By Ryan Schoensee, Communications Specialist
The state-of-the-art digital classroom facilitates group collaboration
On Thursday, July 10 UTSA Libraries opened GroupSpot, a state-of-the-art digital classroom located on the second floor of the John Peace Library. The room was created to foster academic success through library instruction and group collaboration.
GroupSpot is an interactive space that facilitates team engagement through small group tables equipped with laptops and shared displays. The room can hold 100 students with its 20 tables, each complete with five laptops and a 46” monitor. GroupSpot contains two retractable projection screens, two wall monitors and two podiums each with a laptop. It also has twenty additional chairs and can be divided in half for smaller audiences.
The collaborative technology in GroupSpot is powered by TeamSpot, a forward thinking software that provides interactive tools to boost group performance. Using TeamSpot software, students can share and modify information directly from their laptops to the 46” monitor. This serves as a backdrop to enhance group contributions, with each member able to view and edit information on the shared display.
“GroupSpot changes the learning dynamic and opens up a world of opportunities for innovative teaching practices, including collaborative learning exercises and flipped classroom activities,” said Mary Dixson, assistant dean for Faculty Services.
During the summer, GroupSpot is open for students to use as a cooperative study space whenever the library is open, except for Mondays and Wednesdays between 7a.m. – 7p.m. when it is reserved for other programs. Starting in the fall, the room will be open study space during the evenings and weekends and used for classes during the weekdays.