Navigating Classroom Technology – the GUId way

Audio Visual control systems at higher education campuses across North America have been steadily growing in complexity and ubiquity for the last decade. Increased capabilities of AV systems, more sophisticated requirements... [ view full abstract ]

Audio Visual control systems at higher education campuses across North America have been steadily growing in complexity and ubiquity for the last decade. Increased capabilities of AV systems, more sophisticated requirements from educators, and ever evolving pedagogies have resulted in a need for simple intuitive Graphical User Interfaces that are consistent in every teaching and learning space at every location. Recognizing this challenge, both Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia have undertaken projects to develop highly intuitive GUIs for their users.

Until recently, SFU and UBC classroom technologies have been installed and programmed solely by outside vendors which created a patchwork of varied control systems and graphical user interfaces. The lack of consistency of GUIs for controlling teaching and learning spaces was most acutely felt by users as they were forced to learn and use very different GUIs from room to room.

In this session, you’ll learn about creating a standardized audio-visual GUI for the higher education environment from two Vancouver universities. With different paths to the same goal, hear the stories, ideas, experiences and best practices in their journeys to creating effective interfaces.