AEE 528 - Instructional Design and Course Development in Agricultural Education

Instructor's response to Exercise 5

I often teach in a large classroom that serves multiple purposes. It is in the basement and has no windows to the outside. It is down a closed hallway with two sets of doors.

Variables I can Control

• I can adjust the lights so only the ones above the screen are off
• The room has about 12 tables and approximately 20 chairs with arm desks that I can arrange
• I can control access to the room through two different doors
• I can control noise outside in the main hallway with two different doors
• There is a chalkboard on rolling wheels
• There is a cabinet with two VCRs and television
• There is Internet access in the room
• The students in my courses all have an undergraduate degree
• Students in my advanced courses all have had the basic course, most of the time
• Students in the advanced courses are almost always department majors
• I can choose the textbook
• I can put materials on reserve at the library

• The screen is permanently mounted at the front of the room
• The screen completely covers the white board
• There is a large grid with lights at the front of the room that blocks the view of the screen from the back of the room (it's used for the TV classes)
• I cannot control the temperature without calling for a building engineer
• Students range in age from their mid-20s to retirees
• Students sometime have to miss class due to work commitments
• The library is not open 24 hours a day