By Johanne Adam
CRX are three letters that have been creating quite a buzz on campus recently. The Learning Crossroads, or CRX for short, is the new state-of-the-art building added to the east side of Lamoureux Hall, facing the Brooks Residences. A little more than two years after the ground was broken for CRX, some sections are ready for occupancy.
As of January 15, all students have access to more than 1,000 individual or group study spaces. In addition, a good number of students from the faculties of Arts, Social Sciences, Engineering Science, and the Telfer School of Management will attend the 22 courses to be taught in one of the CRX’s two amphitheatres.
An engaging learning experience
The Learning Crossroads boasts a wide range of advanced multimedia technologies that will provide students with a deeply engaging learning experience.
The Teaching and Learning Support Service (TLSS) is in the process of setting up four active-learning classrooms with movable furniture designed specifically for group work. Screens mounted on each wall will also allow students to connect face-to-face with experts or other students anywhere in the world.
“We want students to have access to individuals in other places so they can be exposed to many different perspectives and insights,” says Aline Germain-Rutherford, TLSS associate vice-president.
Active learning will continue outside the classroom in new spaces managed by the Library on the second and fifth floors of the building. These facilities will feature an 8K video wall, production studios and new group study rooms. “The needs of students continue to evolve and we want to provide them with spaces and technology that are adapted to their needs so they can work on a host of projects, ranging from individual study to team collaborations and digital creation,” said Leslie Weir, chief librarian.
Sophisticated technologies
The sophisticated technologies in the Learning Crossroads will certainly capture the interest of students, staff and visitors alike — this is the first facility of its kind on campus. Some of the features include:
- a gaming room to try out new tools, such as Oculus Rift, drones and the Nintendo Switch game console
- a giant 8k video screen covering the entire lab wall to work on data visualization
- a multipurpose room equipped with a piano and hardwood floor to enhance the teaching of dance and music at the Faculty of Education
- some 20 classrooms designed to allow students to break out from a lecture to work on case studies or small-group problem-solving assignments
- several study rooms
- a range of technologies available to borrow
Over the coming months, the Faculty of Education will return to the classrooms it gave up during the construction phase. The entire facility will be finished and ready for students in the fall 2018 term.