UM-Flint upgrades classroom tech with $2.8M in CARES Act funding

Students were welcomed back to the academic year at the University of Michigan-Flint with more than a full suite of events and a fresh set of syllabi from supportive professors. Classrooms utilized by each of the university's five schools and colleges received significant technology upgrades thanks to funding the university received as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

Upgrades installed in a total of 33 classrooms include:

Crestron Digital Media Presentation systems, an all-in-one A/V solution. HDMI and USB-C connections.New touch panel controls with a custom-built graphical user interface. Pan-tilt-zoom cameras that track the speaker as they move through the room. Linear microphone arrays to increase audio quality for recording and remote learning. In-room voice-lift systems to amplify the instructor's voice through speakers.PTZ cameras dynamically track the speaker as they move in the classroom.

Erik Hoffman, instructional learning intermediate with Information & Technology Services, serves as both a classroom technician and project manager. He sees these upgrades as vital to providing world-class education to UM-Flint students. 

"The first outcome of this project is increased reliability. Some of these rooms had gone more than a decade without a technology refresh, which increases the risk of equipment failure – something we work hard to avoid as any equipment downtime has a negative impact on instructional delivery," said Hoffman. "Secondly, this equipment increases the capability of our schools and colleges to offer mixed-mode learning. Better cameras and microphones mean that students studying remotely have an experience that more closely replicates being in the classroom."

UM-Flint received approximately $27 million in CARES Act funding, of which $2.8 million was dedicated to this classroom upgrade project. 

A complete listing of the upgraded rooms by school and college is below:

College of Innovation & Technology Murchie Science Building 163, 265, 354, 359, 362, 367, 374, 416, 457, 465, 466, 474, 559, 575 College of Arts, Sciences & Education French Hall 144, 210, 527; Library 225; Northbank Center Dance Studio; William S. White Building 4202 College of Health Sciences  WSW 2140, 2153, 3145, 3159, 4102 School of Management Riverfront 2301, 2307, 2315, 2317, 2319, 2341 School of Nursing WSW 2201 and the Nursing Simulation Lab Linear microphone arrays capture clear audio no matter where the speaker is situated within a classroom.

Hoffman said that a key aspect of the project was the collaboration between ITS and the university's schools and colleges. He combined ITS's technical expertise with instructional realities to create an informed plan that best serves UM-Flint's diverse stakeholders.

"Before meeting with the schools and colleges, we cataloged each room and focused on rooms with A/V equipment at the end of its useful life, which is eight years. We then cross-referenced this information with classroom usage statistics from the Registrar's Office to provide suggestions of high-priority rooms to the schools and colleges," said Hoffman. "Our conversations with academic units gave us an in-depth understanding of their day-to-day needs. They explained how classrooms are actually utilized and what technology would be most helpful."

Hoffman developed a custom graphical user interface that allows instructors to control every aspect of a classroom's A/V system using a touchscreen.

While the upgrades will enhance in-classroom pedagogy, they are also notable for increasing access to and the capabilities of flexible learning modalities. Fully remote and mixed-mode (a combination of in-person and online) learning has gained popularity in recent years. The School of Management, for example, offers all of its degrees on a part-time or full-time basis, with 100% online options as well as daytime, evening or hybrid classes to fit various schedules.

"The PTZ cameras will certainly help remote students feel more engaged," said Hoffman. "Instructors are able to set different presets according to their teaching style. Maybe one instructor will keep the camera zoomed into their teaching station, while another will take advantage of the auto-tracking feature so they can walk around the classroom."

The enhanced microphones will also provide a better experience for remote students. According to Hoffman, the linear array microphones can not only capture the instructor's speaking but also clearly pick up student voices. He explained that remote students can now hear questions being asked by their fellow students, better hear their professor and be more engaged despite not being in the room. 

Interim Vice Chancellor of Business & Finance Gerald Glasco said that, in addition to the $2.8 million in CARES Act funding used in this classroom upgrade project, an additional $1.8 million was invested in the university's overall IT infrastructure. 

"Perhaps the only positive outcome from the pandemic was this federal investment that allowed UM-Flint to catch up on funding our IT infrastructure, including an investment in classrooms," Glasco said. "This investment allows our faculty to meet students where they are, both in-class and online."