University of Wales Trinity Saint David creates active, interactive learning environment with Sony

To reinvent the learning experience and foster collaboration, The university has implemented the Vision Exchange solution on all its campuses, in addition to incorporating it into the new construction of the SA1 Swansea Waterfront teaching spaces.

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (Ultra), founded in November 2010 from the merger of the University of Wales Lampeter and Trinity University College Carmarthen. As a pioneer of learning linked to technology, has invested in its infrastructure and has embarked on an ambitious regeneration program to transform the educational experience.

His collaboration with Sony has accelerated the transition from traditional conference rooms and auditoriums to cutting-edge learning spaces to create an environment of collaboration and interactivity that encourages participation and achievement.

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (Ultra) has undergone significant regeneration and development as part of its mission to expand its campus and improve the student experience. This process culminated with the investment of 350 million pounds for the construction of its new pioneering project, el SA1 Swansea Waterfront Development (finished in September 2018), which houses the Institute of Education, the School of Architecture, Computer Science and Engineering, the Wales Construction Innovation Center and a new library.

For the renovation of the learning spaces of its existing campuses and the construction from scratch of the SA1 facilities, The goal was to create an active learning environment based on interactivity. In 2015, The university undertook the task of reinventing its learning experience to raise the bar for collaborative education linked to technology.

Interactive collaboration

UWTSD rethought its teaching and learning programs to engage and create an optimized educational environment for all students.

“UWTSD's pedagogical approach has been to employ a model that makes students active participants and responsible for the educational journey. We want our students to be involved in their subject of study, so we needed a solution that was more than just technology. “It had to complement the entire educational experience”, comments Lyndon Shirley, UWTSD Executive Director of Technology Enhanced Learning.

To optimize organizational acceptance and accelerate adoption, the university chose an intuitive and easy-to-use technology solution for students and teachers alike, regardless of your technical knowledge. Besides, Faculty stakeholders needed to be actively involved, both in the development of the technology itself and in its implementation, in order to maximize the assimilation and impact.

”We wanted to create a collaborative ecosystem. Leaving behind 'the chalk and the talk' meant that teachers had to become the facilitators and guides of this educational environment..

This required change management on a monumental scale.. The staff development process has been the direct responsibility of a student committee (supported by senior management), while the working groups (which include members of the faculty of education for pedagogical guidance, technology-enhanced learning and HR teams. HH.) “They have been advisors and co-designers of the system”.

Vision Exchange

From initial proof of concept to final implementation of customized offering across campuses, Sony's Vision Exchange solution has been developed in close collaboration with UWTSD.

This solution allows a maximum of 60 students work collaboratively in small groups of up to six people working simultaneously connected wirelessly to the platform from their laptops (Windows o Mac), tablets or smart devices.

Vision Exchange not only maximizes the potential of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), but, unlike other complex fixed solutions connected to different technologies, Scalability allows for easy connection and expansion by simply adding active learning workgroup delivery points.

The design of the new SA1 spaces is based on the basic principle of flexibility. The result is fully configurable and adaptable, with tables, seats and mobile sets. Educational technologies such as Sony's Vision Exchange solution are also flexible to drive and empower the new learning environment.

The presenter can easily mirror a device and share content with other groups in the classroom, as well as on the main splash screen, through simple drag and drop gestures that it controls itself. The solution also allows other participants located elsewhere to join the discussion and share content, regardless of geographic location, to promote knowledge exchange, creative dialogue and higher level thinking.

Vision Exchange has been progressively implemented across all current UWTSD campuses and has been incorporated into the new construction of the SA1 Swansea Waterfront teaching spaces, allowing teachers to ingrain technology in their teaching methodology.

The University has also invested in Sony's TEOS Manage room and device management solution to manage, Efficiently schedule and control content displayed across your entire network of Bravia professional projectors and monitors.

By giving them more freedom of movement in the classroom, Vision Exchange has fostered better interaction between teachers and students, which has improved participation and involvement by groups as part of the educational process.

Contrast ideas from different group members, both inside and outside the institution itself, It also allows UWTSD to expand the learning environment beyond the classroom and actively develop its distance learning offerings. Teachers have more opportunities to observe what is happening in an active environment and incorporate a wide range of voices and ideas to drive the evolution of the journey of discovery.