Northern Arizona University

Jun 02, 2014

Northern Arizona University's collaborative classroom gives students an important voice in instruction.

Flagstaff, Arizona

It’s the ultimate challenge for higher education: finding ways to help students develop thinking, learning and problem-solving skills, while at the same time absorbing the fundamental facts of a given profession or field of study. That’s especially true in the arts, where the university must impart a detailed knowledge of art history and current practice while helping students embrace their creative natures and develop an ability to work skillfully in a variety of media. At Northern Arizona University (NAU), professors in the School of Visual Communication have begun experimenting with a new tool, a collaborative graphic arts classroom, that promises to help with both challenges. The technology in this room encourages a more democratic approach to education, where students can learn more actively, retain knowledge more effectively and develop higher level thinking skills.