmctl@usask.ca.

Title image credit: USask Knowledge Base image
This article was created with the assistance of AI tools, as described in the GMCTL AI Disclosure Statement.
This resource is shared by the Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching and Learning (GMCTL), University of Saskatchewan, under a CC BY-NC-SA license.