Last year, RTL implemented a new classroom technology standard and began to install “Flex Classrooms” with accessibility improvements in mind.
New improvements include:
Ceiling microphones which, if unmuted by the instructor, give remote captioners the ability to hear student questions. Ceiling microphones also allow for the use of a microphone without having to physically touch the shared body pack and mic clip, something that concerned many in 2021.
Introducing the new podcast, Finding Space, where UC Berkeley students, educators, and staff from the disability community tell their stories and call the campus community in on acts of advocacy and disability justice. Learn more on the Finding Space webpage and listen to the premiere episode.
Research, Teaching, and Learning (RTL) will be operating on modified schedules for campus curtailment during the winter break, Monday, December 23 through Wednesday, January 1. See details below. Emails and requests received during this time will be answered when the campus reopens on January 2, 2025.
Team Member Evaluation assignmentsin Peerceptiv allow students to provide anonymous feedback on the participation and contributions of their group members. Sync existing groups from bCourses, provide a rubric, and this assignment can be set up in <5 minutes.
In the latest issue, review resources for how you can navigate conversations about the current political climate with your students. Also review past issues on topics that may help throughout the academic year.
Review Research IT's Fall 2024 Update for news on upcoming trainings and events for the UC Berkeley research community.
Berkeley’s Classroom Technology team continues to successfully roll out our new Flex Classroom technology standard which will be implemented across campus over the next few years. When Fall instruction began, there were two standard Flex Classrooms and three Active Learning Flex Classrooms. Since then, three more Flex classrooms have been installed in the Social Sciences building, with a few newly refreshed rooms being completed each month throughout this semester.
Review our semester start issue packed with resources for hte Berkeley community.
Prepare for semester start with resources in the Research, Teaching, & Learning August Update
This past month, Berkeley’s Classroom Technology team in Research, Teaching, and Learning (RTL) launched a major update of our classrooms with a new standard that will be implemented across campus over the next few years. Notable functionality of this new standard includes microphones built into the ceiling, wireless display, interactive whiteboards with annotation features, and easy remote connections over Zoom without the need to bring in your own device.
Modules, module items, pages, and ungraded discussions can now be assigned to everyone, specific sections, or individual students in bCourses. These updates are intended to improve the ability to differentiate instruction of their course content.
What’s new:
The campus instructional community is invited to RTL's Open House on September 3!
10:00am - 3:00pm | Academic Innovation Studio (AIS), 117 Dwinelle
UPDATE - AUGUST 29, 2024: Based on user feedback, the vendor has rolled back the “Assign To…” tray interface described below, reverting to the original design for assigning due dates and assignees.
As of July 20, all users will see a new interface when interacting with Discussions or Announcements in bCourses. The updated interfaces include a modernized look and some added features. No functionality has been removed.
Welcome to the special Research IT Spring Newsletter. We hope you learn about some of the many ways we support research across the UC Berkeley campus and beyond.
In this week’s Teaching newsletter, review shared teaching philosophies of the 2024 Distinguished Teaching Award recipients. Also review past issues on topics that may help throughout the academic year.
