Refreshing the Computer Classroom to Support Innovative Teaching and Learning

Authored by Paul Cooper and Justin Wadland

Over the summer, the Digital Scholarship Lab (DSL) made significant upgrades to the computers  and the AV systems for the instructor station in our classroom. The technology in this space is heavily used by drop-in users and instructors teaching classes that require a lot of processing power. 

“This hub has more tech available than anywhere else on campus,” says Kristy Kellom, an Instructor in Interior Design. “The DSL computers and exhaustive list of advanced software offer us a space for innovation and testing—a place to try, fail, try again, and progress toward scholarly advancements.”

The Digital Scholarship Lab decided to upgrade the systems to continue meeting the needs of faculty like Kellom, who regularly uses the DSL in her Interior Design classes. Using programs like Revit, Kellom’s classes create interior design plans that are then shown in the DSL’s 360 and VR Rooms. She won an AT&T Excellence in Teaching with Technology Award for her work in the DSL, and we wanted to ensure our systems remain relevant as processing needs increase.

“Last year (2023), I tried working with one of our larger project files on the DSL computers, and the older processors struggled,” says Kellom. “The file was slow to respond, crashed once, and my work took longer than it should have. Students also noticed slow responses, especially with their complex project files. So we really appreciate the upgrades, which will better support ongoing needs and software upgrades consistent with industry practices.”

The DSL replaced the original computers that have supported many faculty, students, and staff since 2017 with Dell systems that use Windows 11. The new computers have faster Xeon processors and 12-GB GPUs to enable researchers to manipulate and visualize complex data sets more efficiently. This upgrade also supports advanced video editing, 3D modeling, and machine learning tasks, thereby enhancing the DSL's research capabilities. During the upgrade, we reviewed the computer image and updated the software available on the machines.

The computers have energy-efficient features that will not only reduce the lab's environmental footprint but also provide a more cost-effective and sustainable research environment. Additionally, they support USB-C and charging.

The instructor station in the DSL Classroom also received an upgrade. It was included in a Teaching and Learning Environment grant that the Libraries received to improve AV systems throughout the Main Library. Thanks to this funding, we were able to install a new Crestron control system and a new Epson projector for the classroom.

The Digital Scholarship Lab partners with the MSU Libraries Systems team to maintain our technical infrastructure, and we appreciate all of the work our colleagues in Systems did over the summer to order, install, and image the new computers. Our commitment to continuous improvement and innovation will significantly improve the ability to manipulate and visualize data, and advances our mission to support our patrons and partners across campus.